Variegated Plants
Episode: #3 07/04/07
Presenter: Phil Dudman
9 times out 10, most plants we know come in one leaf colour only which is normally green. Every so often a plant will throw out a branch with foliage that has two or more colours and we call that strange phenomenon ‘variegation’.
It is usually the result of a natural mutation taking place. Most leaves are green because the cells contain the green pigment known as chlorophyll. This is the area on leaves where there is no green and the leaf is perhaps white. When this occurs it means the cells are either imperfect or do not contain any chlorophyll at all.
Most of the variegations we are familiar with tend to be white or cream but in many cases, you will see other plant pigments that want to assert themselves. From the reds you often see in cordylines, to the vibrant yellows in crotons as well as oranges and purples you can give your garden a real smorgasbord of colour.
The other terrific thing about variegated plants is that they create eye-catching contrasts of colour throughout the year. Once you start discovering and utilizing variegated plants you can soon fall into the circle of serious collectors.
Rod Pattison has been collecting rare and unusual plants for over 20 years and has the largest collection of variegated plants in Australia. As you can imagine every plant in his amazing collection comes with a story.
Rod has a variegated plant form of the common oleander. You may have seen one with a yellow variegation as it is quite common but never before had Rod ever seen one with a white variegation in the middle of the leaf, until he spotted a freak branch on a bush in someone’s front yard. Fortunately, as always Rod had his secateurs on hand to cut a piece for his collection.
Another variegated plant Rod has in his collection is the unusual variegated form of bamboo which came from a friend of Rods, who grew 1000 bamboo from seed. Just one of them presented the variegated mutation, so they split the plant in half and as far as Rod knows, there are only two of these in existence.
Rod’s enviable collection goes beyond variegated plants. He has also gathered an incredible variety of Australian native ferns, a diverse range of staghorns, bromeliads and orchids.
If you are in the Brisbane area, you can see it all for yourself when Rod’s garden is open to the public on the weekend of the 14-15 of April as part of Australia’s Open garden Scheme. Check your guidebook or for more details.
Ron Pattison Rare Plant Collection
Garden Open 14-15 April
447 Miles Platting Rd
Rochedale QLD
www.opengarden.org.au
Presenter: Phil Dudman
9 times out 10, most plants we know come in one leaf colour only which is normally green. Every so often a plant will throw out a branch with foliage that has two or more colours and we call that strange phenomenon ‘variegation’.
It is usually the result of a natural mutation taking place. Most leaves are green because the cells contain the green pigment known as chlorophyll. This is the area on leaves where there is no green and the leaf is perhaps white. When this occurs it means the cells are either imperfect or do not contain any chlorophyll at all.
Most of the variegations we are familiar with tend to be white or cream but in many cases, you will see other plant pigments that want to assert themselves. From the reds you often see in cordylines, to the vibrant yellows in crotons as well as oranges and purples you can give your garden a real smorgasbord of colour.
The other terrific thing about variegated plants is that they create eye-catching contrasts of colour throughout the year. Once you start discovering and utilizing variegated plants you can soon fall into the circle of serious collectors.
Rod Pattison has been collecting rare and unusual plants for over 20 years and has the largest collection of variegated plants in Australia. As you can imagine every plant in his amazing collection comes with a story.
Rod has a variegated plant form of the common oleander. You may have seen one with a yellow variegation as it is quite common but never before had Rod ever seen one with a white variegation in the middle of the leaf, until he spotted a freak branch on a bush in someone’s front yard. Fortunately, as always Rod had his secateurs on hand to cut a piece for his collection.
Another variegated plant Rod has in his collection is the unusual variegated form of bamboo which came from a friend of Rods, who grew 1000 bamboo from seed. Just one of them presented the variegated mutation, so they split the plant in half and as far as Rod knows, there are only two of these in existence.
Rod’s enviable collection goes beyond variegated plants. He has also gathered an incredible variety of Australian native ferns, a diverse range of staghorns, bromeliads and orchids.
If you are in the Brisbane area, you can see it all for yourself when Rod’s garden is open to the public on the weekend of the 14-15 of April as part of Australia’s Open garden Scheme. Check your guidebook or for more details.
Ron Pattison Rare Plant Collection
Garden Open 14-15 April
447 Miles Platting Rd
Rochedale QLD
www.opengarden.org.au
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