How to Keep Color of Croton Houseplants

Place croton plants in a location indoors that has bright light. A window that has exposure to the east and southern sun will help the plant keep its colorful foliage.

Keep daytime temperatures about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but night temperatures need to be at least 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. Crotons don’t like hot conditions and the colorful foliage will suffer if the indoor temperatures are above 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day or the night temperatures are the same as the day temperatures.

Water the croton when the soil becomes damp to the touch. In order for croton plants to keep the colorful foliage, the plant needs moist soil. Because the plant will be placed in a location with full, direct sunlight, you may need to water the plant two to three times a week to maintain the moist soil.

Fertilize the croton once a month with a well-balanced fertilizer diluted by half. If the croton colorful foliage starts to fade and the plant is receiving the correct light, temperature and water, you may need to fertilize the plant every other month. Over-fertilizing can cause the foliage colors to fade.

Provide humidity to the croton houseplant so that the air around the plant isn’t dry. Use a drainage tray filled with pebbles underneath the plant container to catch the water runoff when you water the plant. As the water in the tray evaporates, it will humidify the air around the plant.