The confusing crotons - part 1

Crazy for Crotons

Well-Known Member
2,050
29/06/09
8
78
Sunray - narrow leaf dominated by the deep, brilliant mustard yellow veining. The plant has deep light green petioles.
IMG_1135.jpg
[/IMG]

Weismanii - narrow leaf with an occasional bump or thumb-like protrusion along one side of the leaf. The leaf in the foreground, pointing towards the left side of the lense has this feature. The plant is more cream colored than yellow and has more light spotting and blotching instead of distinct veining.
IMG_1137.jpg
[/IMG]

Edwin T. Meredith - another narrow leaved, mustard yellow variety with veining a bit less distinct than Sunray but no blotching or spotting like Weismanii. The dead giveaway here is the red petioles.
IMG_1138.jpg
[/IMG]

C. I. Craigin - This is a cream colored, narrow leaved plant with a distinct wide blotching along the midrib.
IMG_1136.jpg
[/IMG]
 
Rick Leitner's mystery - this is a poor specimen compared to Rick's but at least you'll get the idea. The leaves have a nice soft yellow or cream color like Weismanii but has the veining and red petioles of Edwin T. Meredith.
IMG_1165.jpg
[/IMG]
 
The one you're calling Edwin T Meredith was given to me as Yellow Pride of Winter Haven by David McLean. Here are two shots of it. You can see the red petiole quite clearly in the bottom one.

powh1.gif


powh2.gif
 
Got several of those Edward Merediths at a meeting some years ago at USF. The donor thought they were Pride of WinterHaven or something a lot like it. The leaves are wider and firmer than those on another 'Pride of Winter Haven' in the yard. At any rate, it does quite well in almost full sun.

Accodring to a Bob Alonzo story, the orginal PofWH was found in a cemetary in Winter Haven.
 
Yeah it's pretty #&%@# depressing. At least most crotons will come back. Palms are another story. I'd be more optimistic but think we're slipping into a cold period and this year was just the primer for what's coming the next few years. I'm ordering my conifer and holly seeds now. Over and major out!
 
Yeah it's pretty #&%@# depressing. At least most crotons will come back. Palms are another story. I'd be more optimistic but think we're slipping into a cold period and this year was just the primer for what's coming the next few years. I'm ordering my conifer and holly seeds now. Over and major out!

Ray, Add some Ti plants. The Ti plants I have made it thru the cold great. I will be adding more of them this year. I will wait for adding new Crotons, I will have to do a dead body count first. Looks as 50% of the Crotons are dead.
 
Edwin Meredith with no canop[y got zapped by frost; 90% defoliation. EM under canopy got nailed by the cold and wind but suffered about20% leaf drop. Leaves still dropping on many others but rate of loss has slowed. (less leaves to lose...). Lots of green wood under the mess, and even a few buds popping.
 
So this would be a Weismanii? This was taken today so excuse the sparse foliage. It only lost about a third, from the cold. Randy
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0016.jpg
    DSC_0016.jpg
    193.4 KB · Views: 179
  • DSC_0015.jpg
    DSC_0015.jpg
    258.5 KB · Views: 158
Weismanii has a thumb-like bump or protrusion on some leaves about halfway down the leaf.

FYI, Rick Leitner's plant and Sunray are the rarest of the bunch here. I'll have two small Sunray for the December meeting holiday auction.
 
Randy - Judy Glock came by last Saturday. She checked out the Weismanii that you gave me. She confirmed that it was the real deal pointing out the tell tale "thumb" on the leaves.

Thanks again for giving me such a rare croton! :cool: Thought you would like to know that your plants are true Weismanii.
 
Randy - Judy Glock came by last Saturday. She checked out the Weismanii that you gave me. She confirmed that it was the real deal pointing out the tell tale "thumb" on the leaves.

Thanks again for giving me such a rare croton! :cool: Thought you would like to know that your plants are true Weismanii.

I'm bringing a 3 gal for the auction:p
 
This is Sunray grown in deep shade. There are 2 of them, originally bought from Jeff as "Cardinal", which they are not. Based on the photos on page 26 and the descriptions on this thread, I believe this is the correct ID. I'm going to chop a piece off this in the Spring and move it into the sun.
 

Attachments

  • unknown2.jpg
    unknown2.jpg
    214.2 KB · Views: 148
  • unknown3.jpg
    unknown3.jpg
    133.1 KB · Views: 140
Ray - Is the pink/red a result of the deep shade, perhaps? The one in the book appears to be in full sun as evidenced by the colors of the Stoplight next to it.
 
Top