Is this a Sport?

This 'Golden Anniversary" Lamium sent out a stem with all yellow foliage. At one point I removed the stem ... and it grew right back. So ... would this be considered a sport? Think it would live on it's own, seperated from the plant?

Ahhh difficult one Poppysue!

Golden Anniversary is a sport of Gold Nuggets so it may be a reversion.

I didn't know there was a gold one. I'll have to look up Gold Nuggets.

Very interesting, PoppySue. I'll be interested to see what your "sportly stem" does when you root it. I grew Golden Anniversary for the first time this year, and I thought the leaves quite fascinating. The purplish flowers almost clashed with the foliage!

In August, I noticed purple blotches on the leaves, and at first I thought the dropping blooms had marked it, but I don't think that is the case. It was a very cool summer, so perhaps that's what did it. Have you had this experience with the leaves? Here's a picture.

I don't recall the foliage having any purple Weez. It could be that I just didn't notice.

Poppysue, I would try layering the branch; that way if it doesn't root, you haven't lost the sport and can try again in the spring :)

WZ

It's quite common for the older leaves on Lamium maculatum and cultivars to have purplish spotting (ours does it), it might also be a sign of a slight phosphorous deficiency as the warmer season ends.

Meant to add

Poppysue

There are a couple of great gold leaved types, we had one for a few years but it went back to green eventually (and then the poultry ate it, we have to fence the Lamium off from them)

This message was edited Thursday, Nov 21st 7:22 PM

My plant didn't have the purple marks until after it bloomed and the season was getting late. One or the other must have caused it. If yours had splotchesl like these, I'll bet you'd have noticed it. We were getting our share of rain, as well, so maybe the dye from the blooms did it... who knows! As for your sporty stem, I'll bet it would root quite easily in water. Mine did.

LOL WZ we must have been posting at the same time!

Thanks, Baa. So, my lamium is not alone in its freckles! In my climate, it isn't always easy to find a nice groundcover that doesn't mind cool summers and lots of shade. The lamium seem to do quite well. I've had three varieties for several years but didn't know what they were.

I had purchased L. maculatum, Pink Pewter & L. galeobdolon, ‘Hermann’s Pride’ at a nursery in Homer, AK, and someone gave me a start of Lamium-maculatum, 'Cheques'. I think I first identified what they were after I joined Dave's.

Last spring I purchased White Nancy and Golden Anniversary. Next spring I'm going to look for Siver Beacon, as well. They ask so little and root so easily that I'm happy to have them!

this is true, Baa.........a physiological situation, rather than biological! Apparently six years ago..My clematis "Montana Rubens", reverted to Alba and it was a most unusual summer up here! Elaine

The Golden Anniversary didn't like our hot dry summers one little bit. I gave up on it, and I agree, the blooms look terrible with the foliage.

Well - I liked it. :o)~ I even liked the purple flowers. I grew mine in a container with other yellow foliage type stuff.

Oh, heck, if it grows and it blooms here, I've got to love it! I guess I'll just have to see if it comes back in the spring. Some variegated plants aren't very fond of our summers here! However, Cheques has taken over a whole corner of my topsoil pile, so who knows!