Latest Variegation Stories

German botanists working in the rainforests of Ecuador have discovered a plant that "pretends" to be ill.  The plant fakes its illness to prevent attacks by mining moths, which would eat the plants' otherwise healthy leaves.The discovery is the first known example of a plant that feigns being sick, and might explain a pattern seen on plant leaves known as variegation, which many species of plant exhibit. For a variety of causes, variegated plants have different colored patterns on the...

Botanical name Liriodendron tulipifera 'Aureomarginatum' Family Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) Category Shade tree Primary uses Specimen Dimensions 60 or more feet tall by 30 to 50 feet across Culture Full sun; prefers a moist, well-drained, deep soil. When young, trees can be pruned as needed to develop shape during the winter. Trees receiving adequate summer moisture generally have few insect or disease problems. Drought- stressed plants often lose leaves prematurely. Bloom time Spring...