VARIEGATED HORSERADISH
This was one of my first "must have" plants - Armoracia rusticana 'Variegata' . I love finding variegated forms of ubiquitous garden plants that you rarely find variegation on (unlike, say, a Hosta, since a great percentage of them are variegated). Variegation in leaves is caused by a loss of light absorbing pigments in the plant cells. Remove only the chlorophyll and the result is yellow variegation. Remove both chlorophyll and the yellow pigment xanthophyll and the variegation is white. The white parts of the leaves do not make food for the plant, (that's what chlorophyll does), so as a result, a lot of variegated plant aren't quite as robust as their green parents. Always an exception to the rule, though - don't think i'd ever trust a variegated MINT to behave more timidly!
In my limited experience with this Horsie, it does not spread as much as the green form. Two other points: when you plant a root of Variegated Horsie, it will take a year or so to develop it's variegation - also, lots of people ask me if they can make prepared culinary horseradish with it, but i would stick with the green type for that (IMHO). It can be a knockout, though!
In my limited experience with this Horsie, it does not spread as much as the green form. Two other points: when you plant a root of Variegated Horsie, it will take a year or so to develop it's variegation - also, lots of people ask me if they can make prepared culinary horseradish with it, but i would stick with the green type for that (IMHO). It can be a knockout, though!
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