variegated foliage

Japanese painted ferns (Photo by Brendan Zwelling)

Understanding variegated foliage

Judith Adam

Plants with variegated foliage, such as ‘Emerald Gaiety’ euonymus and Lamiastrum galeobdolon ‘Herman’s Pride’, usually start out as chimeras on a green plant. The green plant spontaneously develops a branch with attractively variegated foliage, and when noticed by a nurseryman, it’s cut and propagated.

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