Croton

There are many different varieties of croton found in tropical climes, and Barbados is no exception. As a child growing up, this was one of the most common plants to be found in any garden - easy to grow, hardy and looks fantastics. Nowadays, people tend to go for most exotic plants, but there’s still quite a lot of croton around and they are making a bit of a comeback as people appreciate the vibrant colours.

As you can see from the photos, the leaf shape varies, and they are not always vibrant reds, oranges, golds and purples. If the location is a bit shaded, the colours will be less vibrant. Nothing is more stunning that a red-orange-gold shrub that is thick with leaves.

The croton plants do have tiny nondescript little pale yellow to whitish flowers too, but so small and insignificant against the backdrop of colour, that they frequently go un-noticed.

Propagating the croton is easy - cut off a piece, stick it some water and wait until the roots appear. The leaves will shrivel and drop off and new leaves will appear. Once the roots look strong and there is some decent foliage, plant in the ground or in a pot. Ideally, whilst the plant is in water, it should be kept outdoors in a relatively natural location.