- any of numerous chiefly tropical plants constituting the genus Croton, of the spurge family, several species of which, as C. tiglium, have important medicinal properties.
- (among florists) any plant of the related genus Codiaeum (or Phyllaurea) cultivated for its ornamental foliage.
- any shrub or tree of the chiefly tropical euphorbiaceous genus Croton, esp C. tiglium, the seeds of which yield croton oil
- any of various tropical plants of the related genus Codiaeum, esp C. variegatum pictum, a house plant with variegated foliage
