"I never thought I'd see Tapestry, but by God, it's back and it's beautiful," Alonzo declares. Halgrim's information has also led to the discovery of other old collections, several in the Bradenton/Palmetto area.

Once a rare croton is found, propagation begins. Crotons are known to be genetically unstable, which means the seedlings don't usually look like parent plants. While crotons are simple to grow from clippings or air layering, getting a hybrid to stabilize can take five years. The Croton Society insiders, a group known to share clippings and knowledge, are quietly distributing Tapestry, but the plant is slow- growing, delicate and not likely to show up at Home Depot any time soon.

Lee would like to see an established nursery propagate older varieties to get them back out into the mainstream. The Croton Society's Web site is receiving inquiries from as far as Angola, and interest in Florida's crotons is great, he reports.

"I couldn't care less about making money on crotons," Lee says. "I just want to see them out there again. When people begin communicating, the plant has a better chance."

In their quest to find rare hybrids, plant enthusiasts have recruited landscapers and homeowners. Everyone is invited to join the hunt.

"We are not going to give up hope," says Alonzo. "The croton is a wonderful part of Florida's horticultural history. We need to get moving before these varieties cannot be found anymore."

Croton enthusiasts share growing tips.

"Crotons fell out of favor years ago when people started planting them as hedges in the blazing, hot sun and stopped taking care of them. They looked awful," says Bob Alonzo.

Instead, Alonzo advises, plant them under high, broken shade, especially under oak trees. "Under a live oak where the soil is sandy but acidic, with some fertilizer and water, they will be breathtakingly beautiful," he says. For a radiant croton, Alonzo also recommends a time-release fertilizer such as Osmocote.

Crotons grow well in warm, humid conditions and are ideally suited to subtropical and tropical climates. Their popularity in the cooler Tampa Bay area is probably due to the influence of the Reasoner nurseries, as they are better suited to more Southern climates.

Tampa resident Harold Lee has a yard full of crotons, approximately 70 varieties, many which have survived frosts and thrived for over 10 years. "Usually around October I mulch heavily," he advises. "With that mulch cover, the heat during the day keeps the root stock under the ground warm enough at night so that even if we have a real hard freeze and everything freezes to the ground, those plants will come right back from their roots."

Lee is a croton nut, evidenced by his colorful kaleidoscope of a yard. "This is Florida color," he insists. "If you take care of a croton the way it needs to be taken care of, it will become the focal point of your garden."