Star Wars Garden Gnome Alabama Croton - A Marvelous, Rare Shrub

The Encyclopedia of Alabama calls Alabama croton (Croton alabamensis) i of the rarest shrubs inwards North America.

So I felt pretty lucky to run across it inwards someone on a recent trip to the Huntsville Botanical Garden:

One of the things I had heard nearly Alabama croton was that the tumble foliage took on shades of electrical orange. As you lot tin terminate see, the institute seemed to hold upward fully leafed out inwards its novel jump foliage, simply I was able to abide by a lingering orangish leaf, together with it nonetheless looked fantastic on Apr 1st. I intend the greenish foliage is pretty awesome too!

I realize that this photograph would hold upward to a greater extent than useful if it had a someone inwards the painting present for scale. Sorry nearly that. Please accept my give-and-take for it - this institute (or clump of plants?) was nearly vii feet tall at its highest indicate yesteryear mayhap 12 feet wide. As you lot tin terminate see, the foliage is pretty dense. I'm glad I saw this shrub inwards person, because the photos I'd seen online made it await every bit though the foliage was rattling sparse, simply hither I'd tell the foliage is dense plenty to offering expert screening potential. 

All inwards all, I was sufficiently impressed that I'm going to endeavor adding an Alabama croton to my garden this autumn. (I endeavor to institute most shrubs together with trees inwards autumn.)

I've seen photos online (from NCSU) of the institute patently thriving inwards Knoxville together with Brooklyn, then I believe it should hold upward able to accept a Nashville wintertime without whatever problems.

PS - Deb at Deb's Garden actually likes this institute too!