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Zinnia Variegation Inspires Garden Seed Experiment

Zinnia Variegation Inspires Garden Seed Experiment


By Scout Nelson

Zinnias are a favorite flower for many gardeners, and one grower’s love for them led to a fun and colorful experiment. After years of interplanting rows of zinnias with pumpkins and squash, she spotted something unusual while weeding last year, a zinnia plant with variegated leaves. Its green foliage was streaked with light-green and cream. She marked the plant, saved its seeds, and waited to see what would grow.

Before the results, it's helpful to understand plant variegation. According to Merriam-Webster, variegation is the appearance of different colors in a plant. This can happen in the leaves or flowers and creates contrast and beauty in gardens.

Many popular landscape and houseplants, like dogwoods, hostas, philodendrons, and monsteras, are admired for their variegated varieties. These plants add texture and visual interest. However, variegated plants can be more expensive and less vigorous because parts of their leaves lack chlorophyll, the green pigment that powers photosynthesis.

Variegation often results from natural genetic mutations or environmental changes. Some types can be passed on through seed, while others must be grown from cuttings to preserve the look.

With zinnias being cross-pollinated, it wasn’t certain whether the variegated trait would carry over. But to her delight, one seedling from the batch survived and showed the desired trait. Now planted in a sunny garden spot, it's being watched closely.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-pixdeluxe

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