Codenium, also known as codium or croton, attracts gardeners with its wonderful crown color and good growth: in a few years it can grow to a meter height. In addition, the flower is unpretentious in care. Perhaps the only significant problem in its cultivation is yellowing and loss of leaves, so we will talk more about how to deal with it.

Basic rules for growing and caring for croton

Croton is a tropical plant: its natural habitat is southeast Asia and Oceania. That is why he first of all needs sufficient humidity and a comfortable air temperature. The plant loves moderate watering and is very responsive to its lack.

In addition, it is recommended to regularly spray its leaves - this ensures the active growth of the crown and trunk.

The roots of the codenium grow very quickly, so it should be replanted about two times a year; it is necessary not only to increase the pot, but also to change or additionally fertilize the soil. Good soil drainage is required.The flower should have enough light, but it is better to avoid direct sunlight on the foliage. A window sill or a platform with medium illumination, namely the western or eastern side, is quite suitable for placement. When choosing a place, you also need to consider that croton does not tolerate drafts and cold air.

Codenium belongs to those indoor plants that instantly show that "they feel bad." However, if the necessary measures are taken in time, the flower is quite easy to normalize.

Important! Pouring croton with cold water, it can cause irreparable harm until death.

Why do crotons dry and fall leaves and what to do

Most gardeners claim that the codenium is unpretentious in the care and even beginners can grow this plant. But sometimes you can observe that some or even all of the leaves turn yellow. After a while, they may dry and fall.

The reason for this is the non-compliance with one or more conditions of proper care, often caused by an elementary ignorance of what this representative of the tropical flora needs.

Wrong watering

In most cases, when the codenium has thrown off the leaves, there is non-compliance with the rules of irrigation. Like most tropical species, he loves a humid climate and ample watering. Especially you need to monitor the condition of the soil in the summer: it must always be moist.

The plant will react to the dryness of the earth quickly enough - the leaves will go down, turn yellow and fall off. In the best case, only the tip will remain of a beautiful crown.To avoid this, water the codenium as needed. If the plant is large, then you can "water" it a little every day. It is important to remember that water should be at room temperature and preferably standing.

When watering a croton, it is necessary to observe the measure. The soil should be moist, but the water should not stagnate. An excellent way to avoid this is gravel, which must be placed on a pallet with the plant.

Moisture must enter the plant not only through the root system, but also through the leaves. The flower gratefully accepts spraying the crown from the spray gun. You can simply wipe the sheets with a damp sponge. If the plant is small, then in the summer it is advisable to spray the leaves from the shower at least once a month.

Important! You can not spray the croton sheets in direct sunlight - from this they will turn yellow and fall off.

Violation of the conditions of detention

In the care of the codenium, it is important to observe the temperature regime. It must be remembered that he is a native of the tropics, so the low temperature in the room is disastrous for him. In winter, it should not fall below 17 ° C - if this indicator is lower, then the leaves turn yellow and fall.

Hot air is also dangerous for croton, but its harm, unlike cold, can be compensated for by high humidity.

Florists recommend that you do not violate the conditions of the codenium and create a comfortable temperature for life at +22 ... + 25 ° С. In summer, you can take the flower to fresh air - this will heal it and strengthen the immune system.

Inappropriate location

Croton can get sick from what is in the wrong place. A draft is capable of destroying it, therefore it is better to place a flowerpot in some corner. The window sill angle will be quite acceptable if the plant is young and low.

In all cases, it is necessary to avoid direct sunlight on the crown, therefore, the best place for “living” for the croton is considered sufficiently lit rooms, whose windows face west or east. The morning and evening sun is not so active there, and the flower will feel comfortable.

Did you know? In the homeland of codenium, in East India and Malaysia, the height of this plant can be 2.5 meters.

Nutrient deficiency

The leaves of the codenium will fade if the soil is not suitable for it. Ideally, this should be universal soil designed for plants with a lot of foliage. In addition, the leaves may turn yellow and fall off due to the lack of sufficient nutrients in the soil. It is especially important to monitor this after a transplant.

For fertilizer, any solution of complex mineral fertilizers is suitable. It is recommended to be applied twice a month from the beginning of spring until late autumn; once a month in winter will be enough.

Croton responds well to irrigation with the addition of hydrogen peroxide at the rate of 2 tbsp. l per 1 liter of water. Such a nutrient solution will give the root system additional oxygen.

Diseases and Pests

Florists agree in the opinion that most often the plant is sick due to the lack of the necessary humidity and dry soil, therefore, for the treatment of diseases, these two factors must be brought back to normal.

Most often, the plant affects such a floral parasite as a spider mite. Less commonly, tadpole, mealybug and nematodes bring trouble. When they appear, it is enough to treat the plant with any acaricidal preparation, for example, “Actelikom”, “Neoron”, “Fitoverm”.

The scabbard can be removed from the leaves with a sponge that is pre-wetted in a concentrated soap solution.

An aqueous solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide will also help in the fight against pests. 50 ml is taken per liter of water and 50 grams of sugar is added; the resulting mixture is rubbed on the leaves and trunk of the plant.

Did you know? The milky juice that fills the leaves, if their surface is damaged, forms a film, which serves as a reliable barrier to microorganisms. Thanks to this, croton is resistant to all infections.

Preventive measures

The right conditions are the best prevention against possible diseases.Here are some simple suggestions to avoid leaf loss:

• it is necessary to provide the plant with enough water and at the same time not to overfill it;
• you need to moisten not only the soil, but also spray the sheets;
• place the pot away from drafts;
• lighting should be adequate, but not strong;
• it is important to avoid direct sunlight;
• croton should grow in a light, drained soil that passes water well;
• the soil should be universal and contain turf, compost, sand, peat;
• the pot should be commensurate with the root system of the plant - if the roots have little space, the leaf deteriorates;
• you need to "feed" the plant according to the recommendations for care.

The croton is easy to care for - even a beginner grower will cope with this. This plant will decorate any interior due to the beautiful color and shape of the leaves, so the loss of each leaf affects its appearance and very upsets the owner. To prevent this from happening, it is enough to follow basic recommendations for care.