My 10ft Taiyo nishiki and 12ft Orido nishiki have never looked so wonderfully variegated as this Spring. Last year they barely showed variegation. My Peve multicolor did not variegate for several years until it exploded in show in 2008. Any thoughts on the parameters that make variegation so variable year to year?
Mike, I do not have the slightest idea of what influences the level of variegation from year to year. However you need to distinguish between the 'reversible' from the 'irreversible'. Let me explain myself, in the first group, the 'reversibles' you find 'Oridono nishiki', 'Karasu gawa', 'Asahi zuru',... where the amount of variegation is variable and can go up or down from one year to the other. In the second group, the 'irreversible', the variegation goes only in one direction: less and less and you may end up with no variegation at all, like what happened to my 'Taimin nishiki', 'Kokubunji nishiki, 'Ko shibori nishiki' and is starting to happen to 'Fujinami nishiki as well. The list is not closed and some people may have had similar experience with other cultivars. Gomero
Hi, Gomero. You make a great point. I was talking today with a horticulture professor who told me that variegation (on what you call 'reversibles') is likely a function of temperature and light at the time of bud leafing. His work on African violets showed that as he raised tempera- ture, the variegation faded which is a metaphor for what I see in my variegates as the Spring/Summer temps get hotter later in the season. He thought the loss of variegation over seasons (what you would call the 'irreversibles') was likely the chimeral (variegation) cells switching layers in the apical meristems over time what he categorized as chimeral segregation. I will let you know what else I find out but mr. shep has taught me stuff about variegation so perhaps he will see this thread and get a chance to reply. Wud love to hear others' thoughts. Best regards, Mike
my 'Peve multicolor' is alive with variegation this year - most ever by far - and this tree did not know it was a variegate for a few years or at lease I didn't know it was! also, my crataegifolium 'Veitchii' is ablaze with colors and SEEDS for the 1st time ever. 2009 is a bumper year in my yard for variegates. how about the rest of you?
Not here Mike, overall variegation is poor with some exceptions like 'Peve multicolor'. I am observing carefully my 'Fujinami nishiki' and, unfortunately, only the branches that were variegated last year show variegation this year; all new growth is not variegated and will have to chopped off which is really bad since it will lead to a very unbalanced, and not very pretty, tree. Apparently the cosmic wave is affecting the flower crop only ;o)) Gomero
amazing, Gomero, isn't it? I thought the point you made a week ago about the gradual variegation disappearance in your 'irreversibles' was very interesting. I wish it were not happening. Nature can be abundantly generous and abundantly stingy to the point of making Scrooge look like a spendthrift! Mike
Great top Katsura and Gomero. I hope you guys are both doing well. That 'Peve Multicolor' is a funny thing, most of my 1-year gallons are leafing out green this spring. They are all in a 50% shade greenhouse and I think that can effect the amount of variegation greatly. Just like when you keep the reticulateds in the shade, they generally look green. 'Ariadne' growing in deep shade looks alot like 'Shigitatsu sawa' in color, but put it in partial sun and the pink color comes out. Put it in complete sun and it turns a mauve and loses the reticulation a bit. One cultivar that I feel reverts quite a bit and does not seem to return is 'Toyama nishiki'. Curiously, our stock plant, which is about 75% reverted, didn't seem to revert "one bud at a time" but seem to revert over entire branches. In other words, it wasn't like a single reverted bud pushed a branch that then grew and took over the plant. It was more like entire portions of the tree, which were variegated at one time, completely reverted in a single year, never to return. I've questioned whether the variegation on 'Toyama nishiki' may have been the result of a virus and the rapid reversion seen may be the result of the plant "curing" itself of the virus?? Just a WAG. I've thought about grafting other cultivars to 'Toyama nishiki' to see if such a virus did exist and if it could be transferred to other cultivars grafted onto 'Toyama nishiki'. But I haven't followed through yet. So many ideas, so little time. Brian
Hi Brian, Yes, those variegates are a pain in the......, one feel hopeless since nobody understands their behavior. Your theory about the tree getting rid ('curing') of the virus may have some truth to it ;o)). One seasonal example is my 'Jiro shidare', last year it was beautifully variegated, almost every leaf. This year zero variegation, not a single leaf, the entire plant (4 feet) reverted :-( . You are right about 'Peve Multicolor', needs a bit of sun to display the pinks but not too much since it burns easily. It is also very sensible to pseudomonas. Be patient, it is a great selection with unique color combinations. I would classify it in the reticulatum group. Gomero
Hi, Brian. Gomero is right - variegates are devilishly tricky. Like your shade comment, I have a small 'Geisha' somewhat under a big 'Pixie' and I was admiring the bottom half of the 'Geisha' which gets sun & has that lovely light-plum variegation, but then I noticed the upper half of the same tree shaded by the 'Pixie' and that upper half was green! When I read your comments on 'Toyama nishiki', I went to the upper part of my yard to look at mine because it seemed different this year - it is much much more pink this year versus white/green/pink last year. I give mine a good deal of sun and it likes it but is a tree wit a definite mind of its own from year to year. One of its lower branches which gets less sun has NO PINK and it just white on green. Last June or so I bought a 'Nancy Ann' from Tricia becuz it is her commemorate of her mother Nancy Fiers who was a friend. I had missed the Spring leafing and could hardly believe Nancy Ann was a sport of Toyama nishiki becuz Nancy was solid green very different from my Toyama; yet this Spring I can see the clear leaf type and color similarity of the Nancy Ann and my Toyama's dusky pink coat. I have been reading some academic literature on chimeral segregation and variegation on plants other than maples (because no one writes about maples) and your comments and Gomero's make me realize I have to read a lot more. Thank God our trees don't read - they would confuse us that much more!
I take back what I said above: the variegation in the 'Oridono nishiki', 'Karasu gawa', 'Asahi zuru', 'Maimori' and others is the best I've seen in many years. In those trees the first flush was 100% green and then the second one (May and June) turns out now to be wonderfully variegated. This is really intriguing to me, what makes maples the world over behave in tune? We have had this year an exceptional crop of flowers, seeds and variegation which, normally, one would think are determined mainly by local or regional conditions.... I hate not been able to explain things like that :o( Gomero
An excellent question, Gomero. I've been so busy lately I have had no chance to speak with academic friends who often have botanic reasons for things so I will look into this question more and see what little I can find and will share. Mike
I would agree, the variegates are the best I have seen in 5 years on alot of them. My Beni Sch. started electric hot pink in complete shade this year. As far as plants getting in touch across the world, isnt it bamboo that dies all over the world at once for a veriety of them? That seems very odd. Mike
I am really glad to see this post. I have noticed the same phenomenon with my 11 year old Ukigumo. It is the first year in its life it actually looked like "floating clouds." Previously, the variegation was subtle at best and I had to get within a foot to see it. Same with Peaches and Cream, it was green last year (the first year I had it) and a friend of mine bought a small one from another source and it was the most beautiful green/white, even late in the season. I thought mine was mislabeled, even though it came from a reliable source. This year it looks like my friend's P/C. These aren't the only two I have noticed, but they are the most outstanding. I was so happy with Ukigumo I couldn't stop looking at it. I hope it repeats next year. Kay
Greetings everyone, I've seen some nice variegation on certain varieties, and lackluster on others this year. My 'Squitty's were very shy in their variegation this year, with only maybe 1 of about 1/6 dozen showing variegation. Two other similar cultivars, 'Abigail Rose' and 'Higasayama Broom' were both in full bloom this year. I attached a couple photos of those below. The first one is 'Higasayama broom' (many leaves with the black background, and the second is 'Abigail Rose' (few variegated leaves with some green leaves in the background). 'Hana matoi' was absolutely AMAZING in color, except where trees were kept in heavy shade. 'Peve Multicolor' was rather lackluster for me this year, but last year it was unreal in color, just beautiful. Hope everyone is doing well. Regards, Brian
