It happens all the time

No it does not. Ask the average house plant grower here if they have ever had or even seen an entire white leaf and the answer will be no. OK, you have had some. Does not equate to "...all the time..."

Yeah, it does. I don't have to ask. Its a common occurrence in plants with chimeral variegation. Because the variegation is random and extremely variable. It happens in all genus and species.
Completely white pup on variegated banana



white leaf on variegated Hoya


4-5 white leaves on variegated spathiphyllum I am propagating




2 all white leaves on variegated alocasia I am propagating




All white leaves in variegated Alpinia ginger




All white leaves on one of my mature variegated alocasias




All white leaf on variegated birds nest anthurium



All white leaf on variegated philodendron



Virtually all white leaf on an otherwise highly variegated Rhapis palm

I agree with Gene. I have had, and still have, many houseplants, and have never seen a pure white leaf on any of them.

The variegation required to get an all white (or all yellow or all green or all pink) leaf on any variegated plant is just a natural variation of non-patterned chimeral variegation. Its not rare. The mutation in the leaves of whatever plant it is provides genetic ability to have any amount of any color the plant naturally has in any leaf or in the stem at any time.
This Philodendron 'Brasil' (a common houseplant in a hanging basket) has all green leaves (the equivalent of all white) some all more yellow leaves (the third color in this variegation) and normally tricolored leaves.


This philodendron "Rising Sun" has all green leaves (not the norm) in addition to the yellow and green variegation that it is known for


This Lime Zinger Xanthosoma is supposed to have all-chartreuse leaves but occasionally it will throw and all regular green leaf, or a color-break leaf like this one




Even flowers can do this...the flowers on this single stalk of Princess Victoria plumeria are all different, some variegated, some solid, and even the solid ones are different colors.


Just because it has never happened to you doesn't mean it does;t happen on a regular basis to other people. This type pf atypical variegation is just a product of the fact that non-patterned variegation in plants can take any form... solid, half and half, speckled, splattered...

I have never seen a plant with an all white leaf for sale in any greenhouse or big box store or listed in all of eBay.

Whatever, Gene. Be happy with your white leaf. Since I see them on a regular basis on a lot of different plants, its not rare or new to me personally.

I collect many different things. Plants is just one. In many of my collections I have several rare items. If a visitor saw this abundance of rare items and concluded that they must be common in general, I would have to correct them, of course.

I have also posted pictures of some pink leaves that 2 of my Pink Princess Philos put out. The general response was - kill the plant now it is dying. No one here had seen an all pink leaf before. The plant did not die and continues to put out all pink leaves once in a while. Common? Nope. When people here ask me how come I have so many "odd" plants I reply that it might have something to do with the homemade atomic reactor I am running in my backyard.

Gina, I think having all white is a bad thing. Doesn't it mean weaker and some times given to an all white growth not just one leaf? Also I think this happens more often on larger older plants that's why Gene does't see it too often. Every plants is different. Like my variegated Christmas cactus. It produces lots of all white leaves once it got older but they eventually turn some green with age. I remember you saying your bananas turning all white before dying.
Myself, I don't see all white leaves in my house plants (except cactus). So it is rare for me.


Hope this weather is not effecting any one here. Crazy times.

On one of my other computers I am trying to catch up on editing pictures. I am up to July 2010. Found these 2 by accident. Pink Princess Philodendron.

i am curious if your white leaves get brown edges? especially several together like in that philo above. and if with time they green a bit or remain white ?

No brown edges. They stay the way they are for a surprisingly long time - as long as a green leaf. Amazing, IMO. I love the white stems.

Chimeras are much more likely to occur with plants grown in their native habitats or outside in warm climates or in greenhouses. Plants grown indoors as houseplants often respond much differently so I suspect that is the reason for the difference of opinions expressed here.

Stush2019 said:Gina, I think having all white is a bad thing. Doesn't it mean weaker and some times given to an all white growth not just one leaf? Also I think this happens more often on larger older plants that's why Gene does't see it too often. Every plants is different. Like my variegated Christmas cactus. It produces lots of all white leaves once it got older but they eventually turn some green with age. I remember you saying your bananas turning all white before dying.
Myself, I don't see all white leaves in my house plants (except cactus). So it is rare for me.


Hope this weather is not effecting any one here. Crazy times.

Carebear, I agree with you, all white is not good sign, I got new case that my Anthurium that I grow from seeds one of them turn out grow fully white, from petiole to seed leaf all white, I just wait & see how it will turn out, I really hope that this plant give me one or two green leaf with those good look white leaf.

Surprised it is still alive. Anytime I get an all white seedling, it dies soon after. The all white rhizome growth from Sansevieria cuttings almost always ends with death with-in the year. As long as it has a food support to live off of it can survive.