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Croton Guru

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15/12/10
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Took a little trip this week, Visited a few Nurserys from homestead to palm beach and saw many Crotons. The thing that was amazing was the names just got very confusing. Example: was a AFD# 5 had like 4 different names and also saw some Bravos with changed names also. How is the average Croton lover gonna know what is what?. I know there are alot of self proclaimed IDers out there, But i just dont understand where these people are getting there information from.
 
Dave,

It's pretty frustrating. Either one of two reasons I see this happenning. First, some growers will purposely change an old name and put their "new" name on a croton to promote them. Or, they just don't know the existing name and take it upon themselves to name it whatever they feel. In either case, when I see this, I make sure I tell them in a nice way that this is an old variety and that it already has a name which is bla,bla,bla. One of the classic ones is Sloppy Painter.
 
As a new collector i rely on Mr Searle & Rob Borgy for plants & id....consistency helps reduce the confusion.
 
Thanks Mike!!!!

There is no school for naming crotons, as Jeff said, either they dont know the name so they create one, because when people buy they want a name! Or they change the name to something fancy or more catchy.

I think the only way to learn these names is from the book, and the ones that arent in the book you need to learn from trusted people who know what they are talking about and have a good eye for this.
 
Went To Botanical Gardens once there was many errors in Croton names, This visit i was with the Nursery owner. He told me Frank Brown visited his place and named them Himself. I said nothing because it wasnt my place to correct him. Frank was old i suppose and To error is just human. Also toward the end of John Benders garden he forgot and couldnt remember many of his own plants names. I remember when i introduced Johnny Shelton into the Croton World long ago seems like him and Kirt Decker had a different outlook on names. I suppose what ever sounded good at the time, Very colorful imaginations. Nowadays people ask me for the names i tell them flat out, its a green croton, or yellow and green. Way to many look alikes and im tired of someone telling me or others its this, when in fact its that. :( Just to many IDers that really dont have a clue, They need to do some serious research first before popping up with a name out of the blue. Oh well life goes on in the croton world i suppose......
 
Well no ones perfect, everyone can make a mistake on a croton, and yes there are many that are similar and extremely difficult to tell apart, but thats 99% of the fun!!! trying to find the correct name for these.

I dont know anyone that has never made a mistake naming a croton. Yes some people are terrible at names, but thats life!
 
Another Nightmare is I bought the orginal Richard Krukonis from John Bender almost 10yrs ago or longer for $15 he told me that plant came from a well know Croton collector from the Tampa Area and then to John Benders place. Well low and behold a few guys saw it and said it was something else. I just laughed because two well known collectors told me otherwise. I have found out through the years at the end of the day its still a Croton named or not, and dont have faith in anyone ability to come up with a snappy name.
 
I use several reference points, One is a old sales catalog from Dreer with photos other is Reasoners List which he mailed to me many years ago,and also Franks Book along with the exotica Book, and if the name is not in any of those it dont exist. Thats just my outlook on them, and a few other Huge collectors agree on this not on the Forum
 
Well no ones perfect, everyone can make a mistake on a croton, and yes there are many that are similar and extremely difficult to tell apart, but thats 99% of the fun!!! trying to find the correct name for these.

I dont know anyone that has never made a mistake naming a croton. Yes some people are terrible at names, but thats life!

Thats the problem in a whole, Finding the correct name, being no photo goes along with the hybridizer. Without that theres not a whole lot of legitimacy sadly enough.
 
Dave,

It's pretty frustrating. Either one of two reasons I see this happenning. First, some growers will purposely change an old name and put their "new" name on a croton to promote them. Or, they just don't know the existing name and take it upon themselves to name it whatever they feel. In either case, when I see this, I make sure I tell them in a nice way that this is an old variety and that it already has a name which is bla,bla,bla. One of the classic ones is Sloppy Painter.

Jeff - I am unfamilar with this name. Do you have this cultivar? How about a photo? :p
 
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