variegated turning solid green

My variegated JM has pushed out a few solid green branches this spring. I usually prune any solid leaves off but it's more than normal. Does it in anyway encourage more growth? What causes that?

it is caused by the root stock i believe - cut off the growth or it could take over the tree - i has some show up on my butterfly this spring.

That's what I was afraid of.

That happened to my beni schichihenge (sp?) last spring and I got the same advice that wha gives here.

Here's the thread where I asked a similar question: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/985195/



This message was edited Apr 22, 2010 1:50 PM

If the green branches are coming from below the graft then they're the rootstock, or if they're above the graft then it's the plant reverting to green. In either case the green branches will be more vigorous than the variegated so it's best to prune them out as soon as you see them. Some variegated cultivars are more prone to reversion than others--I also get some green on my Butterfly every year but as long as you watch for it and trim the green branches out promptly it doesn't cause a major problem.

I was surprised by how much there was this year. It's all gone now. On some branches it was just a single leaf pairing. All gone. Thanks for the reassurance.

The only case that I know of that doesn't require cutting off the different leaves is Koto no Ito. It's new leaves are much larger and less finely cut than the older foliage. Part of what makes Koto No Ito so lovely. I have to take green off of my butterfly every year. Get them while they are small!

Over fertilization by over loving and JMsters can case excessive growth so even with a healthy plant you will get more reversions and larger weird leaves ... reversions can be in color or leaf form . Beni komachi is one of my fav cultivars but aggressively reverts .. it is a sport of somehow related to the Shin deshijo ..or just plain Deshojo .. it kills me to cut the reversions since the shin leaves on those branches are so boffo just stunning ... but with time my beni would be a Shin if I ddin'rt .. I am sure it is mostly caused not by anyy fertilizing which I do do on in ground plants but by my 2' deep coal black super corn growing nitrogen rich soil ..D