Is this a Large Leafed Schefflera?

15 years ago

Hi all,

I was at a party at a neighbor's house tonight and saw the most amazing plant ever! To me it looks like a seriously variegated large leafed schefflera like one I have called an Amate Schefflera. Can anyone tell me what this plant is? Because I am going to go to the end of the earth to find it.

The plant was in desperate need of watering but here it is:

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Comments (8)

pirate_girl
15 years ago
No, I think it's a Croton aka Codaeum, which is very thirsty indeed!

You'll need A LOT of very bright light to keep Crotons that color, insufficient light causes them to lose those colors & just grow green, I have grown them & had that happen 'til I moved it into much stronger light. Yes, they're heavy drinkers too & w/ lots of light & water can growth quite fast as well! Nice plants, enjoy!!
hornetwife
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks Pirate Girl. Any idea what kind of Croton this is? I have been looking online at pics of Crotons and I can't find this one.
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pirate_girl
15 years ago
No, sorry, I don't know more specific names for Crotons than that, not sure they have them.

From what I've seen they're very variable in color. Also, you may not know this, these are members of Euphorbia family so watch out for their white sap (some white sap of SOME Euphorbias can be a skin irritant), so pls. wash well after handling, cutting, etc.

I've seen this Croton (think this is the one I had) at box stores & supermarkets, I think that's where I'd gotten mine.
mr_subjunctive
15 years ago
Crotons are members of the Euphorbiaceae, but they don't have white sap. Haven't really heard anything one way or the other about skin irritation potential; I would be surprised if it were a major problem for a lot of people but that's no reason not to use reasonable caution around them.

Crotons do have cultivars. Lots of them, in fact ('Mrs. Iceton' is a personal favorite). This one looks to me most like 'Petra,' though there are several with similar leaf size and shape so it might not be. See this page, which has pictures of a few different ones.
hornetwife
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the link. It does look alot like Petra colorwise but the leaf shape seems different. The Croton I want is shaped like a Schefflera leaf except for the leaf stems themselves being much shorter than the Scheff.
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I was so excited to think this was a variegated Schefflera! I told my friend the other day I was no fan of Crotons. But now I must have this one. I guess I can take a pic of it to a nursery and see if they can find me one?
Jasdip
15 years ago
The leaf shape is similar to your Schefflera only because it's parched. When it gets watered, the leaves will stand upright. I have 2 of these crotons and they will droop when they need watered, but I've never let them go as dry as in your pic. They do take a lot of water, and need sun.

Sherry
hornetwife
Original Author
15 years ago
Sherry,
After studying more pics I see exactly what you are saying.
Thanks for the help, all. I am on the hunt for one!
Lori
Jasdip
15 years ago
Hey, Hornetwife,
I'll trade you one of my crotons for a Schefflera!!! LOL
Just kidding. (I'm in Ontario). Still can't find a smallish scheff anywhere. The search goes on.

Sherry