10/09/2026
🌳 Meet September's tree of the month...
At first glance, you might think there’s something wrong with the unusually pale, mottled leaves of this tree, but take a closer look! This is a variegated sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus).
🌿 So, what is variegation?
Most leaves appear green because they contain chlorophyll, the pigment plants use to capture light for photosynthesis. In variegated plants, some areas of the leaf contain less chlorophyll than others, creating patches, speckles or splashes of paler green, yellow or cream.
🌳 On this tree, the effect occurs throughout the canopy, giving the whole tree a noticeably lighter appearance, making every leaf look a little bit different.
☀️ The green bits are doing more of the work!
Because the palest areas contain less chlorophyll, they aren’t as efficient at photosynthesis. Variegated plants therefore have less chlorophyll overall than completely green plants, and some can grow more slowly as a result.
🔎 Variegation is a great reminder that even trees of the same species don’t always look exactly alike. Next time you’re in the park, see if you can spot this particularly distinctive sycamore – its pale, patterned canopy makes it stand out from its neighbours!
