Spider plant mystery

Have an all green spider-or should say had one, as the darn thing has grew a veriagated shoot about a year or so ago.

Now, it's lived in this pot for a number of years -at least 5 years but the plant is 11+years old- it's alone in the living room with no spidey friends. No one has stuck a different peice in there. They wouldn't dare, but even so-wouldn't even know how, LOL!! I've had plenty over the years that have reverted to all green but never this.

Anyone ever seen an all green spider do this? Any ideas why?

What fun!

Sounds like spontaneous activity there....with all of the Spider Plants around, it could have originally been a solid sport off of a variegated plant OR it has just decided to change clothes! Many species will do that. If you don't want it there...best to cut it out soon!!!

Aloha

Ah-h-h, Thanks Aloha!!
Didn't think of that one as even being a possibility...it is possible then-a solid sport could revert to the original veriagated one?? I'm surprised it took so long....
I've actually left it...want to see waht kind of babies it would produce, but no luck yet. It actually looks pretty nice in combo with the solid green!

I suspect it has to do with the age of your plant. Variegation is basically the absence of chlorophyll. It may be that your mother plant has aged to the point of not being able to absorb sufficient chlorophyll for the entire plant. My guess would be that if you rooted the variegated daughter, its new growth would not be variegated.

Some more info that might help.
http://www.plantcell.org/cgi/content/full/11/1/57

Wow!! Interesting article, Nancy-thinks for sharing.
Now I just hope that this one starts to produce babies.....let the experiments begin!!!

Hmm, that's an interesting occurrance! Variegation is a genetic trait, unrelated to age. Plant genetics is very interesting, but I don't know enough about it to know why it would do this. Maybe I'll have to e-mail my old biology professor... I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Yes danak-this one is making me crazy and I'delove to find out!! I too thought that this was genetic and not age related......and that once it reverted (to all green) would not revert back to veriegated.

I e-mailed my biology professor right after I posted. I'll let you know as soon as I hear back. :) I'm so curious on this one, too. I tried to look it up online, but didn't find anything on this particular circumstance.

Okay, I heard back and my professor said it was probably a mutation in that gene of a single cell, which gave rise to the shoot with the variegated plants. I thought it was probably something more complicated than that, but I guess it is the "obvious" answer after all!

Thanks danak!! Occam's razor alright, lol!!

what is the best way to root cuttings of the varigated spider plant

Just put a baby spiderling in potting soil or you can divide the main plant. You can come to my house and get green ones from the cracks in the sidewalk. Lol ;-)

You can also root the babies in a glass of water. Roots in no time-one of the easiest to do,

Hey, frogs - is that an open invitation? You might find alot of us on your sidewalk!

Sequee, I dig little and not so little green ones out of lawns and pots. One of their favorite places to hide is among the red hot pokers. The stripey ones do not seem to propagate as readily from seed. Ya want spiderlings in your box too? I better get a bigger box lol. Between spiders and mother of thousands, there is always something green in the cracks in my patio.

I once had a varigated spider throw a solid white baby , now I am wondering where it went and the ones I have that are varigated have different stripes. This can be an interesting plant to watch and see what types of babies it has. I also put the solid colors with the varigated to give them a little class in the basket.
Carolyn

This past summer my Lily of the Valley got tired of being cramped in their bed and ran straight across the crack in the sidewalk and over to the otherside where I'm sure they will take over, as well! I had the devil of a time trying to dog them up! Some plants are just plain PERSISTENT!

Isn't it great to walk around in the spring time and see what last years surprises awaits.
Carolyn