Codiaeum variegatum

Among ornamental-foliaged plants, few, if any, are more useful or beautiful than the
different varieties of this genus (The British Encyclopedia of Horticulture)
(1881)

Crotons will grow in almost any well-drained soil but like most ornamentals, they prefer a soil with an acid reaction. It is in this preferred medium that they attain their maxium in leaf size and beautiful colouring.
Dr. B Frank Brown
(A Codiaeum Ecyclopedia - Crotons of the World)

The original wild form of Codiaeum (C. ‘Mollucanum’) is believed to have originated in the Molluca Islands of Indonesia. C. ‘Mollucanum’ sported a yellow spotted type ‘aureo maculatum, which in turn sported the narrow leaf spotted variety ‘punctatum’ . The croton family was now up and running.