San Francisco Bay Area attempt at growing Croton.

[Stan]

I picked this up at HD in April. It was three single stems together in a pot. I then bought a 12" black pot,replanted in Orchard supply potting soils..just as good as Miracle grow for half the cost. Now here we are in June and the three plants have about 10 more branches developing.
I wonder in soucal what the odds are of overwintering ? In Inland souca? I would almost kill to have one of these grow into a big potted shrub. I did see a local florist shop grow them last winter..BUT, I think they brought them indoors at night to an unheated potting shed they have. Still,they took the day cold..and even covered nights here got cold in the dead of December.
This is my grand trial.

 

[annafl]

Go for it Stan! You can do it!

 

[Dypsisdean]

I'm curious as to what the other CrotonHeads think.

It would be nice to be able to recommend some crotons to all the SoCal growers (and other marginal areas). But everyone there is under the impression that they just won't grow for them. But that was the same story line for many palms 30-40 years ago. But with some extra effort, new varieties, and a few tricks, that has really changed.

 

[Moose]

Stan has better humidity conditions than most California areas. This is an important variable to growing crotons. Stoplight and Stewartii being a couple of the more colder tolerant of the cultivars he should try. I agree with Ana, Stan could make it happen!

 

[Bullwinkle]

Norma is one that does well in the cold also.