Plant guide
Croton
Codiaeum variegatum
Garden croton is considered toxic to cats. Eating it may irritate the mouth and stomach, causing drooling, vomiting or diarrhea. Sap may irritate the skin. This guide covers Codiaeum variegatum. Contact your veterinarian after a suspected exposure.
What this guide covers: This guide covers Codiaeum variegatum (garden croton), not every plant in the separate Croton genus. The poison-centre pet assessment is applied to cats; no species-specific severity tier is inferred.
Photo:
Photo details
Colpfl05.jpg
By Louise Wolff --darina 23:22, 6 May 2005 (UTC)
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
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Photo:
Photo details
Colpfl05.jpg
By Louise Wolff --darina 23:22, 6 May 2005 (UTC)
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
Petra croton plant
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Keep away from cats. We do not recommend this plant for a home where cats could reach it.
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Look for Codiaeum variegatum and check the selected variety. Listings and availability can change.
Plant identity
- Scientific name
- Codiaeum variegatum
- Scope
- Species
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Also known as
- No reviewed aliases available
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How to grow this plant
Container growing guidance for Codiaeum variegatum.
- Light
- Bright indirect light or Some direct sun
Use bright light with some direct sun to maintain leaf colour.
- Watering
- Let the mix partly dry
Allow occasional drying between waterings; provide more water during active growth and less in winter.
- Temperature
- Temperature range not yet established
A normal indoor growing range has not been established in this review.
- Humidity
- Typical indoor humidity
Low to moderate humidity is tolerated.
- Potting
- Use a well-drained potting mix.
- Through the year
- Reduce watering in winter and protect from cold.
Growing-guide sources
- codiaeum variegatum - Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-13
Care guidance for the named taxon; indoor recommendations take precedence over outdoor hardiness information.
Growing advice reviewed 2026-10-14. Plant safety is assessed separately.
Reviewed safety information
- Toxic principle
- Not recorded in the reviewed evidence
- Reported signs
- Mouth irritation; Drooling; Vomiting; Diarrhea; Skin irritation
- Severity
- Severity not established
Missing information is unknown. It should not be interpreted as an absence of risk.
Safe alternatives
No verified alternative recommendations are available for this guide.