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Codiaeum variegatum

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Codiaeum variegatum

Family Name: Euphorbiaceae
Synonyms: Croton pictus, Croton variegatus, Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum
Common Name: Croton, Garden Croton, Puding, Joseph's Coat, Variegated Croton, Variegated Laurel, Codiaeum, 洒金榕, 变叶木

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form Shrub
Lifespan (in Singapore) Perennial
Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic
Maximum Height 3 m
Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width 1.8 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Fiji, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, New Guinea, the Philippines, Queensland, Santa Cruz Island, Solomon Islands, Sulawesi, Vanuatu
Native Habitat Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone Tropical
Local Conservation Status Non-native (Spontaneous (Casual))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form An erect evergreen shrub with thick, large, leathery, glossy leaves that display an array of colours.
Foliage Leaves simple, alternate, 5 to 30 cm long and 0.5 to 8 cm wide, leathery; leaf form is highly diversed in shapes and colours, depending on the cultivar; shapes ranging from linear, linear-lanceolate, oblong, elliptic, lanceolate, ovate, spatulate, fiddle-shaped to obovate, sometimes segregated to midvein into upper and lower parts; colours ranging from green, chartreuse, yellow, burgundy, purple-red, to pink, sometimes speckled with coloured spots or stripes of spots; petiole 0.2 to 2.5cm long.
Stems Stems glabrous, multi-branched, with prominent leaf scars. 
Flowers Inflorescences star-shaped, inconspicuous, on 8 to 30 cm long arching racemes, with male and female flowers on separate inflorescences; Male flowers white, pedicels delicate, petals 5, stamens 20 to 30; Female flowers yellow, pedicels slightly thickened, petals absent, sepals ovate-triangular, styles recurved. 
Fruit Fruit capsules subglobose, slightly flattened, glabrous, brown, 9 mm in diameter, seeds 3; seeds 6 mm.
Cultivation Plant prefers well-drained soils under full sun to partial shade. Propagate by stem cuttings. Chances of success can be achieved by using rooting hormones. Plant sometimes produces ‘sports’, or shoots, that are entirely different from the parent plant, which can be potted up independently. Plant is genetically unstable and may not resemble the parent when grown from seed. Use cuttings if prefer to produce a plant that is identical to the parent.
Etymology The genus epithet ‘Codiaeum’ comes from the Greek word kodeia’ or ‘kodia’, means ‘head, head of plants, bulb, or capsule’, which may refer to the fruit capsules, or leaves (being used for wreaths). The genus epithet may also come from a native Tahitian name, ‘Kohido’.  The species epithet ‘variegatum’ means variegated, referring to its variously variegated leaves.
Ethnobotanical Uses Food (Herb or Spice): Young leaves in some cultivars are used in the East Indies as a vegetable, but cases of irritation have been reported. 
Medicinal: The leaves are specified as herbal medicine for extravasated blood and swelling. 
Cut - Dried Flower: The leaves are used as cut foliage.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features Ornamental Foliage
Landscape Uses Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Hedge / Screening, Container Planting
Usage Hazard - Cons Irritant - Sap, Staining Sap, Toxic Upon Ingestion
Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks Cut stems and leaves exude milky sap that can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Stem juices may stain clothing. Bark and roots are known to cause burning sensation if chewed. 

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference Full Sun
Water Preference Moderate Water
Rootzone Tolerance Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Propagation Method Stem Cutting, Air-Layering
Plant Growth Rate Remarks Slow.

Foliar

Foliage Retention Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s) Green, Yellow / Golden, Red, Orange
Mature Foliage Texture(s) Glossy / Shiny, Leathery
Foliar Type Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem Spiral
Foliar Shape(s) Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate)
Foliar Venation Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin Entire - Wavy / Undulate
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot)

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Master ID 537
Species ID 1833
Flora Disclaimer The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.
Species record last updated on: 07 January 2022.
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