Variegated (non-palm) Tropicals

[Cindy Adair]

I must admit that most (not all) variegated palms I've seen just look like they have a deficiency of some sort. That's not including all the "mottled" leaves which I like. Anyway, I like some variegated tropicals to mix in with the palms so I've included a few. The variegated Ceiba pentandra and the variegated Clusia rosea are my favorites of the variegated trees. I'd enjoy seeing your favorites.Yes, I do like crotons in all their many colors.

[Gbarce]

Variegated plants can easily bring contrast to an otherwise monotonous part of the garden

My favorite variegated bamboo

[Gbarce]

Variegated Draceana (?)

also called a fortune plant over here

[Gbarce]

I don't know what this is called but its somilar in structure to heliconias

Its usually green on top and maroon underneat but mix in some variegation and you get a riot of colors

[Gbarce]

Some sort of tree

and a Philodendron

[Gbarce]

A variegated Bromeliad, a Neoregelia 'Ink Well'

Oregano variegata

[ariscott]

I don't know what this is called but its somilar in structure to heliconias

Its usually green on top and maroon underneat but mix in some variegation and you get a riot of colors

You are causing so much pain to my other half. He absolutely love those variegated plants & they are so hard to find here... unlike in Thailand & Philippines.

BTW, they are Ctenanthe, Gene. Gorgeous little plants. Mine suffered a bit in the dry season, so hopefully it will come back with the monsoon. And is that joey in the ground? Your arenga hookerii is stunning too...

Regards, Ari

[Cindy Adair]

I also noticed the gorgeous Joey!!!

Is the lovely bamboo as invasive as many? I fight (and lose)bamboo (my husband's idea) and ivy in my Virginia back yard so I've been nervous to try it in Puerto Rico. Maybe I should add the ivy and bamboo as more reasons to move from my current yard... Of course mint in PR has stayed small yet will escape every container eventually in Virginia, so perhaps other tropical plants could keep a variegated bamboo in line? I do like contrast in grouping plants and enjoyed your photos!

[NakaB]

Some sort of tree

and a Philodendron

Could this be a Pachira aquatica? Very cool.

[ariscott]

I also noticed the gorgeous Joey!!!

Is the lovely bamboo as invasive as many? I fight (and lose)bamboo (my husband's idea) and ivy in my Virginia back yard so I've been nervous to try it in Puerto Rico. Maybe I should add the ivy and bamboo as more reasons to move from my current yard... Of course mint in PR has stayed small yet will escape every container eventually in Virginia, so perhaps other tropical plants could keep a variegated bamboo in line? I do like contrast in grouping plants and enjoyed your photos!

That is a clumping bamboo & a dwarf one too. It stays quite compact and smaller than most clumping bamboos. If you are going to plant one or two or plenty (like me), stick with clumping variety and you will be fine.

Regards, Ari

[palmster]

Variegated Valencia Orange

The fruit loses its stripe when ripe

I have had this tree for over 15 years and it is about 4' tall and 4' wide

[palmster]

I also have this variegated rubber tree that I think is intense

[Gbarce]

Ari-thanks for the ID on the Ctenanthe. These are in the "shade garden" I started a few months back, the do well here but not in some other areas that I have planted them in the garden. They don't like strong light at all.

The bamboo is a clumper and not a runner so it is not invasive. I think they only get up to 12 feet tall but stems do spread out from the center quite a. It does well even in spots that get sun in the hottest parts of the day over here-- the variegated parts dont burn which is usually a problem for most variegated plants.

[ixigena]

Some variegated tropical I got at home.

Ixora sp.

Murraya paniculata

Nerium Oleander

Cheers!! Hendriks

Edited December 21, 2010 by ixigena

[bahia]

Sorry no pictures, but some of the variegated plants that do well in a less tropical climate such as San Francisco's would include:

Alpinia zerumbet variegata

Agave american cultivars

Farfugium japonicum 'Aurea-maculata'

Miscanthus 'Morning Light'

Pennisetum 'Fireworks'

Westringia fruiticosa 'Morning Light'

Furcraea foetida 'Mediopicta'

Iris pallida 'Argentea variegata'

xMangave 'Macho Moca'

xMangave 'Bloodspot'

Metrosideros kermadecensis 'Tahitian Sunset'

Oenanthe javanica 'Pink Flamingo'

many, many Pelargonium cultivars

Pittosporum tobira 'Variegata'

Rahmnus alternus 'Variegata'

Schefflera arboricola variegata

Schefflera pueckleri variegata

Solandra maxima 'Variegata'

Strobilanthes dyeranus

Tradescentia 'Blushing Bride'

Tradescentia spathacea 'Tricolor'

Tulbaghia violacea 'Silver Lace'

many Yucca species cultivars

Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White Giant'

Acuba japonica

Aechmea ornata nationalis

Neoregelia compacta 'Bossa Nova'

Agave attenuata 'Kara's Stripes'

Dianella tasmanica cultivars Silver Steak, Variegata and Yellow Stripe

Dietes grandiflora cultivars Sunstripe and Variegata

Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira'

Canna cultivars

Ceanothus griseus horizontalis 'Diamond Heights'

Coprosma repens cultivars

Cordyline austalis cultivars

Phormium hybrids and cultivars

Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'

Carex phyllocephala 'Sparkler'

Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'

Leucadendron 'Jester'

Libertia peregrinans

Libertia ixioides 'Goldfinger'

just to name a few... Can you tell that variegated plants are quite popular in the California nursery trade? Many of these will have photos in the catalog for San Marcos Growers Nursery in Goleta, California, at www.smgrowers.com, or at Monterey Bay Nursery in Watsonville, California at www.montereybaynsy.com, if you are interested to see what some of these look like.

[Eric in Orlando]

I don't know what this is called but its somilar in structure to heliconias

Its usually green on top and maroon underneat but mix in some variegation and you get a riot of colors

You are causing so much pain to my other half. He absolutely love those variegated plants & they are so hard to find here... unlike in Thailand & Philippines.

BTW, they are Ctenanthe, Gene. Gorgeous little plants. Mine suffered a bit in the dry season, so hopefully it will come back with the monsoon. And is that joey in the ground? Your arenga hookerii is stunning too...

Regards, Ari

Actually, what he has is Stromanthe sanguinea 'Triostar'. These will get a stem and grow 2-3 feet tall. Ctenanthe oppenheimiana 'Tricolor' looks similar but does not develop stems.

[Eric in Orlando]

Ctenanthe oppenheimiana 'Tricolor'

Stromanthe sanguinea 'Triostar'

[Eric in Orlando]

Acalypha wilkesiana 'Java White'

Justicia gendarussa 'Variegata'

Spathiphyllum 'City of Angels'

Alocasia macrorrhizos 'Variegata'

[Eric in Orlando]

Aspidistra lurida 'Amanogawa' ('Milky Way')

Pandanus pygmaeus 'Variegatus'

Podocarpus macrophyllus 'Variegatus'

Magnolia 'Pure Joi' (Michelia)

[Eric in Orlando]

Strelitzia nicolai 'Variegata'

Ficus aspera 'Parcell'

Dracaena sanderiana 'Whiskers'

Cordyline fruticosa 'Exotica'

[Eric in Orlando]

Cordyline fruticosa 'Lemon Lime'

Codiaeum variegatum 'Purity'

Coccoloba uvifera 'Alba-variegata'

Hedychium Moy Snow