Magnificent and Tortoise shell

[zone11dreamer]

Hi all

I Just bought Tortoise shell with its wonderful colors and then I saw it in a friends yard under an oak tree. The colors were all washed out ! I had Magnificent under a tree last winter and the same thing happened. I am too cold in the winter to grow crotons in anything but under a tree. What crotons keep their colors in the shade ? Thanks

 

[Moose]

That is odd, both like shade I have mine in?

 

[ScotTi]

I had planted my Magnificent in part sun, only to have the leaves bleach out and many drop off. Relocated to a shady area and have had 100% improvement in about 8 weeks. Here is her look now...

 

[zone11dreamer]

Ill get some pictures.

 

[Phil Stager]

Tortoise Shell (a sport of Bravo) gets its best color in high light for me. Magnificent has been holding its color in bright to moderate light and lots of green in shade or low light. However, it can be slow to establish since it started life as a cutting in Costa Rica, was quickly rooted in a green house or similar environment in southern Florida, trucked to wherever I bought it, and then planted in whatever passes for soil here. Unless carefully and regularly watered, the plant is in for a shock. Most made it through the past winter with no problems. And lest we forget the obvious, the sunlight in the yard changes considerably throughout the year.

 

[zone11dreamer]

I feel a bit better now. I think I am going to keep them In a decorative pot so I can move them around. I hadn't planted Magnificent at the time of our bad cold last year so I tucked it up against the oak along with Mona Lisa. It defiantly is
not as colorful as when I bought it. As as far as T. shell...... I was shocked to see how bland it was under shade.

The thing is , with these slower growing plants I am afraid they won't bounce back after a freeze like we had last year if I don't have them under the canopy of a tree.. I am thinking of changing my yard plans around to accommodate my crotons to the east side of the house for morning sun and to avoid harsh winter winds. Thanks

 

[ScotTi]

The Magnificent I had in 2009 did not make it after the freeze of last winter. The 2010 replacement is planted in a more protected location.

 

[fawnridge]

The first photo of Tortoise Shell is the original plant, taken from a cutting that overhung a sidewalk in East Boca Raton eight years ago. I went back, 6 months later to get some more cuttings and the mother plant had been replaced by a screened-in pool. Anyhow, this cutting grew into the 3' foot plant you see here. It's original colors were mostly pink, white, and green and it grew in deep shade until a raccoon stepped on it and broke it at the base. It's now in midday sun for over a year. All the other Tortoise Shell pieces are cuttings from the first plant from summer 2009. They get minimal sun.

The Magnificent is from Loewes within the past year from a 3-gallon can. It gets mostly dappled sun at midday.

 

[Central Floridave]

Nice photos. the turtle shell one looks pretty cool. I need to find one of those.

Its amazing how quickly Magnificent has taken over the big box store nurseries. I was in HD last night and there was a ton of Magnificent. Like mentioned above, they must really be pushing that one. It is a nice croton. Mine do well in full sun, but they need water and wilt after a week of no moisture (like most croton in full sun).