Variegated bromeliads are attractive and eye-catching because of the contrast of colours they display. They are decorative in the garden and indoors. The variegations are caused by a lack of chlorophyll or natural colour in sections of the leaves. Plants of course receive their energy from sunlight but the chlorophyll is responsible for photosynthesis by which plants make carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. Where the cells which contain the chlorophyll are missing sections of the leaves do not colour normally and cause variegations. A mistake which is often made when growing variegated plants, including bromeliads, is that there is a tendency to over-protect them by placing them in shady areas. In fact it is better to expose them to better than normal light (but not direct sunlight) to make up for their deficiency in the process of photosynthesis. Reference: Article by Pamela Jane in SUN-HERALD plus past experience of Growers RJP