Blog
Colorful Plants Suddenly Became a Home Decor Must-Have, Here’s How to Keep Them Alive
Aug
Fashion and trends have always influenced the plants we care for. The same is true for variegated plants, which have become very popular with houseplant lovers these days.
Variegated plants have many colors, usually on the leaves, but in some cases on the stems, flowers, and fruits. Their patterns include stripes, dots, edges, and patches. They are usually green with white or yellow, but can also be red, pink, silver, and other colors.
Variegated plants can divide opinion. I remember my great-grandmother telling me many years ago how much she loved the variegated Aspidistra elatior growing in her garden. But I have also heard gardeners and landscapers reject variegated leaves because they did not fit their design or color schemes.
Nowadays, it seems that houseplants with variegated colors are considered “necessary”home decor accessory. But before you run out and buy one, make sure you know how to make it joyful.
Snapshot
Understanding Variegated Plants
Most plant species are completely green, but occasionally a variegated individual appears. Some attract the attention of a dedicated plant collector or nursery worker and become a popular variety.
Plant variegation can have several causes.
In some plants, such as tulip flowers, the cause is viral infectionThe resulting streaks of different colors can be cursed or precious depending on the aesthetic effect.
Other plants, such as those of the genus Coleusare naturally patterned. Groups of cells produce different color combinations, causing leaves to grow with attractive markings.
Plant variegation may also result from genetic mutations.
Read more: Curious Kids: Why are leaves green?
When growing plants with a variety of colors, it is significant to understand how different colors affect their functioning.
The green part of plants contains chlorophyll, a pigment necessary for photosynthesis. (Photosynthesis, of course, is the process by which leaves convert sunlight into oxygen and carbohydrates, which provide energy for plant growth.)
In variegated plants, the white parts of the leaves do not contain chlorophyll and do not carry out photosynthesis.
The yellow parts of the leaves can lend a hand send energy to chlorophyll, but they can’t photosynthesize on their own. The same goes for some of the red, orange, and pink patches of tissue.
But all the cells in a leaf—green or not—employ the plant’s energy. That means that variegated plants are less competent producers of energy than their all-green counterparts, which causes them to grow more slowly.
Some plants have mutated albino containing no chlorophyll. They usually die within a few days or weeks of germination.
Snapshot
Caring for an indoor plant
It’s no coincidence that many popular houseplants—such as coleuses, philodendrons, monsteras, dracaenas, and calatheas—are variegated. Because they’re usually much less vigorous than the all-green varieties of the species, they won’t be pushing up against the ceiling in a few weeks.
An additional advantage of this colorful potted plant is its decorative colors and patterns.
Variegated plants may take longer than others to reach a size considered suitable for sale in a nursery, so they can be relatively more pricey. However, there are ways to protect your variegated investment.
First, watch out for “reversal.” This can happen when a variegated plant puts out an all-green shoot. The shoot will grow faster than the variegated parts and may eventually take over, causing the entire plant to revert to green.
To avoid this, carefully remove all green shoots before they grow.
You don’t want plants with radiant colors to quickly outgrow their space, but remember that they contain little chlorophyll, so they need good featherlight.
As with any houseplant, keep its leaves free of fine dust and do not water it too much or too little.
Read more: Why apartment dwellers need houseplants
Snapshot
Various plants in the garden
The popularity of variegated houseplants will certainly lead to their wider employ outdoors.
Because they grow slowly, variegated leaf plants grown outdoors are less likely to “weed” and spread to undesirable places.
This can be an advantage if you have been avoiding planting a species because it will take over the entire garden. Variegated varieties sporeficus and oleander neriumfor example, they are much less focused on global domination than their all-green counterparts.
When planting a variegated plant outside, be careful not to shade it from other plants with faster growth. Many variegated plants already have problems with photosynthesis. A little extra shade can damage or even kill them.
So make sure they have enough featherlight – and lend a hand them out from time to time by trimming nearby plants.
Snapshot
It grows successfully
Variegated plants are having their moment in the sun. But their captivating biology is always in fashion!
These plants can brighten up your indoor space and provide your garden with attractive colors and patterns.
If you learn more about how variegated leaf plants work and take their special requirements into account, you will be able to enjoy them for many years to come.
Read more: Trees get sunburned too – but there are basic ways to protect them, from tree ‘sunscreen’ to staying hydrated
