COSTA RICA CROTON WANDERINGS-THE MANY FACES OF GOLD DUST

donroberth

Well-Known Member
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19/07/09
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AUREO MACULATUM: aka GOLD DUST - Category Small Leaf

“Frequently sports 'Punctatum'. Grows well in shade.”REF: Brown, B. Frank 1995 Crotons of the World p.2 & 50.

“Small myrtle shaped, green leaves, spotted yellow.”REF: Reasoner's Tropical Nurseries inc, croton listing. Group I, Common Varieties, p.2.

Type I, 2 1/2" x 10". – “Rather small myrtle shaped green leaves heavily spotted and marbled golden yellow. Very showy and makes nice compact bush.” REF: Paper prepared by Wm. A. Geiger in collaboration with Mr. Christian of the Christian Nursery, Mr. Van der Lean and Mr. George L. Peacock. p.8

“Gold dust croton is an upright plant with a bushy growth habit. The foliage is dark green speckled with bright yellow dots. The brightness of the variegation depends on the level of light the plant receives. If placed in continual shade, the yellow specks tend to fade. As with all crotons, gold dust croton is highly susceptible to cold and starts to shed leaves if exposed to temperatures below 10 degrees C. Gold dust croton reaches a mature height of three feet and with a 2-foot spread. It is best to let soil dry to two inches between watering. Gold dust croton is best started with starter plants available in small sizes.” Ref:http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6503249_croton-plant-varieties.html


Fotos 01-05: Close-ups for Ann
Fotos 06 & 07: Mid-range close-ups
Foto 08: La Garita country road
Foto 09: Next to an old sun bleached home
Foto 10: Peeking out at you from a corner in the front yard
 

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Foto 11: COLLAGE - ACUBAEFOLIUM …for the longest time I thought this cultivar was GOLD DUST until Marie Nock identified it correctly for me, “the leaf is much larger and has a ruddy colored underside”, she said…thanks Marie. P.S.“don’t forget to also look for the purplish-red petiole” (rectangular insert) and the yellow leaves turn golden with maturation (circle), said Robertico. :rolleyes:

Foto 12: Garden setting
Foto 13: Bathing in the subdued afternoon sun.
Foto 14: Check out all the small torches with green flames.
Foto 15: Making a bold yellow statement in rural San Mateo.
Foto 16: Catnap on the front porch in Turrucares.
Foto 17: Small tree.
Foto 18: Found in a local palm farm.
 

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Thanks Ann...I'm glad you liked them and hope some can be of use to you. I've fallen behind in my schedule of sending one pictorial per month and I'll try to send one more before the end of the month. :)
 
Robert, do they have smaller leaves when they are young?? These plants are all over here but last weekend we were at some tropical plant store where I bought some crotons that I did not have…and they had a Gold Dust with much smaller leaves than what I see in the area…
 
The 3 Gold Dust in my garden have leaves ranging from 3/4"- 1 3/4" wide with leaf length ranging from 2 1/2" - 5" all on the same plant. Here is a pic (holding back new growth) showing the size mix.
Img_6341.jpg
 
Thank you, Scott :). Have you been at Flea Market? I didn't know that the nursery is opened during the week. There is a Gold Dust there with much smaller leaves than I have. I really do not want to buy another...just curious.
Thank you for your response, Robert :)
 
Thank you, Scott :). Have you been at Flea Market? I didn't know that the nursery is opened during the week. There is a Gold Dust there with much smaller leaves than I have. I really do not want to buy another...just curious.
Thank you for your response, Robert :)
Pix, I stopped by yesterday and took a look around. The plants you question are all Gold Dust the ones with the smaller leaves were recent rooted cuttings with lots of new growth. They will grow in the coming months and look like the one you have.
 
Thank you :). Did you find something interesting? I didn't look at anything except crotons. I try to resist the temptation:D. The Swallow Tail was very tempting:rolleyes:...
 
Thank you :). Did you find something interesting? I didn't look at anything except crotons. I try to resist the temptation:D. The Swallow Tail was very tempting:rolleyes:...
The Swallow Tail ( Christia Obcordata) was interesting and looked good. I did come home and looked it up on line and I do not think its for me.
 
Hi Scott...thank you for your foto, measurements and apropos response! :gangnamstyle:
Thank you for the great post on Gold Dust. I see a lot of them around these parts as they are one of the Crotons that take our winters. There is a very large one down the street from me about 10' tall and 4'wide.
 
As always great work. I like using the old names Aureo Maculatum, looked very closely and was very surprise the sport Punctatum same coloring 1/4" X 4 to 7 " long did show up on any of the pics. The all green leaves were also named. Mollucanum. This info. Is a direct quote from the first pages of Dr. Brown's second book. Best wishes keep them coming.
 
As always great work. I like using the old names Aureo Maculatum, looked very closely and was very surprise the sport Punctatum same coloring 1/4" X 4 to 7 " long did show up on any of the pics. The all green leaves were also named. Mollucanum. This info. Is a direct quote from the first pages of Dr. Brown's second book. Best wishes keep them coming.

It is believed that this was the original variegated croton. All variegated crotons may have evolved from this cultivar.
 
Hi Moose and Native son…many thanks for the pertinent information concerning my recent pictorial re: Gold Dust. I maintain, as always, that the Croton Society Forum membership is one of best if not the best source of relevant croton advise at one’s disposal…thanks again! :Weeding1.gif
 
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