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Janet · 24-07-2015, 10:57 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

My variagated ceanothus variety Silver Prince, is growing almost wild in
my front garden here in North Cornwall. Unfortunately most of the
growth is a of a plain green leaf with little or no variagation.

It has flowered on the green growth and looked OK. But we did choose
the plant for the variagation.

If I was to cut the plain growth out would the plant survive it seeing
as how most of the recent growth was of the plain green type leaf?
And would that cause it to produce variagated growth instead of the
plain green growth?

Many variegated plants will put out some plain green-leafed growth,
reverting to type.

All-green leaves are more efficient at photosynthesis than yellow or
variegated white-yellow-green leaves; enabling plain green branches to
grow faster and stronger than the feebler variegated ones, and stage a
takeover (competing for the water and nutrients supplied from the root
system) Eventually, the variegated sections may be out-competed for
light and nutrients and the plant may revert entirely to all-green.

The solution is to cut out ALL reverted (green) growth as soon as you
notice it; prune right back to a variegated stem, behind where the
reversion occurred. Because your ceanothus has made a lot of unchecked
green growth, it's going to look a bit gappy but if you really want to
save the variegation this is the only way. Without competition, the
variegated parts stand some chance of new (variegated) growth and
recovery.Keep an eye out for any backsliding later.

Other plants that often throw out an all-green stem (in my garden),
are hardy tricolour fuschia and variegated buddliea. Both are easily
kept in check by pruning out the green stem asap, unlike those pink-
striped phormiums. Once pink phormiums start to revert it's a losing
battle.. and the non-variegated growth is a really ugly mud colour.

Janet