Variation in leaf colour occurs because of a lack of the green pigment chlorophyll in some of the plant cells. It is usually the result of a cell mutation. ... Variegated plants can revert or turn green for a number of reasons. It can be a reaction to extremes of hot and cold or a reaction to low-light levels.

What is the purpose of variegation?

Variegated leaves help capture "sun flecks." Yellow or red portions of the leaf epidermis also allows the plant to capture the green end of the white-light spectrum. As for the variation of leaf-color to attract pollinators to flowers please consider...

How do you encourage variegation in plants?

Place the plant in full sun to encourage variegation.

Variegated plants need more sun than solid green plants because they don't have as much chlorophyll to absorb sunlight. If you're growing a variegated plant, leave it near a sunny window or a bright spot on your property so it absorbs enough sun to stay healthy.

What is plant variegation?

In plants, variegation means the appearance of different coloured zones on leaves, stems, fruit or flowers. Therefore, a variegated plant would appear two-toned or multi-tonal. ... And variegations can appear in different colours, too – not just green!

Why are variegated plants rare?

The blotchy white patterning on the leaves and stem is caused by a genetic mutation known as “variegation” which makes these plants incredibly rare and highly sought after.

Variegated - why and how does it work?

37 related questions found

Why is pink princess so expensive?

Why is philodendron pink princess so expensive? The pink princess is expensive. This is because growers cannot totally guarantee their philodendrons will turn out pink enough to actually sell as a pink princess philodendron, even if the mother plant is already heavily variegated with pink.

Why is Monstera Variegata so expensive?

Variegated Monsteras are so expensive because of their rarity and popularity. The lack of chlorophyll in the leaves means it needs more light and grows slower. Slower growth means slower propagation and fewer new plants. ... Growers have discovered that people will pay a lot of money for a variegated Monstera.

How can you tell if a plant is variegated?

This applies both to green leaves with irregular markings (variegation), say in white and yellow, and to those of a single solid color such as gold or purple. A random mutation usually shows up as variegation. If you propagate from a green shoot or sow seed of the plant, the color will not recur.

Is variegated plants natural?

Natural variegation - Sometimes also referred to as pigmented variegation, these plants are naturally patterned. The pattern of their leaves is written into their DNA, and every single leaf will grow with this pattern.

What is the most common cause of variegated leaves?

A common cause of variegation is the masking of green pigment by other pigments, such as anthocyanins. This often extends to the whole leaf, causing it to be reddish or purplish. On some plants however, consistent zonal markings occur; such as on some clovers, bromeliads, certain Pelargonium and Oxalis species.

Can you make plants variegated?

Chimeral Variegation

This variegation is caused by a genetic mutation, creating a plant that has two different chromosomal makeups within it; one that can produce chlorophyll and one that cannot. This causes white or yellow shapes and splotches to mix with the green on the leaves and even stems.

How do I make my plants leaves variegated?

The more traditional and stable way to achieve variegation is to take cuttings of the branches that have more blotchy variegation in the leaf rather than the all-white form (has no chlorophyll) and just keep building the numbers of plants. This process takes a lot longer to produce volume.

Can plants lose variegation?

Variegation loss in plants may be due to lighting, seasonality, or other factors. It is not possible to reverse the loss of variegation, but you can usually keep it from taking over an entire plant.

Is variegation a good thing?

I persist: “Some variegation is really very good. ... Variegation is caused by a number of things: pigmentary is the most common, where a lack or masking of chlorophyll causes different leaf colours. White variegation is a lack of chlorophyll, and plants with a lot of white will be weaker growers.

Why is the plant kept in the dark for 2 3 days?

The plant is then kept in the dark for 2-3 days so that all the food processed is used up in the form of starch. In the absence of light, there is no photosynthesis and, thus, no more food production takes place. ... The plant is then placed for 6 hours in sunlight to allow for photosynthesis.

How do you make Monstera variegated?

If you want to propagate a Variegated Monstera, you can do so by taking a cutting of a part of the stem that contains a node or aerial roots. You don't need the cutting to contain a leaf, only a node. Once you have your cutting, trim any leaves so you are left with 1-2 leaves. Make sure you don't trim away the node.

How do you make pothos variegated?

HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE VARIEGATION IN POTHOS?

1. Make Sure You Have Enough Light. Variegated plants in general need more light, compared to their non-variegated counterparts, in order to retain their beautiful variegation. ...
2. Selectively Prune to Encourage New Variegated Growth.

How does variegation occur?

Variation in leaf colour occurs because of a lack of the green pigment chlorophyll in some of the plant cells. It is usually the result of a cell mutation. ... The plants variegation can be inherited (genetic) or occur randomly (chimeric).

What is genetic variegation?

Position-effect variegation (PEV) is a variegation caused by the silencing of a gene in some cells through its abnormal juxtaposition with heterochromatin via rearrangement or transposition. It is also associated with changes in chromatin conformation.

Does my Monstera have variegation?

Thai constellation monsteras can be identified by their splotchy star-like variegation pattern in shades of creamy white and light yellow. Most, if not all, of the leaves of a Thai constellation monstera will have some type of variegation on them.

What is the most expensive plant in the world?

Shenzhen Nongke Orchid: $202,000 per Plant

The orchid took eight years to develop and in 2005, it was sold at auction to an anonymous bidder for a shocking 1.68 million Yuan (around $202,000), making it the most expensive flower ever bought.

What is the rarest houseplant?

10 Rarest Houseplants in the World

• Variegated Cotyledon Orbiculata.
• Philodendron Pink Princess.
• Variegated Monstera Deliciosa.
• Reverse Variegated Hoya.
• Gold of Kinabalu Orchid.
• Variegated Philodendron Minima.
• Monstera Obliqua.
• Shenzhen Nongke Orchid.

What is the most expensive plant in the Philippines?

In an article published on Philstarlife, horticulturist Boyet Ganigan revealed the BG regale sanseviera hybrid, a unique plant that was originally priced at P1 million. While Ganigan refuses to sell the plant, offers for it have reached P10 million, making it the most expensive plant in the Philippines.