There are several hundred cultivars selected and bred for foliage.

It is a tropical, evergreen, monoecious shrub growing up to 3 m (9.8 ft) tall with large, dense, leathery, alternate 5–30 cm (2.0–11.8 in) long and 0.5– 8 cm (0.20–3.15 in) broad glossy evergreen leaves. Leaf margins are variously ruler-lanceolate, oblong, elliptic, lanceolate, ovate-ovate, ovate-spatulate or fiddle-shaped and colored green, yellow or purple. The length of the petiole is 0.2 to 2.5 cm. Inflorescence long racemes, 8–30 cm (3.1–11.8 in) long, male and female flowers on individual flowers Male flowers white with five small petals and 20–30 stamens, anthers ellipsoid about 52 × 32 microns remains Petalless female flowers are yellow. Flowering usually occurs in early autumn. Its fruit capsule is 9 mm (0.35 in) in diameter and contains three 6 mm (0.24 in) diameter seeds. A milky liquid oozes out when the stem is cut.

In tropical climates crotons make attractive hedges and potted patio specimens, valued for their attractive foliage. They survive only outdoors where temperatures generally do not fall below 10° to 13°C in winter; Cold temperatures can cause leaf damage. [3] Plants are grown in greenhouses or as houseplants in cooler climates.

Cultivated garden crotons are usually smaller than wild plants, rarely exceeding 1.8 m tall, and vary in leaf shape and color. These are sometimes grouped under the name Codium variegatum var picturum (Lod ) Mal Arg. , although it is not botanically distinct from the species and is generally considered a synonym.

There are several hundred cultivars selected and bred for foliage. Depending on the variety, the leaves are oblong-ovate, entire to deeply lobed or pinnate and can be green, white, purple, orange, yellow, red or pink in color.

The color pattern can be along the veins, edges or spots of the leaves. Popular plants include 'Spirale' which has spirally wrapped red and green leaves; 'Andreanum' has broad oval yellow leaves with golden veins and edges; 'Majesticum' has long branched, linear leaves up to 25 cm long with green midribs turning pale green below.