New acquisitions !!!

[Moose]

I got these cultivars at the Searle Brothers Nursery 11th Annual Fall Plant Extravaganza. It was nice to hang out with Ray (Crazy for Crotons) and Judy Glock and talk crotons. The crotons offered for sale were very well grown and the quality was exceptional. I will be posting photos very soon of my acquisitions, the sun is not even up yet. Many holes to be made today

Andreanum
Baron Rothschild
Buddy
Charles Rutherford
Christian's Landscape
Davis #7
Dayspring
Diane
Dr. Frank Brown
Eburneum
Gloriosa
Green & Gold
Kentucky
Maximum (Bender #2)
Mrs. Snyder Disraeli
Multicolor
Norman Rockwell
Pride of Winter Haven
Raphael
Red Eburneum
Red Foot
Revelation
Robert Lavalois
Royal Flush
Rudy Bachman
Sweet Marie
Tortoise Shell
Twist & Point
Van Buren
Waterfall
on's Beauty
Yellow Petra

 

[fawnridge]

Yikes! You've been bitten by the Croton bug, man. Hope your mortgage is paid up.

 

[Moose]

I started taking pictures before dawn - here they come!

1st two pictures are "Eburnum". This one is going into full sun in the easement between the street and sidewalk!


Next two are Van Buren. The "Van Buren" was grown in 50% shadehouse and will color up with a bit more sun.

 

[Moose]

1st two pictures are the cultivar "Robert Lavolois" going in full sun in easement.



Next two pictures are "Norman Rockwell". This was one cultivar I was seeking. Should blush more color with some more dappling sun.

 

[Moose]

1st two pictures are another cultivar I was after, "Baron Rothschild". Actually Ray & Jeff went digging in the shadehouse and found this one for me on a restocking trip. The action in the croton area was furious. I can not tell you how many hundreds of crotons were grabbed by 8:40 am. It was truly amazing. We talked later and the general consensous is that these plants are becoming very popular in a big way!


Next two pictures are "Charles Rutherford" a classic cultivar that will always have a place in subtropical garden. A real beauty in my opinion.

 

[Moose]

1st two pictures are "Waterfall". Ray (Crazy for Crotons) said that he had never seen one. We agreed that this will become a hot sought after cultivar. A crotohead gotta have!

Next two pictures are "Gloriosa". A cultivar that has been around for years and always will be. I love large vibrant leaves.

 

[Moose]

1st two pictures are "Red Eburnum". Very nice colors on a very healthy plant. I knew my budget was going to be shot. Tried to resist this one but it ended up coming home with me.

Next two pictures are "Buddy". Jeff has one growing in the shade just outside of the shadehouse where the croton sale area is. What a beauty sooo... into my pile this one went.

 

[Moose]

1st two pictures are "William Jennings Bryan". What a healthy plant with some nice colors. With just a little more sun light should bring out more coloration.

Next two pictures are "Andreanum" a classic. This plant I anticipate will explode once I get it in the ground.

 

[Moose]

First two pictures are "Dr. Frank Brown" I had to have the cultivar named after the guy who wrote "the book"!

Next two pictures are "Red Foot". There is already a debate starting on this ID. Whatever the results, this should prove to be a special cultivar. Jeff came across this one for me during a restocking run in the shadehouse!

 

[Moose]

First two pictures is a cultivar I was really in search of. The leaf shape and coloration on this cultivar is a real winning combination in my opinion. "Mrs. Snyder Disraeli"


Next two pictures are "Christian's Landscape" A very interesting cultivar that I believe has been around for awhile, but not often encountered.

 

[Moose]

About the half way point now. Here come more pictures:

First two pictures are "Diane" I really love the big leaves. This one is going on the west side of the house for the afternoon sun. Reportedly this is a relatively fast cultivar. Likes the sun and can shade my west wall!

Next two pictures are "on's Beauty". I am really excited about this acquisition, very nice colors and leaf shape!

 

[Moose]

First two pictures are of "Multicolor". Wow, I saw these colors and into my staging area it went. Budget is blown, I am only going to the palm area now if some one has a palm related question or to give Jim Glock or Ryan a hand. No money for palms now.


Next two pictures are "Raphael". This cultivar holds very nice colors in shade, something needed in parts of my garden.

 

[Moose]

First two pictures are the cultivar "Green & Gold". The two colors are very bright and contrasting on this one.


Next two pictures are of "Sweet Marie". An appropriate name for this sweet looking croton!

 

[Moose]

First two pictures are "Yellow Petra" a nice little cultivar for a sunny situation. The brillant yellows on this one caught my eye.

Next two pictures are "Twist & Point" Very tightly coiled with a point at the leaf tip, hence the name. I believe that this cultivar may have been developed in Thailand.

 

[Moose]

First two pictures, a cultivar that I was on the hunt for. The rarely encountered "Royal Flush" This cultivar has some really intense red colorations. I was lucky that Jeff located this one for me on a restocking trip.

Next two pictures is a really rare gem called "Maximum". This a GIANT leaf form of Bender #2. I have no idea how this one made it past the collectors. Like finding a diamond at the mall that 100 people stepped over. The leaves are monsters and that gives them top rating in my book! Look at the bottom leaf, it has nearly obscured the 3 gallon pot in width and is twice as long as the pot is high. And this is on an imature plant. I can't wait to give this guy lots of love and attention and see how big these leaves can get!!!

 

[Moose]

First two pictures, here is another cultivar that I am excited about, "Revelation". I am very pleased with the acquisition of this one! My prediction is that this will be a very sought after cultivar once it gets seen a little more. Awesome display of colors on this one!

Next two pictures is "Pride of Winter Haven". I am going to find a spot with just a bit more light than it was getting in the 50% shade house to draw out further coloration. What a full healthy plant! This can now be taken off my wish list.

 

[Moose]

First two pictures are "Kentucky" a beautiful standard cultivar.




Next two pictures are Davis #7, another old standard not often encountered.

 

[Moose]

First two pictures is "Dayspring" I believe that this guy had some taller crotons growing adjacent to it in the shade house. This should brighten up a bit now that more sunrays will get to the leaves. A very nice cultivar for sure.


Next two pictures are "Rudy Bachman" a really beautifully spotted multi-color cultivar! Another one off my wish list.

 

[Moose]

Here are the final photos. This was the cultivar I wanted the most although not very uncommon. When we had the Society meeting at Rick's house, I saw his and knew I had to have one. I was wrong, I bought two!
"Tortoise Shell" a slow but absolutely fabulous culivar!!!!!!!! **** **** ****

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

Ron,

You got some great stuff yesterday. Once they get established, the Croton Society can have its first meeting in the Gables. As a matter of fact, these should be well established and growing by spring.

Ray

 

[Plant Nut]

It is offical? Is the Moose really having a Croton Society spring meeting at his place. I can hardly wait! I am not sure, but I think it will be the first meeting in Miami/Dade County.

 

[Moose]

A big erroneous rumor, my garden is a work in progress (as in mess) and is not ready to host such an event.

Ron.

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

You're too modest. I'm sure it's not that big of a mess. Besides, every garden has its mess-iness.

 

[TikiRick]

WOW!!! What a start to a great collection! You got some prizes there!
I didn't even see you on Friday morning....as I was too busy filling my wagon!

 

[Moose]

Rick - I was trying to avoid your cleats! Did not get inside until around 8:30 am and missed the croton mosh pit. From what I have heard it was a frenzy. It's all your fault I made these acquisitions. Jeff Searle took me to my first meeting at your garden. Seeing how you have strategically placed your crotons around your other plants has really inspired me with my own garden.

I am really looking forward to seeing Ricky's garden next. Bringing a potential croton head with me and spreading the disease.

Ron.

 

[TikiRick]

Cool, mix the crotons up beneath your palms for filtered light, and you will have an award winning place in no time.

See you later at Rickys!

 

[amazondk]

Ron,

Those are some nice plants you got. I wish I lived closer so I could have gone to the sale. I really want to use a lot of crotons in the landscape at our place.

dk

 

[Jeff Searle]

Ron,

Many thanks for coming by to our sale, and thanks to the rest of you all as well. It was not only nice of you all to drive long distances, but it was great talking about crotons too. I hope everyone was able to find at least one or two crotons on your wish list.

 

[Moose]

Wow Jeff - I began planting and so far all the plants I got from you have massive rootballs. I imagine that the majority of the hard to find cultivars you had available were all created by air layering. With the time it takes air layer and grow these plants to the size you had and the amount of nutricote (Florikan) I have been finding in the potting mix it appears you spent some bucks growing these crotons. Thanks - I find that your pricing was very reasonable in my opinion

 

[Jeff Searle]

Wow Jeff - I began planting and so far all the plants I got from you have massive rootballs. I imagine that the majority of the hard to find cultivars you had available were all created by air layering. With the time it takes air layer and grow these plants to the size you had and the amount of nutricote (Florikan) I have been finding in the potting mix it appears you spent some bucks growing these crotons. Thanks - I find that your pricing was very reasonable in my opinion

Ron,

Thank-you for kind comments. And, within a couple of years or so, your garden can be considered for a Croton Tour. With all the your new plants, it will soon start looking nice. And of course, this saturday coming up, we can start all over again.

 

[Moose]

I almost have them all in. Ran into a very rocky are that required 8 holes to be jack hammered alot. Another area where five went in had pine tree roots everywhere and was painfully slow to dig and cut roots. I am making all the holes at least 24 inches deep so they can sink some decent roots.

I am going to try and control myself on Saturday!

Ron.

 

[Moose]

Update: Everything that got planted is doing extremely well. Taking the time to make large holes and amending the soils with composted cow manure and canadian peat moss has paid off. New leaves are popping on all of them and I haven't even fertilized yet. Only casuality was my son "dropped" his mountain bike on one of my tortoise shells this morning.


Ron.

 

[ScotTi]

Ron, Sorry to hear of the casuality on the Tortoise Shell. It is #1 on my must have list.

 

[Moose]

Ron, Sorry to hear of the casuality on the Tortoise Shell. It is #1 on my must have list.

Scott - thank you for your sympathy. Unfortunately, it is back on my wish list as well. There was one at the auction on Saturday at the meeting at Ricky's house. I would have aggressively pursued it if I had foreseen my teenage son dumping his bike on mine.

His casual response was "It's just a plant Dad, get over it." It is most unfortunate that our younger generation seems to care what has touched them by cyberspace or in a video game. They are becoming disconnected from the real world and it's wonders and beauty in my opinion.

 

[Moose]

I started taking pictures before dawn - here they come!

1st two pictures are "Eburnum". This one is going into full sun in the easement between the street and sidewalk!


Next two are Van Buren. The "Van Buren" was grown in 50% shadehouse and will color up with a bit more sun.

Then and now ...

 

[ScotTi]

First two pictures are "Kentucky" a beautiful standard cultivar.




Next two pictures are Davis #7, another old standard not often encountered.

Ron, I really like the Davis #7, But Davis #7 in Dr Browns book is of a oak type leaf croton. Is the photo in Dr Browns book mislabeled?

 

[Moose]

Ron, I really like the Davis #7, But Davis #7 in Dr Browns book is of a oak type leaf croton. Is the photo in Dr Browns book mislabeled?

It was my mistake reading Jeff's tag Scott. It was in fact a Davis #1.

 

[ScotTi]

It was my mistake reading Jeff's tag Scott. It was in fact a Davis #1.

Thanks Ron! I will correct my wish list to Davis #1.

 

[annafl]

Oh, oh..... The one in the wiki is Ron's plant and it is not an oak leaf or semi-oak. It's a broad leaf. Should that be transferred to Davis #1? The third photo does look like a semi-oak. Anyone have a photo of Davis #7? I have one I bought as such, but it is a broad leaf also. Can we clarify this so we can get it right in the wiki? Thanks

 

[Native son]

I was wondering is this Davis #7? First pic. Is the top new growth second is lower and more shaded back inside of plant.