Mutants in the garden

[GreenMan]

Have a look at this:


It's just a weed, Setaria verticillata but it's a special one,because it's varigated this is probably due to random mutation,and now the plant is a chimera-an organism consisting of a mixture of cells with different DNA.
And recently I found this varigated pursulane too:

It's dark green and light green,I'm hoping that it's a chimera like that grass,because that would mean good chance that some of the offspring would be completely light-green and I would have a new cultivar of pursulane that would also look sweet

I use to wonder how new cultivars are made,and I guess this is one of the ways,just randomness.But just how offten does this happen? In my life I've only found these two.Have any of you ever spotted something like this? I'm not talking only about variegation,but any characteristic that makes the plant look visibly different than the others of the same species?

[ElizabethB]

Hi Greenman,

Warm welcome to the forum.

Your photos are very interesting.

I have had mutants in my compost pile. Watermelon, tomatoes, peppers and cantaloupe.

Obviously I do not care for my compost bins as well as I should.



Looking forward to hearing more from you.

[digitS']

Mutations are sometimes encouraged by exposure to radioactive material.

People are curious about plants and contact their land-grant university or Cooperative Extension Service.

These actions sometimes lead to new cultivars.

The most common thing I come across is fasciation.

Steve