Not an expert, but....

Nice plants there. I see a wide pattern of variegation in your plants - perhaps some have it more than others, but in variegation you can have total to almost nothing, right? So it would stand to reason, IMHO, that you could see the full spectrum in one plant. What do you think?

Variegation in Sansevieria is sectorial, meaning that bands of variegation are independently formed in the upper and undersides of the leaves. Thus, you can very well have a leaf with variegation in the upper part and normal green color on the underside.

For more info:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tisscult/chimeras/chimeralec/chimeras.html

http://generalhorticulture.tamu.edu/HORT604/LectureSuppl/AnatomyChimeras/AnatomyChimeras05.pdf

Cheers,

Marlon Machado.

Marlon,

I only know you from your C&S writings but one day we'll have to have a drink in Brazil while admiring some Pilosocereus in situ. It's really beneficial for us that you contribute here.

Cheers,

Jeff

Thanks Jeff, you are most welcome to travel in Brazil, I can show you many nice places!

Cheers,

Marlon Machado.

Ok guys you show that it is possible. What I am saying is that for most of my experience with Sans, I just never saw it so one sided. All my other ones are pretty even on both sides of the leaf. It just makes me wonder about what and how it's being done and long tern effects. Have you ever heard the saying 'I'm no physicist but I know what matters'. Am I the only one who is disbelieving on what I purchased? Time will tell all. I'll show pictures next year and see just what is happening. Thanks all. So long.

Please read if you are interested this new article by Palmbob Variegation in Plants (and in some of my favorites)Dave's Garden. Unfortunately i cannot put reference due to spam issues

Hi Stush2049,

My guess is that the variegation in your plant is probably very unstable and each new growth will have a different pattern, the plant eventually reverting to a normal form or stabilizing in one variegation pattern. How these extreme variegates are being produced, I do not know. There are several ways of inducing variegation, and it has been discussed in other posts.

I think it all boils down to what each person finds attractive and what one is prepared to pay for a plant. I have seen many variegated plants on Ebay that I personally would not buy at the prices asked for them, but that is just me.

Cheers,

Marlon Machado.

Sansevieria variegation has occurred through rapid multiplication processes and sometimes with the addition of chemicals. Chester Skotak used various chemicals to induce variegation in bromeliads from seeds. He had many albinos as the result but many are very stable and beautiful.
The Thai growers have used some chemicals to induce variegation and they are about 25-50% stable. Those that are not have constantly evolving striations in various colors and forms. There are two kinds of propagative variegations found on sansevieria. Those that have them variegation on multi-layered cells/tissues (these can be produced true from leaf cuttings) and those that are only on the epidermal layers (like those found in the Laurentii group) and do not produce true from leaf cuttings. Sansevieria cylindrica variegated can produce variegated (and non-variegated) pups from leaf cuttings. The species called Ed Eby = patens variegated can also produce true pups from cuttings but also expect albinos as well.

Other ways that we see induction of variegation is through tissue culture. Through clonal propagation we find the greatest variegation of all plants. The Japanese have perfected this and probably have some protocol for variegation induction. Colchicine was once used frequently but is rarely used because of health risks and cost. But many other chemicals from things as lame as aspirin to vinegar can produce some variegated effects in a rapidly multiplying cell division through meristemming/cloning. Stem propagation of haworthias of flowering spikes have produced numerous variegated pants for the Japanese markets and so we also see bamboo, rhapis, even orchids.

UV light over exposure has also produced some effects of variegation by damaging the apical meristem where it kills it but not to death, just to abort the chlorophyll tissues from producing normal green cells.

There have also been work using crown splicing and leaf sub apical induction as have been used on many monopodial plants like bromeliads and cordylines, even lilies, etc.

Thank you rainforestguy, That's the answer i was looking for. Not what caused it but how. Thanks for straighting me out on this. With the high price of varagated plants I just wondered just how it was being done so quickly.
Your friend, Stush