I have grown these from leaves I found at my job. One turned out to be a bit variegated, and the plant it grew into is almost completely white. These are under a grow light 16 hours a day. The green one seems quite stretched out, but the white one is quite compact. I'm just curious as to why the white one seems happier. I didn't expect it to do well due to its lack of chlorophyll. (Sorey about the sad begonia in the background. I was away for a couple of weeks and struggling to return to my plant care routine.)
by Idkmyname2079048
6 Comments
Yes. There is no where near enough light.
Not enough light fir sure, but it is intriguing that the albino section is not inclined to elongate its cells. This is going to send me down a research rabbit hole because this implies that it is the chloroplasts themselves that send the signal for a cell to elongate.
White means no (or very little) chlorophyll pigment. This is how they photosynthesize. It’s achlorophyllous, so it isn’t photosynthesizing on its own, it’s leeching energy from the green plant. Which, of course isn’t actually getting enough light. Your !growlights are either too far or too weak to sustain compact and healthy growth.
😍😍
https://preview.redd.it/otxfh5jql2lf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=305b6acb184d02f9ddd25732028151f7eb94ac7b
Same plant growing under Viparspectra P1000 at the 50% setting 8 hours a day.
So if a variegated plant has no chlorophyll at all, it normally essentially parasitizes its buddies that *can* photosynthesis. Its probably doing fine piggy backing off the one thats struggling.
Ive mostly seen this in trees, but considering how many plants share root systems i wouldnt be surprised if thats whats going on here. Unfortunately moving the plant into bright enough light to help the etoliated plant will burn the hypervariegated one.