variegated

[gdr1m]

I know it sounds like I'm asking a lot, but I wonder if anyone can suggest a plant that meets the following criteria

(a) occurs commonly in the wild in Britain (especially if it comes as far up as me in Glasgow)

(b) sometimes (but not always) shows variegated leaves

Thanks a lot

[Kayleigh]

Ivy..

[Littlesparrow]

For something larger, variegated Yew.

[animartco]

Originally Posted by gdr1m

I know it sounds like I'm asking a lot, but I wonder if anyone can suggest a plant that meets the following criteria

(a) occurs commonly in the wild in Britain (especially if it comes as far up as me in Glasgow)

(b) sometimes (but not always) shows variegated leaves

Thanks a lot

Periwinkle, or for a shrub, cornus, Although most variegations are cultivars. The variegation usually starts out naturally, but it is rare in the wild.

[aeshna5]

I've also seen variegated Water Figwort + Woody Nightshade for sale.

[animartco]

Originally Posted by gdr1m

I know it sounds like I'm asking a lot, but I wonder if anyone can suggest a plant that meets the following criteria

(a) occurs commonly in the wild in Britain (especially if it comes as far up as me in Glasgow)

(b) sometimes (but not always) shows variegated leaves

Thanks a lot

I thought I would take the opportunity here to explain a bit about variegation.
It occurs when the plant for some reason fails to produce normal chloroplasts in its leaves, resulting usually in a leaf green on the inside but with white or gold edges.
Practically any plant can produce a variegation. If you walk through an area with a large stand of any wild plant, you will probably find one or two variegated specimins. But these are weaker than the all green version which will always outcompete them, so they very seldom remain for long. However gardeners in the past have collected these specimins and cultivated them vegetatively (by stem or root cuttings.) and have ocassionally crossed the resulting plants so that the faulty gene that caused the variegation is present in both parents. But ussually any variegated plant will seed back to the normal form. (This is why you do NOT want to buy variegated ground elder!)
Variegated cultivars of wild plants are a very good way of having beauty and colour in your garden all year round while STILL retaining the usefulness to wildlife. An insect that feeds on the normal form will just as happily feed on the variegated form.

[Dorts]

The O.P. asked for info on any variegated plant that: "occurs commonly in the wild in Britain."

In my nearly sixty years of botanising over most of Britain I have found no species of plant that meets this criteria.

As has been said, many species of plants can occasionally be found in a variegated form, some species only very rarely and some, never. I can think of no species where variegation is 'common'.
------------------
Having now given this tread more thought I perhaps should say that Common Wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris) does quite frequently show variegation caused by mosaic virus, but I can think of none that could remotely be called 'common'.
Dorts.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by gdr1m

I know it sounds like I'm asking a lot, but I wonder if anyone can suggest a plant that meets the following criteria

(a) occurs commonly in the wild in Britain (especially if it comes as far up as me in Glasgow)

(b) sometimes (but not always) shows variegated leaves

Thanks a lot

Lamium maculatum (Spotted Dead-nettle) is often found in the wild. Not native though, but you don't ask for that. I think there are examples of non-variegated forms.

[bigdave60dog]

There is a variegated form of Meadowsweet. I don`t know where it is available but it was in my Parents garden for years.
I can`t ask them as they have both been dead foe over a decade now.

[Fauna]

What about Lamium galeobdolon (yellow archangel) ?