Croton pics from Costa Rica

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[Jeff in St Pete]

[epicure3]

Jeff, those pictures rock. Crotons are quickly becoming my favorite non palm plant. How big do some of these varieties get down in Costa Rica?

[SubTropicRay]

Nice plants Jeff.  These will be tough to ID as I've never seen a few of them before.  The last one looks like a Charles Rutherford.  The first one is Ovalifolium.  The one in Post 2 rocks whatever it is.  There aren't many Codieaum with semi-oak and recurved leaves.  Post 3 looks like a blotched version of Stewartii (if that even exists).  Post 11 is the typical Aureo maculatum or Goldust.  Let me work on these more later.

[TikiRick]

Great crotons! Palms and crotons are a marriage that will last to eternity!

[Jeff in St Pete]

Thanks Rick!  I couldn't agree more.  I love to see crotons planted under palms.  They give such great color and contrast to many palms.  

Ray, thanks as always for identifying!

Thanks Epicure!  Many crotons are used for hedges and the Ticos keep them clipped back.  However, I have seen some that were never pruned and they are the size of small trees.

Here are some that are lining a pathway.  They were a little leggy growing in so much shade, but they were at least 7 feet tall.  

[SubTropicRay]

Jeff,

The croton in post 12 appears to have fantastic scarlet marbling on huge leaves.  Any closeups of that one?

Thanks,

Ray

[Jeff Searle]

Ray,

  I think your choices were all dead on, just can't tell with some of the other photos.

Jeff,

   Glad to see someone else posting a few more croton photos. This is probably my second favorite group of plants.

Jeff

007

[epicure3]

(Jeff in Costa Rica @ Jun. 06 2007,17:23)

QUOTE

Thanks Rick!  I couldn't agree more.  I love to see crotons planted under palms.  They give such great color and contrast to many palms.  

Ray, thanks as always for identifying!

Thanks Epicure!  Many crotons are used for hedges and the Ticos keep them clipped back.  However, I have seen some that were never pruned and they are the size of small trees.

Here are some that are lining a pathway.  They were a little leggy growing in so much shade, but they were at least 7 feet tall.  

They sure do look like trees. I can't even imagine pruning crotons.

[SubTropicRay]

Hi John,

I will try to post a few photos of old plants growing at St. Petersburg's Sunken Gardens.  There are many specimens there with trunks 4, 5 and 6 inches thick.  Most of those were planted in the 1930's when the park was opened.  The tallest specimen is over 20 feet tall.

Ray

[Jeff in St Pete]

(Ray @ Tampa,Jun. 06 2007,21:00)

QUOTE

Jeff,

The croton in post 12 appears to have fantastic scarlet marbling on huge leaves.  Any closeups of that one?

Thanks,

Ray

Ray, if I remember correctly, that one is growing in a lot of shade and the leaves were darker than normal crotons.  I will check it out and take some more pics once I get back to Costa Rica.  It was great seeing you the other day!

[SubTropicRay]

Jeff,

It was good seeing you too and meeting Bren.  The wife and I may have to make a long weekend trip down there before the Biennial.  I'm going to search for the cheap air fares you were telling me about.

Have a good trip back,

Ray

[Jeff in St Pete]

You and your wife are welcome any time Ray!  I hope you two can make it down before the bienniel.  I'm in Philly right now visiting my family, but I am returning to Costa Rica on Friday.

[Jose]

(Jeff in Costa Rica @ Jun. 06 2007,09:59)

QUOTE

This croton is the Red version of fishbone it has a name Herringbone

[SubTropicRay]

Jose,

Herringbone is not a semi oak leaf.  The plant in the photo strongly resembles Joe Friday.

Ray

[SunnyFl]

(Ray, Tampa @ Jun. 06 2007,21:00)

QUOTE

Jeff,

The croton in post 12 appears to have fantastic scarlet marbling on huge leaves.  Any closeups of that one?

Thanks,

Ray

And do either of you know what it is?  Because it is stunning.  Another is the one in 15 - any id on that?

Ray, I'm looking forward to your Sunken Gardens croton pics.  I need to go more often - it's only 15 min. or so away, and it's just wonderful.

Crotons are addictive, plain and simple.

[SunnyFl]

(Ray, Tampa @ Jun. 06 2007,21:00)

QUOTE

Jeff,

The croton in post 12 appears to have fantastic scarlet marbling on huge leaves.  Any closeups of that one?

Thanks,

Ray

And do either of you know what it is?  Because it is stunning.  Another is the one in 15 - any id on that?

Ray, I'm looking forward to your Sunken Gardens croton pics.  I need to go more often - it's only 15 min. or so away, and it's just wonderful.

Crotons are addictive, plain and simple.

[Jose]

(Ray, Tampa @ Aug. 03 2007,10:52)

QUOTE

Jose,

Herringbone is not a semi oak leaf.  The plant in the photo strongly resembles Joe Friday.

Ray

A Bachman plant in Costa Rica doubtful, Semi Oak Leaf doubtful, resembles Joe friday not on its best day. But then again crotons ain`t my thing we both could be wrong wouldn`t be the first time for me anyways.

[Jeff in St Pete]

This may help...

I went back and looked at my photos again and I took three pictures of this croton in a row.  Two top view pictures and one side view picture.  I remember this croton because of the cool fishbone looking pattern when looking at the leaves sideways.  I also remember each leaf on the plant looking quite different on the topside.

Here are the two other pictures

[Kris]

Dear Jeff  

lovely stills of lovely plants.and we had all those in our garden before i ventured into palm gardening.as and when i

started adding bamboos,cycas,phoenix.i do not know why

these crotons used to have a droopy leaf by the evening sunset and gradually they died.but my mom felt bad,but i

have no regreats since i hate palnts that need regular watering even in summers when we have to buy palatable water in

trucks every 3 days.and i think even our euculyptus tree

had its hand in killing all our crotons.

but i must admit that they are very beautiful species of the plant kingdom.

love,

Kris  

[Jose]

(Jeff in Costa Rica @ Aug. 04 2007,03:33)

QUOTE

This may help...

I went back and looked at my photos again and I took three pictures of this croton in a row.  Two top view pictures and one side view picture.  I remember this croton because of the cool fishbone looking pattern when looking at the leaves sideways.  I also remember each leaf on the plant looking quite different on the topside.

Here are the two other pictures

I must apologize, This is not what I thought it was from your first photo. Ray from Tampa has a good eye to notice the Semi Oak Leaf Shape. Crotons are so difficult to properly identify, The smallest thing like a color of the stem or shape and size and even color markings can make one think it has a name. I guess thats why they call them Hybrids

[Jeff Searle]

Ray,

   I'd have to say, it dosen't look like Joe Friday to me either. I have a couple in the yard, and the colors just don't look right. I'm going to try to post a few pics. soon of my collection. (when I get out of the doghouse ).

Jeff

[SubTropicRay]

You're there too?!  The couch isn't too bad sometimes.

[Jeff in St Pete]

(Ray @ Tampa,Aug. 04 2007,09:22)

QUOTE

You're there too?!  The couch isn't too bad sometimes.

Ray you haven't been married long enough for the couch yet!! LOL

[junglegalfla]

I went to sunken gardens yesterday. This is a crappy shot but this is one of the larger crotons I saw there. You can get the idea of the size. What variety is this? I must admit I was tempted to 'pinch' but I was a good girl

[Jeff Searle]

Bren,

    Your pic. is not the best(sorry) but my guess would be maybe Andreanum. Anybody else?

Jeff

[SubTropicRay]

I've been with my "new" wife for 6 years.  That's more than long enough.