Hello all! I am dieing to find out the real differences between a Florida Ghost and a Florida Beauty.

To my understanding, theyre both forms of Philodendron pedatum, or 'Florida'. However, I always thought that a Florida Ghost is only temporarily completely variegated, and then turns green while a Florida Beauty is permanently variegated, typically in a marble pattern.

What are the differences between these beautiful plants?

Philodendron pedatum/'Florida'
/

Philodendron 'Florida Ghost'


Philodendron 'Florida Beauty' ???



Do they all have green forms as well or are the names to distinguish between the variegation?

Pedatum is the species. Florida Ghost (Also called White Ghost) and Florida Beauty (also called pedatum variegata) are sports of the original. They are all pedatum. As is the plain green form

Florida Ghost is a hybrid between pedatum and squamiferum, Florida Beauty may be too.
The first throws new white/plale green leaves that turn green as they mature - it is not variegation, while the latter is truly variegated.

That has been floated for years. No one has proven that Florida Ghost or Beauty are hybrids with squamiferum. The species pedatum is synonymous with P. lacinatum, quericifolium, and amazonicum and it has also been claimed the these plants are hybrids with their own synonyms...by people who are confused. The current school of thought is that they are likely sports

Gina1960 said:The current school of thought is that they are likely sports

That's interesting, I never came across this theory. From my humble impression there seems to be unanimous opinion about them being hybrids of pedatum (and squami.) Do you know where I can read about the sports theory, or if any genetic tests were preformed (probably too much to ask - genetic tests, that is:)?
Thanks!

It was just a theory that was passed around a while ago. I will ask the more expert people (WAY more knowledgeable than my lowly butt)

This is what was given my by people who are definitely more well versed in the scientific end of things that I am.

Philodendron 'Florida Beauty' (the plain green plant) was a hybrid of P. pedatum x P. squamiferum produced in FL by Robert McColley from his breeding program in the 1950's.

The variegated form, Florida Beauty, and the Florida Ghost, are sports of that hybrid.

And a little further research shows the initial hybrid was made by McColley in 1956 at the Bamboo Nursery in Orlando

What's a sport?

Its a plant that shows a morphological difference from the original due to genetic mutation.