Understanding Variegated Plants

You own variegated plants, but do you really understand what controls their appearance ? This book is not an encyclopedia of variegated plants but rather is aimed at explaining the many types of variegation seen on leaves and flowers. Variegation can have many causes (e.g. genetic patterns, genetic mosaicism, virus, light reflections, etc. Knowing the type of variegation a plant has can determine its propagation method, heath, and overall care. Written by an avid variegated plant collector and a botanical researcher comes the first comprehensive treatment on the understanding of plant variegation, using over 170 color photos and 20 figures along the way. The book begins with the botany lessons needed to answer the important questions and then moves on to a thorough explanation of what controls each type of variegation. What pigments are involved? What anatomical features are involved? How do we know what controls the variegation in a certain plant? How does the organization of cells influence variegation? Why are some variegation patterns similar within a plant family? Why is variegation in some plants so stable but so fleeting in others? How might this affect how the plant is propagated? This book answers these questions and more. Lessons are given that will help you narrow down what controls variegation when you see a variegated plant that is unfamiliar to you.