Croton "Fishbone"

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25/07/09
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Hello,

I bought a croton named "Fishbone" today in St. Petersburg, FL. I would like to know what are the best light requirements for this croton. Morning Sun? Evening Sun? Full Sun? Full Shade?

Thanks.

Jeffrey
Apollo Beach, FL
 
Jeffrey,

That's a great plant. Like most crotons, Fishbone prefers bright, filtered light or direct morning sun (before 12PM). Direct late day sun makes the leaves turn almost completely yellow and faded. Too much shade and the leaves green out.

Ray
 
Where in St. Pete did you buy it? Most nurseries here have the same old drek. You cannot go wrong with bright filtered light to bring out the bone pattern as mentioned ny Ray.
 
Ray, Phil, thanks for the tips about this croton.

Phil, I bought it at Dolins Garden Center, located at 62nd Ave N (close to 9th st). Most of my crotons come from here. They have different selection than what I can find in other places. And different sizes too!
 
Jeffrey, I saw that plant but it is mislabeled Fishbone. It was really Lillian Stoffregen (I think). They also have Wizard of Oz or Queen of Siam (still not sure about the difference), Norma, AFD #7, Irresistable, Challenger (mislabeled Rainbow), Irene Kingsley, Eleanor Roosevelt and the usual Petra, Mammie and Aureo Maculatum (Goldust). Last year they had Royal Flush and Buddy available as well.
 
Thanks Ray for the correct name of the plant! I guess I will have to keep searching for Fishbone! I saw the other crotons you mentioned, the one mislabeled "Rainbow" was pretty!

Jeffrey
Apollo Beach, FL
 
Jeffrey, I saw that plant but it is mislabeled Fishbone. It was really Lillian Stoffregen (I think). They also have Wizard of Oz or Queen of Siam (still not sure about the difference), Norma, AFD #7, Irresistable, Challenger (mislabeled Rainbow), Irene Kingsley, Eleanor Roosevelt and the usual Petra, Mammie and Aureo Maculatum (Goldust). Last year they had Royal Flush and Buddy available as well.



If it's a Lillian Stoffregen, that's an unusual find for sure. My first and only cutting of that one came from Robert Halgrim's house when I was there with Bob Alonzo. I still have it planted, but it never seems to want to grow very well for me.

Ray........Wizard of Oz is an invalid name for Queen of Siam.

Jeff, any chance of seeing a photo of Lillian?



Jeff
 
FWIW, I pretty much disregard the names most nurseries attach to a croton. If it looks nice and I don't think I have and if it is reasonably pricced, I buy it. Remind me in a week or so and I'll post some pics of the real Fishbone in shade and in stronger light when I am a bit more mobile. Dolin's is one of the few in the area that carries some variety. If that is Lilian Stoffringen, you got a nice plant; it's not especially easy to find.

Phil
 
I was at my local Lowes this morning and picked up a 2gal "Fishbone" and a 2gal "Dreadlocks" @ $8.98 each. The "Fishbone" looks like the pictures I have seen of it.
 
Hello,

Here are a few pictures of the croton I bought that was labeled Fishbone. I planted it in an area that will get full morning sun.

IMG_1067.jpg


IMG_1068.jpg


Thanks

Jeffrey
Apollo Beach, FL
 
The Croton Society has a great picture of Fishbone that we published in our 2006 Calendar. Lots of folks like to use it for plant identification. This is one of my favorite plants. Enjoy!
 

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I do not think mine is "Fishbone", but was purchased as such. Any idea of the name?
 

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Dean -

the pic in the link is definitely Fishbone. Note how the side bones are almost perpendicular to the spine bone. In brighter light the bones look like they've been flattened by a roller as per the pic posted by Connie.

Phil
 
Jeffrey-

Here's some pics of Fishbone in my yard. First one is shade grown and pic is shot through screening on pool birdcage; second is of air layer; third is of mature plant about 6 ft tall in bright light.

Give me call the next time you're in the St. Pete area and I'll show you the real thing. I'm in Maximo near the north end of the Skyway Bridge.

Phil
 

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...and just to add to the confusion here's some pics of a Fishbone look-alike, but leaves are about 2/3 the size of a Fishbone and a very tough and leathery. No idea of a name or where I got it. It is what it is.
 

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Scott, yesterday at Lowes I saw that same croton for sale and it was labelled 'Fantasy'.

Dave, I was at Lowes again yesterday and I noticed they were labled 'Fantasy'. I thought it had a 'Fishbone' label when I picked mine up last week. When I got the plant home it had no label on the pot.
 
Jeffrey, I saw that plant but it is mislabeled Fishbone. It was really Lillian Stoffregen (I think). They also have Wizard of Oz or Queen of Siam (still not sure about the difference), Norma, AFD #7, Irresistable, Challenger (mislabeled Rainbow), Irene Kingsley, Eleanor Roosevelt and the usual Petra, Mammie and Aureo Maculatum (Goldust). Last year they had Royal Flush and Buddy available as well.

I think my question was answered here. I purchased at Dolins the "Fishbone" and "Rainbow" today. Wrong names as usual on Crotons.
 
Here is my Lillian Stoffringen that Ray ID'd. I love the spots on the lower leaves. Is this common? Let's see some of your Lillian Stoffringen pics.
 

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Fishbone
recovering from a battle with a scale infestation. Too many places for those bastards to hide under the big leaves. Now we are in the dry season, here comes the spider mites. :(
 
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I go to Dolins frequently and I have seen the "fishbone" before. Not sure it's a Lillian though; doesn't look right. How about Florida Selecta? I recently told Don, the owner at Dolins the correct names for three crotons he had which were mislabeled. He has Dr. Brown's book and he saw the real names. One was Punctatum, another was Fred Sanders. and I corrected his "Mrs. Icetone." *#%&* growers who mislabel things.
 
Fishbone recovering from a battle with a scale infestation. Too many places for those bastards to hide under the big leaves. Now we are in the dry season, here comes the spider mites. :(
Moose, I feel you on that one. For whatever reasons, this cultivar is one that I have a really hard time with keeping the bugs off of.
 
:cool:
About a foot of new growth in the last month. 2nd just for the halibut.
 

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