varig8

Most plant variegates are Somatic mutations, (or "sports"). A smaller % are genetic variegates. Genetic vars will come true from cuttings, seeds, etc. They are clones of each other. Aeae is a Somatic var. Each plant differs entirely from the next and they are not stable, and if the particular somatic variegated plant produces seed , only a small % may germinate some variegated offspring . They can easily revert back to normal green if a particular plant has a small percentage of the mutant tissue in the meristem. Sometimes you will get all white suckers which will eventually die from lack of any chlorophyll. Sometimes they will produce all green suckers, and of course a % of variegated ones. (This is the problem with trying to TC AeAe as you get the same results), and also why it is still, after all these years on the high end of cost-you dont always get variegated suckers from them so the amount they produce is minimal, in some cases. If you get a good one with very even variegation, chances are most of the suckers will be close enough. It is all dependent on the amount of mutant tissue in that particular plant and WHERE that mutant tissue is located in the meristem or corm as it produces individual leaves or suckers. Personally I dont believe fertilizing has anything to do with it at all. How can fertilizer change the degree of mutation that a plant has? I have had plenty of growers tell me that "you can fertilize the variegation right out of the plant" and I have never seen this happen and think its BS.