Why Do Plants Variegate?

Variation in leaf colour occurs because of a lack of the green pigment chlorophyll in some of the plant cells. It is usually the result of a cell mutation. ... Variegated plants can revert or turn green for a number of reasons. It can be a reaction to extremes of hot and cold or a reaction to low-light levels.

What is the purpose of variegation?

Variegated leaves help capture "sun flecks." Yellow or red portions of the leaf epidermis also allows the plant to capture the green end of the white-light spectrum. As for the variation of leaf-color to attract pollinators to flowers please consider...

How do you encourage variegation in plants?

Place the plant in full sun to encourage variegation.

Variegated plants need more sun than solid green plants because they don't have as much chlorophyll to absorb sunlight. If you're growing a variegated plant, leave it near a sunny window or a bright spot on your property so it absorbs enough sun to stay healthy.