What are Variegated Plants?

What should I know about variegated plants?

1. What does variegation mean?
2. How does variegation happen?
3. What are the different types of variegation?
4. Can plants lose variegation?
5. Can I make variegated plants at home?

You may have seen these show-stopping plants on Instagram before — photos of plants like “variegated monstera deliciosa” are all the rage nowadays, especially for trendy plant parents.

But what are variegated plants, and why are they taking the houseplant community by storm? If you’re interested in these differently-colored plants and learning how they came to be, keep reading! This article covers all the basics of variegated specimens and why they’re great indoor plants to add to your collection.

What Is Variegation?

On occasion, a new plant may start producing leaves with regular or irregular deviations from their typical color. This creates patches on leaves that are of different colors and may appear two-toned or multi-tonal. This is what we call variegation.

This happens randomly and is very rare. So how do plant nurseries produce variegated plants so regularly? The key is through stabilizing that color mutation through careful maintenance and propagation. It takes a lot of time and effort for plant nurseries to create stable variegations, which is why any kind is rare.

When looking at established and stable plant variegation, you’ll see a variety of types. Some may have clear patches of color that take up the whole leaf — like this Variegated Peace Lily— while some may have more subtle or blended patches. And variegations can appear in different colors, too.

How Does Variegation Happen?

Variegation is something that typically happens to plants when they lack chlorophyll (the green pigment) in their plant cells. Even in plants that are not normally a green color, variegation can still occur due to a lack or abundance of other pigments, such as carotenoids (which give a yellow to orange color), and anthocyanins (which give a red to purple color). This can give some amazing color changes to a plant.

Variegation rarely occurs naturally. Most of the variegated plants you see for sale in the Philippines have been carefully bred and propagated for their uniqueness and beauty. Because they lack certain chemicals, such as chlorophyll, these plants usually create less energy than a regular plant. This is why variegated plant relatives are often difficult to grow — and tend to grow at a slower pace than their generic counterparts.

What Are The Different Types Of Variegation?

Variegations, as we mentioned, can show up in many ways. However, there are four main types of variegation:

Chimeral Variegation

The most common type of variegation. Chimeral variegation is caused by a genetic mutation, where one plant creates two different chromosomal make-ups — one that can produce chlorophyll, and the other cannot. The result of chimeral variegation is usually a plant with white and yellow patches.

Typically, this type of variegation is randomly spread around the plant’s foliage. If you have a chimeral variegated plant, you’ll likely see white and/or yellow patches or streaks — similar to paint splashes. It is also common to see some leaves emerge entirely white, while others are entirely green. Sometimes, the variegation shows up as consistent and symmetrical leaf patterns.

Pattern-Gene Variegation

Also known as pigmented or natural variegation, this type isn’t due to a mutation at all. Rather, the plants are naturally patterned. This means the variegation is already written into the DNA of the cultivar or plant species and can be reliably passed from parent to child plant.

There are some truly pattern-gene variegations seen in some plant species, but most of the pattern-gene variegations we see sold today are the result of years of cultivation — like our NJoy Pothos plant. Plant growers often select plants for their patterning and use them to create a new hybrid through selective breeding.

Viral Variegation

Viral infections can also cause distinct changes in plants — including variegation in new leaves. For example, the mosaic virus can cause your plants to have mosaic-like patterns on new leaves.

Blister Or Reflective Variegation

Blister variegation happens when tiny pockets of air are created within the layers of the leaves. These air pockets create a reflective effect as the leaf layer becomes thin — giving this variegation a silvery appearance. One example of this type of variegation is Peperomia Watermelon plants.

Can Plants Lose Variegation?

Yes, they can. Variegated plants can revert to their “natural” appearance (typically a plain green leaf) for several reasons. This could be caused by exposure to extreme temperatures, or inadequate light conditions. When this happens, your plant may start to produce more chlorophyll as a survival tactic.

When this happens to your variegated plant, the best thing to do to prevent a full reversion is to prune the affected leaves. This will prevent this condition from taking over the entire plant,

Can I Make Variegated Plants At Home?

Yes, but it’s very difficult to do it alone at home unless you’re an experienced plant enthusiast or a grower yourself. And even then, it’s difficult to induce and stabilize at home.

To get a variegated plant, the best option is to buy one from a reputable plant supplier — like Unbeleafable! We sell all kinds of variegated plants, like our Calathea Arrowroot, Aglaonema Romeo, Stromanthe Sanguinea Tri-color, and much more! These plants can be propagated as well, so you can pass on these stunning plants to your friends and family.

Key Takeaway

Hopefully this brief dive into what variegated plants are showed you why these plants attract so much love and attention — and rightfully so! These plants have a lot to offer visually and make a great centerpiece for any garden or room.