I sincerely hope the topic line was not too unclear. Due to space constraints, I had to shorten my statement.
One of the plants with a hereditary predisposition to variegation is Monstera deliciosa albovariegata. In other words, a plant can change back to its variegated appearance even if it appears to have gone entirely green.
I cut a piece of a variegated Monstera deliciosa a long time ago. Although there have been clues of its variegated nature, the cutting has been primarily green (photo at bottom, see red arrows).
Despite the appearance of the plant and its whole leaves, I can tell you that it is Monstera deliciosa albovariegata (no slits or holes). I used it for a while in low light indoors, then in much lower light outside. It responded by growing more quickly once I put it into better light. So hopefully the general growing environment is good. Growing conditions are frost-free.
I want to know if there are methods to try to go back to a plant that is more obviously variegated. I was considering cutting it into smaller plants in the hopes that one of the new stems will exhibit more variegation (I could easily picture it divided into three pieces). Any recommendations or remarks?
There are a few of my other plants that have more variation. I’m just curious and doing this for fun.
Does Monstera variegata revert?
Understanding the many types and reasons of variegation is essential for both caring for variegated specimens and understanding why many of them are so rare and difficult to find. There are many different varieties of variegated indoor plants.
Types of Variegated Indoor Plants
When you think about variegated indoor plants, you probably picture the sporadic patches, streaks, and dots of white that are distinctive to Variegated Monstera. However, there are other varieties of variegation that seem quite dissimilar and have quite different causes.
The most typical type of variegation is chimeral variegation. This type of variegation, which is brought on by a genetic mutation, manifests as two separate chromosomal make-ups in a single plant, one of which can synthesize chlorophyll while the other cannot. A plant that has white or yellow zones mixed in with its solid green shape is the consequence; this type of plant is known as a chimera. One example of this chimera is variegated Monstera deliciosa.
Chimeral variegation can occasionally be dispersed across the plant at random. This is the case, for instance, with Variegated Monstera, where you may see white or yellow spots and splotches all over the leaves, almost like paint splatters, while some leaves emerge fully green or white. As an alternative, chimeral variegation may occasionally be uniform throughout the entire plant and have symmetrical leaf patterns.
The variegated shape may be stable or unstable, depending on the plant and the reason for the variegation, which is an important point to remember. Variegated plants that are unstable may revert to their pure green form. Additionally, variegated plants may be less robust; for instance, Variegated Monstera leaves that emerge completely white cannot photosynthesize, so they usually don’t persist very long.
Because only specific plants with chimeral variegation can be successfully propagated from stem cuttings and no chimera will result, some variegated cultivars or species are difficult to find “True to type plants come from root cuttings, leaf cuttings, or seeds that display the same phenotype—in this case, variegation. This means that there are few and frequently failed possibilities to propagate this particular variety of variegated plant.
Maybe what makes chimera plants so alluring is their transient existence?
Some variegated plants, also known as pigmented or natural variation, are actually naturally patterned patterns rather than mutants. Some of our favorite indoor plants with variegation have this pattern, and fortunately, unlike chimera, this sort of variegation is encoded in the species’ or cultivar’s DNA and handed down from one generation to the next.
a collection of Marantaceae plants with pattern variegation, including Calathea and Ctenanthe
Consider the pigmented variegation on the lanceolate, green leaves of Calathea lancifolia (Rattlesnake Calathea), which has a consistent patterning of purple dots. Similar Pattern-Gene variegation is present in Ctenanthe burle-marxii (Fishbone Prayer Plant) and other Marantaceae family members.
While a species may naturally exhibit some degree of variegation, producers frequently choose for patterning and develop hybrids to emphasize and manipulate this. The outcome is a plant variation known as a cultivar, which was developed through selective breeding and cultivated.
Blister or reflected variegation is a different type of variegation that is frequently observed in our favorite indoor plants. In this kind of plant, the lowest layers of the leaves, which are colored, and the upper, which are not pigmented, generate tiny air spaces. These transparent spaces reflect light as it strikes them, giving the leaves a silvery look.
One such plant that displays this reflected variegation is watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia, below). The plant’s nickname-giving silvery stripes are really strips of reflective air pockets! However, this kind of variegation doesn’t always appear symmetrically; for instance, blister variegation is also responsible for the sporadic spots on the leaves of Scindapsus pictus (also known as Satin Pothos, above).
We think reflecting variegation to be particularly appealing when it appears along the leaf veins. This is frequently observed in aroid plants like Philodendrons, Alocasias, and Anthuriums. For instance, the leaf veins of Philodendron gloriosum, Alocasia frydek, and Anthurium clarinervium all exhibit reflective/blister variegation. Stunning, no?
Some variegated leaves, like the Mosaic virus, are genuinely brought on by viruses. Even while it’s not very frequent, a virus can occasionally develop a favorable variation that can be passed on to others. One plant with variegation that exhibits this viral variegation, though it is not an indoor plant, is a particular variety of Hosta.
In the world of plants, the term “variegation” is used quite loosely. In the end, any plant with multiple hues might be referred to as variegated. The word “variegated” is derived from the latin word variegatus, which “made up of several kinds or colors.
We hope you are now better equipped to understand why plants look the way they do and why some variegated indoor plants are so difficult to find, whether you use the term in its loose interpretation to describe patterned or multicolored leaves or dive into the more technical causes of variegation described above (and it gets wayyyy more technical and scientific if you want to go down that roadwe’re no botanists, just fascinated!).
One more thing to keep in mind as you negotiate the complex world of plant variation. The italicized word variegata, which appears as the second half of a latin plant name, designates a species that is found in the wild with variegation, such as Aloe variegata. However, variegated plants are cultivated far more frequently. This would be stated in single quote marks with the word “Variegata” capitalized.
There are two cultivars of variegated Monstera that we are aware of. One is called “Albo-Variegata,” which occasionally has leaves that are entirely or partially white and has white paint-like splotches on its leaves. The second variety is called “Thai Constellation” (above), and its leaves often have a creamy-yellow variegation with considerably smaller splotches or dots.
Will an altered Albo return?
Variegated foliage plants are frequently highly well-liked. Variegated plants are frequently utilized as accents in landscapes, as focal points in shaded, dark settings, or even as interior plants. In plants, variegation occurs when the normally green section of the plant is changed to white, creamy, or occasionally even other colors. Engineered breeding techniques or genetic flaws may produce variegated plants.
I frequently receive inquiries from disgruntled gardeners whose variegated plants are starting to produce solely solid green leaves. Sometimes the hue will return to its original green state as a result of unstable cell mutations, variations in hot and cold temperatures, survival needs, or other factors. It is impossible to reverse a plant back to variegated colorings once it has turned green.
Due to their lack of green pigment, variegated plants will have a restricted amount of chlorophyll in their leaves. When a plant has less chlorophyll, it has less energy, which is necessary for photosynthesis. Plants with variegation are typically less robust and healthy than plants with solid green leaves. Returning to solid green leaves may be a defensive mechanism by which the plant transforms back into a healthier state.
A variegated plant may suffer from being cultivated in shady or semi-shady locations, where so many other variegated plants are typically grown. The plant wouldn’t be getting enough light, on top of having insufficient quantities of chlorophyll. These circumstances make it easy to turn a plant with variegated leaves back to having only solid green leaves.
It is believed that bad weather may induce a plant to return to its original solid green state. Returning to green improves a plant’s ability to capture more of the required solar energy, giving it a competitive advantage. More energy translates to more fuel for stronger, healthier growth. When reversion is seen on a plant, you can remove that area to prevent the growth of glossy green leaves.
Try to grow with nature rather than against it until next time, and perhaps all of our weeds will turn into wildflowers.
How can Monstera Albo be stopped from turning back?
One of the most crucial aspects of caring for your monstera albo is understanding this. You’ll need to keep up with trimming if you want to maintain the variegation and keep it from going back to full green.
This indicates that branches with fully green leaves need to be pruned off.
Not pruning will eventually result in all of the leaves turning green, which is an issue. The plant needs to be nearly coaxed or encouraged to continue producing its stunning white leaves.
However, if your plant is entirely white, it won’t be able to photosynthesize and you don’t want that.
No matter how much you cut it back, it won’t be able to maintain its variegation if it’s placed in a dimly lit area of your home.
Can leaves with a pattern reverse?
Through natural mutation or viral infection, variegation causes a decrease in chlorophyll in some of the plant’s cells, resulting in the appearance of yellow patches among the green.
Many factors might cause variegated plants to revert or turn green. It could be a response to temperature extremes—hot or cold—or to low light levels.
When this occurs, it is preferable to remove the afflicted leaves because, if you don’t, the plain green foliage, which has more chlorophyll and vigor than the variegated foliage, may really take over the plant.
Why do plants with different colors revert?
I definitely collect variegated plants and am infatuated with them. Because of the pearl string’s variety, it is currently my favorite. Given that some kinds, like Variegated Monstera, cost astronomical sums of money, I had a few queries concerning plants with variegation. Here’s where my investigation led me:
A. The green pigment chlorophyll is absent from some plant cells, which causes variation in leaf color. Typically, a cell mutation causes it.
A. Plants can have genetic (inherited) or random variegation (chimeric). If the color change is hereditary, it is stable, which means that it will return to the new plant if you produce a green stem from a plant with colored leaves or plant its seed.
A variety of factors might cause variegated plants to revert or turn green. It could be a response to temperature extremes—hot or cold—or to low light levels. Some claim that since the plant grows stronger when it has more chlorophyll, it might have done so as a means of survival. When this occurs, it is preferable to remove the afflicted leaves because, if you don’t, the plain green foliage, which has more chlorophyll and vigor than the variegated foliage, may really take over the plant.
A. Variegation cannot be artificially created or done at home. To spread the variegated plant love, it is best to borrow a cutting from a friend or give your own away.
Variegated Adansonii: Does it revert?
The Archipelago and Mint variegated Indonesia varieties of Monstera adansonii are uncommon houseplants. They are not likely to be available at big box nurseries, niche nurseries, or even local nurseries. Only a small number of specialists in rare plants own this Monstera, and it is quite expensive.
Price points for variegated Monstera adansonii are $400 to $3000. This price will vary depending on where you buy it, how big it is, and whatever specific variegated form you get. For instance, you’ll pay between $1200 and $3000 for M. adansonii Variegated Aurea and Mint Variegated Wide Form. Attention: Some of these plants are merely rooted cuttings with a few leaves.
Due to pressure, insufficient light, etc., a variegated Monstera adansonii leaf may revert to its standard green color. However, it will always be a variety. Just provide optimum circumstances. It will once more begin to have leaf variegation. However, a non-variegated Monstera adansonii plant may eventually develop variegated leaves. The majority of the time, this occurs because the plant had variegated leaves at first but stopped growing them. The plant could also experience a cell mutation, which is the second potential outcome. These mutations, which randomly occur but are infrequent, are what give rise to the variegation.
No. Not at all. It is impossible to grow a variegated plant from seeds since it is a variegated plant. There are just mutations in the leaves. So, if you need more plants, simply clip stems from existing ones.