Croton Petra Outdoor

Croton "Petra" (Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum "Petra") adds bright color to the garden in the form of long, leathery leaves with splashes of red, orange, pink, yellow and green. Use these evergreen shrubs as hedges, as specimen plants or in shrub borders. They don't need routine pruning, and left to their own devices they grow to a height of 7 to 10 feet with a spread of 4 to 6 feet. "Petra" is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9b through 11.Select a site with full sun or morning sun and afternoon shade. "Petra" needs moist but well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Prepare the garden bed by loosening the soil and working in 1/2 pound of 15-5-10 slow-release fertilizer. Dig the fertilizer into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. Work in a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost if the soil isn't particularly rich or doesn't manage moisture well.