It could be that Nervia was named for the dramatic, colorful-to-the-max, highlighting of its veins. Familiar, Crotony leaves with an indistinct, oakleaf outline arrive on stage in a bright, grass green with bright, lemon yellow that zips down the midrib and branches horizontally (not a usual direction for Croton veins, they usually angle down a bit) straight to the leaf's edge with a few, fun, sparky forks here and there. As they mature they grow quite a bit and darken to a blackish shade with crazy, bright red veins. You'll notice some bright orange and rich, bronzy shades during those dramatic changes. Most of the plant will be the black and red and so beautiful and different from everyone else you have around. Crotons grow just huge and bushy outside in the ground in temperate places in the US and tropics around the world, (think Hawaii, Tahiti, etc.) While parentage of this cultivar is a bit hazy, its ancestors certainly lived in those tropics. Not huge indoors, but it will make a nice, full bush to set off the greener guys in your collection or stand alone for max color in a basket or pot with some space to grow where you'd like some drama.
- Air Purifying
- Low Maintenance
Quick Care Guide:
- Water - Medium (3): Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
- Light - Med/High (4): Needs more light than most, but direct light not necessary. Can handle morning and afternoon sun directly on leaves.
- Difficulty - Low/Med (2): A little less finicky than most. Doesn't require much attention at all.