Do Your Plant Leaves Have a Pattern? It Could Be Caused by Summer Sun—What to Know (2024)

Variegated plants are some of the most beautiful and fascinating specimens available for our homes and gardens. Instead of solid-colored foliage, variegated plants' leaves are adorned with spots, splotches, stripes, or edges in at least one contrasting color. Many rare plants are sought after for their bright, colorful variegation.

Colorful houseplants with variegation really pop against the usual green foliage, and variegated ornamental plantings can add excitement and interest to outdoor plantings.

Here's what to know about plant variegation, why and how it happens, and how to encourage it in your plants.

What Is Plant Variegation?

Plants with variegated leaves have green leaves patterned with shades of at least one contrasting color—white, cream, yellow, pink, red, or a combination. Some species, such as crotons and coleus, come in many other color combinations.

Plants can also be variegated with contrasting shades of green. The botanical names of variegated plant species often include the Latin word "variegata," which means striped or marked with different colors.

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How Does Plant Variegation Happen?

Variegation in plants occurs at the genetic level, though there are a few different ways this phenomenon can occur.

Those colorful portions of foliage get their contrasting shades because they don't have the same chlorophyll that the green portions do. This means that variegated plants often need more light than others to maintain vigorous growth.

Types of Plant Variegation

Not all plant variegation happens the same way. There are several types of plant variegation, and not all of them are desirable. Some are easy to reproduce in plant propagations or divisions, while others are more difficult to control.

Natural Variegation

Also called pattern-gene variegation, natural variegation occurs at the level of a plant's DNA. That means that the offspring of plants with this type of variegation will have similar traits to the parent plant.

These species or cultivars are sometimes referred to as "stable," meaning the variegation will be passed on to future generations. Note that natural variegation can actually occur in nature or as a result of plant breeding by humans.

Chimeral Variegation

Chimeral variegation, on the other hand, is caused by a random mutation that prevents some portions of plant tissue from producing the chlorophyll that makes plant leaves naturally green.

This is the most common type of variegation, resulting in plants whose leaves are splotched or splashed with shades of pale green, cream, yellow, or white.

Chimeral variegation can be unstable, meaning that leaves can revert to one color in adverse conditions, and can be challenging to propagate with the same variegation as the parent plant.

Blister Variegation

This form of plant variegation is caused not by an inability to produce chlorophyll but by air pockets that form between the outer layers and inner pigmented layers of plant tissue. It can show up on leaves or even veins and stems of plants in lighter, contrasting shades.

This type of variegation is sometimes referred to as reflective variegation due to the silvery quality it gives to affected portions of a plant's leaves.

Viral Variegation

Sometimes, variegation doesn't happen because of inherited traits or chance mutations. Instead, it's caused by a viral infection in the plant. The plant may be otherwise healthy or sustain damage from the viral infection.

For example, the tomato mosaic virus harms tomato plants while also creating a mottled appearance on leaves. A disease called hosta virus x affects the foliage of hostas.

Plants affected with these viruses are unattractive and can harm plant health, so plants are typically removed and trashed when symptoms are identified.

Plants That Can Have Variegated Leaves

Thousands of different variegated plant species and cultivars exist, including some of our favorite houseplants, ornamental plants, and even shrubs and trees. These plants add a pop of color and visual interest to any garden, landscape planting, or houseplant collection.

Pink Princess Philodendron

One of the most popular variegated plants of the past few years is the pink princess philodendron. This regal, self-heading philodendron's large, heart-shaped leaves are patterned with splotches and spots of pink over burgundy or deep green leaves.

Thai Constellation Monstera

Even more sought-after is the Thai constellation Monstera, known for its large, fenestrated leaves with random patches and tiny speckles of pale green, cream, and yellow.

Part of the reason these stunning specimens can be difficult to find and quite expensive is because it's difficult to propagate new plants that offer the same attractive variegation as the mother plant.

Variegated Pothos

If you want to add some variegation to your houseplant collection but don't know where to start, more than a dozen varieties of pothos have attractive variegated leaves. These low-maintenance, adaptable plants are ideal for beginners and trail beautifully from hanging baskets.

Domino Peace Lily

Peace lilies are known for their hardiness, adaptability, and elegant white flowers. The 'Domino' cultivar also offers these benefits, though variegated peace lilies generally need a little more light to stay healthy and keep their variegation looking bright.

Ficus Ruby

Another easy-growing variegated plant is ficus ruby, the variegated rubber tree plant. Its wide, shiny leaves are edged with irregular areas of cream, pale green, and pink. This fast-growing variety can reach 6 to 10 feet tall indoors at maturity, making it an eye-catching statement plant.

Tips for Encouraging Plant Variegation

• Give variegated plants more light than non-variegated types. Because they're naturally lower in chlorophyll (or, in the case of blister variegation, there's an air pocket between the chlorophyll and the leaf surface), variegated plants need more light to make the food they need to thrive. Sufficient bright, indirect light can keep variegated plants' colors looking strong and bright.
• Protect variegated plants from stress. Issues like sudden temperature changes, repotting, relocating, underwatering, low light, and lack of humidity can stress your plants—and even cause variegated plants to revert, or lose their variegation altogether. Pay special attention to that specific plant's care and conditions to keep it happy and stress-free.
• Prune away non-variegated foliage. Encourage new, variegated growth by removing away non-variegated leaves from your plant. If you leave them, they may grow larger and more prominent than the variegated leaves, which can't absorb as much sunlight, and cause your plant to lose its overall variegated look.