This question is proving difficult to prove or disprove. Are variegated plants less vigorous - grow small or not as quickly, develop problems more so than their green counterparts?
Yes-ish re: growth (and then how growth rate affects the ability of the plant to resist or heal), though that is not apparently consistent across all groups. Yes: Photosynthetic and growth responses of variegated ornamental species to elevated CO2. It depends: Photosynthetic ecology of normal and variegated Aegopodium podagraria Doesn't seem to be: Variegation in Arum italicum leaves. A structural-functional study. - PubMed - NCBI I imagine most popular texts will assert "yes, it does"?
From what I can see... no there doesn't seem to be a general consensus. Although, I am new to this so perhaps I'm not looking in the right places - hence reaching out for help here.
