What Does Variegated Mean?

Variegation is the appearance of differently coloured zones in the leaves, and sometimes the stems, of plants. Species with variegated individuals are sometimes found in the understory of tropical rainforests, and this habitat is the source of a number of variegated house plants.

What does it mean for a plant to be variegated?

In plants, variegation means the appearance of different coloured zones on leaves, stems, fruit or flowers. Therefore, a variegated plant would appear two-toned or multi-tonal. ... And variegations can appear in different colours, too – not just green!

What makes something variegated?

Answer: Variation in leaf color arises because of a lack of the green pigment chlorophyll in some of the plant cells. It isn't an adaptation to the environment, but instead it is usually the result of a cell mutation, and can be inherited (genetic) or occur randomly (chimeric).