You have an email from me.

that's a very interesting subject. i have mostly tropicals indoors and some go out to ultra bright NE balcony outside. lots of variegation. i think indoor culture is quite different from outdoor and season to season and latitude - just all very complicated! what i found is that a lot of time recommendations for these plants are from southern growers ... for outdoors! (FL). bright shade in summer in fl = bright dappled sun on the window sill for me in NYC. seasonal light differs a lot too. so while i put my plants in some early sun, NE bright shade(no sun) outside in summer, in winter they stay in dappled sun west window or even full sun west. one example is crotons: early summer outside in 3-4 hrs of sun cooler temps is great! but then they really color up in october too - no direct sun, 60-65F. while hot temps over 80F and direct hot sun in july -aug totally bleach out the leaves. but indoors west partial 3-4 hr sun in winter does wonders for them. caladiums are similar to that. they green in too much shade and bleach out in too much hot sun. while take 4-5 hrs of direct eastern sun indoors in summer. i have many more: stromanthe triostar, alocasia african mask, etc - that are strictly indoors. they are supposed to be in bright shade only, but i keep them all in dappled , even direct early/late sun to maintain color/good growth indoors in winter and sheers filtered sun in summer.

Thanks for the input, but I've been propagating the plants you mentioned for decades, no hormones are needed. I was looking for a more in-depth discussion of people's experiences with the different variegations in differing light conditions. My plant survived in the teens. Again I thank you, but I'm not sure you really read what I wrote at all. One thing I can say with certainty is the more the plant is varigated the more it not only will tolerate the sun but has become accustom to it. Strong markings on the leaves are due to bright light, which can actually lessen if not provided the same lighting conditions. This has nothing to do with the health of the plant, however. Copied from Variegated Plants; The Encyclopedia of Patterned Foliage by Susan Conder: The parts I think apply to Pothos are in pink but this info is very general. Variegation can't be discussed as a single entity. Variegated plants originate naturally as random seedlings, or as sports - mutant variegated shoots on otherwise plain green plants. Some, such as Abutilon pictum 'Thompsonii', are virus-induced, in the same way that the streaked colours of 'Bizarre' tulips result from a harmless virus. In red-or purple-variegated plants, chlorophyll, the green pigment responsible for photosynthesis and vital for non-parasitic plants' survival, is masked by other pigments, anthocyanins. Yellow and white variegations are caused by imperfect or absent chloroplasts, the granule-like plastids within a cell which contain chlorophyll. In a white- or yellow-edged leaf, the green pigment functions normally in the inner layer of leaf cells, but the outer layer lacks chloroplasts, making the edges white, or contains a preliminary version of chlorophyll, protochlorophyll, creating yellow. A yellow- or white-centered leaf, with green edges, has a defective inner layer of leaf cells. The attractive pink, red or russet spring flushes that some variegated leaves have result from anthocyanins protecting the vulnerable new growth from harsh ultraviolet light rays. Autumnal flushes result from an accumulation of sugar in the leaf tissues, caused by a drop in night temperatures which triggers the production of anthocyanins and anthoxanthins. Variegated plants are often weaker and less floriferous, with smaller and fewer blooms, than their all-green counterparts, but it is a matter of degree. Shelter is often more important for variegated than all-green plants, especially thin-leaved, white- and yellow-variegated types, which can brown if exposed to hot sun, wind or extreme cold, thus destroying their ornamental value. The intensity of leaf colour is affected by the amount of light available. There are exceptions, but generally, variegated plants with glaucous foliage, such as rue and certain hostas, tolerate more sun than all-green kinds. Those with purple, maroon and brown variegations colour most intensely in sun, often becoming dirty green in shade. ...

Be very wary of the Hypericum: you may find it to have weedy tendencies under the hot/dry climate. Lachenalia - need winter rain and summer dry. If that matches your environment, then you'll probably do well with them. The rue is a good possible. For many of those you've listed - they'll survive the heat but the groundwater will be the limiting factor - and whatever shade you can provide. If you have a septic tank system with a leachfield, or a greywater disposal system, you may well be able to enjoy many of these.