Even plants that come "true" from seed will exhibit considerable variation in variegation pattern. The parts of the plant that develop earliest tend to have larger patches of white than later developing bits.
Variegated plants in the wild that do not come true from seed can persist by cloning themselves; forming new plants from buds or offsets like bromeliads, orchids and aloes.
True cellular variegation is often in a mosaic or checker pattern or regular lines or bands while variegation caused by virus is usually streaky. It is not easy to discern the difference. Don't let the word "virus" put you off. In most cases, this does not mean the plant is unhealthy. Where the variegation is stable and the plant can be propagated, the virus does not affect the health of the plant or any plants grown adjacent to it.
If you are thinking of trying your hand at a bit of plant breeding with variegated plants, it appears that seeds from flowers formed on white branches will produce plants with more or larger white variegation than seeds from flowers on green branches.
Variegation can be extremely subtle or incredibly bold. Tricyrtis hirta 'Variegata falls into the subtle group - you have to really look to realize that the edge of each leaf is rimmed in the thinnest of white lines, yet their presence imparts and elegance to this clone that's not found in the species.
Of the many toad lilies I'm currently growing, this one seems most immune to attack by the hoards of voracious slugs that have decided Tricyrtis are gourmet fare.
The typically spotted purple flowers, like all toad lilies, need to be seen close-up to be fully appreciated in the late fall garden.
At the other end of the variegated spectrum is the anything but subtle, fabulous Alocasia macrorrhiza 'Variegata'. Leaves to three feet (1m) exhibit a wild variety of patterning - some are nearly totally white. The stems are also variegated.
A happy example is an extraordinary sight. I have finally acquired a tiny baby plant, now all of six inches (15cm) tall and have great expectations for the future. (See More Information at the end of this article for a link to more information about this plant).
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