Encyclopedia

Codiaum

Motley codiaum (Codiaeum variegatum) - one of the most cultivated species of the small genus Codiaum (Codiaeum), which includes only 17 plant species and is part of the extensive Euphorbia family (Euphorbiaceae)... At one time this species was included in the large genus Croton. (Croton) of the same family, hence the second, no less common, but already incorrect name of the plant - Croton variegated.

Motley codiaum

In nature, this plant is found in South Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, where it grows in light forests. The wild species is an evergreen upright and branching shrub up to 3 m tall with large, leathery and shiny leaves alternately located on the branches. Male and female racemose inflorescences 8-30 cm long are located on different specimens. Male flowers are white, with five small petals and 20-30 stamens, female flowers are yellowish and without petals. After flowering and pollination, a fruit is formed - a box.

The stems contain milky juice, it can irritate mucous membranes and human skin. Ingestion is considered extremely dangerous due to the absence of symptoms of poisoning, although it can cause inflammation and erosion of the intestines, hemorrhages in the heart and other organs. All parts of the plant are poisonous, including the fruits, which must be remembered if there are small children in the family.

Codiaums prefer a tropical climate, in the open field they survive in places where the temperature never drops below + 10 ° C.

Particularly decorative are the large-sized ones of the motley codiem.

The variegated codiaum is famous for its striking and varied in shape, size and color of leaves. To date, due to this variability, a huge number of cultivars have been bred.

Varieties usually grow slower and reach a smaller size, rarely exceed a meter in height with a crown width of about 60 cm.Their leaves can reach 30 cm, glossy, leathery, surprisingly bright colors - from yellow, orange, red, burgundy, purple and green with white to complex combinations of these colors. Young leaves in many varieties are predominantly green or yellowish, over time they take on a color characteristic of the variety.

In shape, the leaves can be long and narrow or wide - oval, sword-shaped or spear-shaped, deeply dissected, with a smooth or wavy edge, sometimes twisted into a spiral, the leaf blade can sometimes narrow almost to the midrib.

Thanks to mass production in Holland, and in our farms, the following varieties are most common:

  • Excellent (Excelent) - one of the most popular and strong varieties of codiaum. The leaves are large, three-lobed, the upper ones are green-yellow, the bottom is dominated by burgundy color.
  • Petra is a fairly stable variety at home. The leaves are large, in the form of an oval, young, dark green, have a clear yellow net that runs along the central and lateral veins of the leaf. With age, the leaves acquire a reddish tint.
Codiaum motley ExellentCodiaum variegated Petra
  • Aucubaefolia (Aucubofolia, Aucubolistny) - the variety looks very similar to Aucuba. The leaves are lanceolate, rich green, with an uneven yellow speck, smaller in size than the varieties Petra and Excellent.
  • Sunny Star (Sunny Star, Solar Star) - a variety with narrow-lanceolate leaves, forming a kind of star on the stem. Young leaves are pale green with yellowish specks; with age, the leaf has a predominantly yellow color.
Codiaum variegated AucubaefoliaCodiaum motley Sunny Star
  • Zanzibar (Zanzibar) - with thin long, up to 40 cm long, beautifully curved leaves of rich green, red, burgundy and orange color.
  • Mammi (Mammi) - the leaves are long, narrow, strongly wavy at the edges. The color alternates between spots of yellow, green and maroon.
Codiaum variegated ZanzibarCodiaum motley Mammi
  • Tamara (Tamara) - lanceolate leaves, with alternating white, bluish-green and dark green areas. White parts of the leaf under unfavorable conditions can become covered with brown spots.
  • Nervia (Nervia) - externally resembling Excellent, but a more compact variety, has elongated graceful smoothed three-lobed leaves with pronounced veins, acquiring pink color with age.
Codiaum variegated TamaraCodiaum variegated Nervia
  • Mrs Iceton has broad-oval, medium-sized leaves, and is characterized by an alternation of leaves that are almost entirely yellow, pink or green. Large-sized ones look especially elegant.
Codiaum motley Mrs IcetonCodiaum motley Mrs Iceton
  • Wilma (Vilma) - a variety with lobed, slightly asymmetrical and slightly wavy at the edges of the leaves. Young leaves are greenish-yellow, later they acquire first yellow and then pinkish color.
  • Golden Bell (Golden Bell) - a variety with unusual leaves: on the narrow long leaf blades closer to the tips there is a bridge that reaches the central vein. The leaves seem to consist of two parts: the main one is elongated and a small "bell" at the top. The colors include yellow, red and green tones.
  • Gold Star (Gold Star) - a variety with narrow straight green leaves, densely covered with yellow specks, in good light yellow color prevails over green.

About cultivation - in the article Variegated codiaum: care, reproduction, pests and diseases.

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