CODIAEUM  FOUNDER`S

Georgius Everhardus Rumphius                 1628-1702

Codiaeums,commonly called crotons, have been enjoyed by Pacific Islanders for centuries. Crotons are native to the Moluccan Islands, between the Philippines and New Guinea, and not from Malay Peninsula, as it is commonly reported. The plants were first formally studied by Dutch naturalist G.E. Rumphius prior to 1690. He named the plant Codiaeum after the Malasian name for codebo.

Carl Von Linne     1707-1778

In 1762 Carl von Linne applied the common name "croton" after and ancient Greek City, Croton. Vivid, variable leaf coloration gives crotons their popularity, The yellow and green colors of the Brazilian flag are said to have originated from croton colors.

Croton Pioneers

Seed  And  Plant (Croton) Introduction  To  The  U.S

Dreer, Henry Augustus–(1818-1873)–Philadelphia, Pennsylvania–was born in Philadelphia on August 24, 1818.  He was the son of a German immigrant cabinet maker and opened his seed and florist store, Henry A. Dreer, Inc., in 1838.  Dreer saw the need for demonstration and experiment farms.  From 1839-1850, his nursery was on the estate of William Hamilton, known as “The Woodlands.”  His six small greenhouses were at 35th Street for twenty-three years until 1873 when they were moved to three hundred acres at Riverton, New Jersey.  He was a pioneer in introducing color printing to the trade in his bulb catalog for 1865.  That catalog contained an illustration in six colors, printed from electros reproducing the original wood cuts.  He wrote frequently for The Saturday Evening Post.  He was a member of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and was treasurer from 1862-1873.   He died in Philadelphia, December 22, 1873.   His son William F. Dreer carried on the business in Philadelphia and Riverton, New Jersey.  The business was incorporated in 1892

Dreer, William F.–(1849-1918)–Philadelphia, Pennsylvania–Was born in Philadelphia, November 11, 1849.  He carried on the business of his father Henry A. Dreer after his father’s death in 1873.  He made numerous trips to foreign countries to study growing methods and to establish relationships with foreign seedhouses.  He was an active member of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, treasurer from 1887-1888 and from 1898-1899.  He had extensive private gardens at his three residences in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, Santa Barbara, California, and Woodstock, Vermont.  He died in Vermont, September 8, 1918.

Reasoner, Pliny Ward –(1863-1888)–Oneco, Florida–was born in Princeton, Illinois on May 6, 1863.  Reasoner moved to Florida in 1882 and settled near Manatee.  He was joined by his younger brother Egbert N. Reasoner and together they  established the Royal Palm Nurseries under the firm name Reasoner Brothers.  He corresponded with directors of botanic gardens and plant enthusiasts and introduced many tropical and semi-tropical exotics.  He was the horticultural commissioner in charge of the sub-tropical exposition at Jacksonville, Florida, 1887-88.  He was also a commissioner at the Cotton States Centennial Exposition at Atlanta in 1888.  He died of yellow fever September 17, 1888 at the age of 25.  The Reasoner family popularized grafting and distributed many fruit plants (oranges, lemons, mangoes, tamarinds, pineapples and the world’s first pink grapefruit).  They also distributed many ornamentals and exotics such as palms, acacias, and Crotons Throughout Florida.

Photo: Compliments of Reasoner Nursery

REASONER FAMILY  (1926)