Koson | โกสน | Codiaeum variegatum
Family: Euphorbiaceae - Genus: Codiaeum
There are many croton plants to be found on the premises of TCDF and Eco-Logic Thailand. On this page we show you a number of the varieties you can find in Paksong.
The Garden croton, also known as fire croton or variegated croton is a species of plant native to Thailand and growing in open forest. Croton plants come in more than 100 varieties. Its leaves come in all colors of autumn: red, yellow, green, copper, orange, brown, pink and ivory. The colors spread over the entire leaf. The leaf blades can, be ruler-lanceolate, oblong, elliptic, lanceolate, ovate inverted, ovate spatulate, or violin-shaped.
It is a tropical, evergreen shrub growing to 3 meter tall and has large, thick, leathery, shiny evergreen leaves, alternately arranged, 5–30 centimeter long and 0.5–8 centimeter broad.
Crotons bloom with long racemes, 8–30 centimeter long, with male and female flowers on separate inflorescences; the male flowers are white with five small petals and 20–30 stamens. The female flowers yellowish, with no petals. The flowering period is usually in the beginning of the dry season. The fruit is a capsule 9 mm in diameter, containing three seeds that are 6 mm in diameter.
In tropical climates, crotons make attractive hedges, like you will see on the premises of TCDF and Eco-Logic. The plant is a slow grower, but can grow to about 3 to 4 meter high.
The Croton blooming period is at the beginning of the dry season, March-April
CULINARY USES
The plant has no edible parts.
The croton plants are moderately toxic to pets and humans. Typically, ingestion will cause mouth and stomach irritation and possible vomiting.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USE
NOTE: please take advice from a doctor if you are planning to use herbal medicine.
The oil from the seeds of the croton plant is used to make medicine.
Despite serious safety concerns, people take croton seeds for emptying and cleansing the stomach and intestines. They also take croton seeds to treat gallbladder problems, colic, blocked intestines, and malaria.
Croton seeds are sometimes applied directly to the skin for muscle and joint pain (rheumatism), gout, nerve pain (neuralgia), and bronchitis.
INTO THE WILD: a down to earth experience
For guests and visitors to Paksong we organize weekly tours "The Edible Forest" and Foraging weekends: Into the Wild. We work with local guides to take you in the jungle of Paksong. After foraging, we will cook a meal with the ingredients, using bamboo together with you!
Come and join and learn about the abundance of food that nature gives us!
INTO THE WILD!
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