There may be a few plants you could accurately describe simply as having "green" leaves, but for many plants, the word green just doesn't tell enough. There are mind-boggling variations of green in the plant world all of which give an added dimension to plants and what they contribute to an indoor environment. Greens may not be as flashy as
flowers or catch your eye immediately like the shape and size of the leaves, but they add just as much to the contribution the plant makes. When green leaves are marked by a contrasting color, they are said to be ‘variegated’. Variegation can be regular, forming a pattern such as stripes, or irregular blotches and patches. Nature (and modern plant breeders) offer some incredible variegated leaves. The following list includes some of the best and most commonly available indoor plants with interesting variations on the color green. A few are variations that offer just a touch of another color along with interesting shades of green.
Arrowhead Nephthytis or Syngonium a.k.a. Goosefoot This is a wonderful indoor plant with leaves shaped like a goosefoot or an arrowhead, edged with a medium green. Some varieties will vine. Keep the plants in strong light to keep the variegation strong. Certain varieties of this plant have such pale green leaves that they almost look like Caladium.
Variegated Weeping Fig Ficus benjamina There are now some very delicately marked weeping figs available. The leaves have creamy pale green edges on glossy, medium green leaves. Even though very little variegation is present, it is very effective.
Chinese Evergreen Aglaonema Here you are faced with lots of choices. The base color of green can range from dark to light and the contrasting markings on those leaves may be a soft, pale green or a strong, silvery gray. All the leaves are edged with the base color and the main vein is usually dark. Some varieties offer white or pink stems.
Dumbcane Dieffenbachia As plant breeders work with Dieffenbachias, they are developing varieties that look almost white. The leaves are huge and marbled with pale green areas. The leaf edges are dark green.
Variegated Scheff Schefflera arboricola Unusual splotches of pale yellow-green adorn these glossy, dark green leaves. As an added treat, some leaves are heavily marked, some are just touched with color and others are solid green. It isn't even unusual to see a leaf split down the mid-vein by the yellow-green markings.
Pothos Epipremnum aureum Here is a plant that with a vining habit and glossy green heart-shaped leaves variegated by yellow-green. The contrasting color appears in blotches on the leaves. 'Marble Queen' is an attractive variety with green and white variegation.
Variegated Rubber Ficus elastica This variety of the traditional rubber plant offers the same huge, glossy, dark green leaves, but these are edged with a soft, pale creamy-green. The underside of the leaves is another variation on green, a non-glossy medium green.
Variegated Ivies Hedera helix One of the best variegated ivies is called Glacier. It offers distinctively shaped leaves that are dark green at the center surrounded with patches of pale green that transition into a creamy white edge. Another variety has the same dark and pale green areas but is edged with a distinctive yellow instead of white. There is also a wonderful new heavily variegated Algerian ivy with huge leaves available.
Indian Kale Xanthosoma lindenii Here is another plant that could be mistaken for a white caladium. Indian kale leaves are very large and glossy. The base color is very dark green and the brightly contrasting veins are almost white.
Brake Fern Pteris Some varieties of brake fern are heavily variegated with soft, pale green. The effect is very unusual, since the foliage is so fine to begin with. It adds a very lacy look to any fern planting.
Rex Begonias Begonia x Rex With bold leaves on compact plants, rex begonias have hundreds of varieties. Many of them are combinations of greens that are so dark they are almost burgundy or brown. A common pattern among these begonias is to have the dark green on the underside of the leaf and at the very center and outside edge on the top side. The intermediate surface area on the top of the leaves can be a wide range of colors including near white, pale green and variations of pink. Other varieties offer uniquely shaped leaves that are a bronze-green.
Never-Never Plant Ctenanthe oppenheimiana Besides the unusual color patterns on this plant's leaves, it is distinctive because the long, strap-like leaves grow out at a 90º angle from the stem. The underside of the leaf is burgundy, setting off the chevron markings of pale, dusty green over a dusty, dark green on the top of the leaf.
Prayer Plant Maranta leuconeura Named because the leaves fold up at night like hands folded in prayer, these plants bear splotches of pale green all along the main vein of each leaf. In one variety, the side veins are traced with red. The fascinating leaves of this plant do not tolerate plant shine products.
Nerve Plant Fittonia a.k.a. Mosaic or Painted Net Leaf On this wonderful, compact plant, small, ordinary green leaves are made distinctively attractive because every vein is a contrasting white. Another variety has contrasting veins tinged with bright pink.
Recommended Products
Quality Foliage Plants in Various Sizes
Bachman's Exceloam Potting Soil
Containers and Saucers
Pruning Tools
Safe and Effective Insecticides
Artificial Lights for Indoor Gardening
Excel Gro™ Water Soluble Fertilizer
Watering Cans, Gardening Tools, Gloves
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