monstrous deformity or a reversion to an earlier variant?

There seems to be quite a variety of leaves, different shape and sizes on same plant. Did you see this thread: -click me-

Hope your new plant has enough green to survive, keep posting the progress pls.

Bernard,

if your temperatures are high constantly, the 'Hobbit' can turn into a 'Gollum' or 'Coral' depending on the your light. For example, 'Hobbit' became 'Coral' in South Korea. I think this plant grows in the glass greenhouse constantly. And so, there is a little blue light there.

About last Jade. It was 'Tricolor' and grew in the nutrient soil. So it loses its variegation.

Oksana.

Bernard, did you take the variegated cutting off one of your plants?

-Erica

Bernard, I'm confused, the variegated cutting with roots and the variegated in the pot with the darker markings, you are not saying they are the same plant, are you?

Thanks for your explanation Okasana. Really interesting to see how these leaves "mutate" as the environment changes.

And thanks for your ID! I'm excited for my tricolor! I love the colors on it.

Erica - The gollum leaf was taken off from a variegated plant, and it has now offset. Not sure yet if the variegation of the new leaves are stable.

Margaret - I guess there are quite a few plants I've posted. The first plant is a regular gollum with monstrous leaves. The gollum leaf cutting was taken from a variegated plant, and it has now offset. I'm hoping for the new leaves to have more green so it can grow healthily. The last plant is a new plant that I bought recently, and it's a regular tricolor jade, not a gollum. Hope this clears up!

Cheers

Ah, okay. I didn't know you had a variegated 'Gollum'! I've yet to add variegated 'Gollum' or Legolas to my collection. They seem to not only be very slow growing but difficult to maintain. Hope to see some updates with some color once the growing season is really upon us!

-Erica

Erica - I spent quite a fortune acquiring a variegated Gollum plant from ebay. I tried looking for a legolas, but to no avail. I recently tried to introduce it to more sun, but it seems they get burnt very easily.. Now it's going back indoors.

Did you get it from Tadu? I also follow his listings but they get to be a little too expensive for me. I always try for the 'Return of Beauty' but am always outbid. Legolas is extremely slow so there are not many of them around. They can also throw out some albino branches that cannot be recovered. I'm sure I'll get my hands on them one day, for now I am just trying to be patient. Good luck with yours - would love to see a picture of it!

-Erica

Erica

Are you saying that albino branches will die even if left on the main plant? Is that case with Legolas? I am asking since I don't have one (or any variegated jade or gollum, expect common Tricolor). I thought they don't survive on their own but will if left attached to plant with chlorophyll.

I have couple of almost albino branches on Tricolor, they started growing from the main trunk about year ago and are still growing - 0bviously, I didn't touch them.

Sorry, Rina. I did not mean to phrase it that way. Albino branches take a lot of energy away from the rest of the plant and can inhibit growth and development.

-Erica

Thanks Erica. I would like to find some of those beauties. Hoping one of my cuttings will suddenly change and become really variegated rarity, but no luck :)

Erica - Yea, I did. They are really pricey. I got too excited and I burnt my v. jade by putting it outside too soon in the sun. It got burnt even with a shade cloth, it seems that variegated species are really sensitive and they fair better when you have a more controlled settings ie. growing under lights. Anyhow I'll keep watching it as it progress..

Rina - once the plant only grows albino leaves from all its new shoots, it will eventually die when the green is no more. I think that's what Erica meant, and many people here called it unstable variegation, because you can't control how the plant will produce its chlorophyll.

Bernard - For my more expensive plants, I'm thinking of continuing to grow them under lights throughout the year. Controlled settings are such a big advantage.

Most of them don't require full sun, so I wouldn't need to run all my lights. Hopefully then my loft won't get too hot in the summer and energy costs will be lower.

Last year it was a bit of a struggle outside letting through just the right amount of light for my more sensitive plants. As you know, I was using cloroplast (white corrugated plastic) and fabric mesh layers to filter the natural light.

Yea Kevin, I learnt it the hard way, had a couple of my favorites looking pretty burnt. Some actually looked unfazed, and grew faster which boggles me..

I think I have to go back to the drawing board and make selections that can only stay indoors this summer..

Bernard - For those that were unfazed, maybe you could increase the amount of artificial light they get for even more growth when indoors?

Some of my succulents can take a lot more (and some a lot less) than expected or online guides have suggested.

Others I found can take higher light, but only if always supported with enough water. If the water is not provided at the required level, they will quickly begin absorbing older leaves.

Bernard, I was thinking of you and this thread earlier! I have some goofy looking leaves, too. They look like conjoined leaves.

It's always interesting, isn't it?

Crenda, those leaves are awesome!

-Erica

I only have a couple monstrose leaves like that on my gollum, wish I had more!