Cloth of gold foliage gone green

Does anyone have any ideas why the lovely golden colour has changed to green? Its planted in partial shade. We have had very little rain in our local area for weeks until yesterday!

Re: Cloth of gold foliage gone green

Reply from Valerie Munro

Hi Eliza

Normally when a plant that should be variegated, turns back to being only green it is said to be reverting. This happens when plant breeders have taken the qualities of one plant and crossed it with another to get a combination of those two good features.

What is happening is that one of the crossed pair of plants is more vigorous than the other, and if you allow the plain green growth to persist, then it will literally take over and your variegation will be lost.

I'm wondering if your 'Cloth of Gold' turning from yellow to green was a gradual process, or did it happen very quickly. If you can answer this question for me, then hopefully I will be able to work out what has happened and think of a way to reverse it.

Talk soon

Auntie Planty
www.auntieplanty.co.uk

Cloth of gold foliage gone green

Reply from Eliza M

Hi Valerie
Many thanks for your reply. I bought the plant in May this year. It has only gone green over the our local drought period here which lasted for at least six weeks only breaking last week. I didn't water it much as it looked fine but then I noticed that it was beginning to go green all over. Thanks for your interest.