variegation

[ vair-ee-i-gey-shuh n, vair-i-gey- ]

/ ˌvɛər i ɪˈgeɪ ʃən, ˌvɛər ɪˈgeɪ- /

an act of variegating.

the state or condition of being variegated; varied coloration.

Origin of variegation

First recorded in 1640–50; variegate + -ion

A poor sandy soil is more suitable for the variegated kind, as this renders the variegation more constant.

Gardening for the Million |Alfred Pink
The variegated form of C. scandens should be propagated by cuttings to hold the variegation.

The Practical Garden-Book |C. E. Hunn
On her breast was a collection of luminous stones, their variegation imitating the scales of the murena.

Salammbo |Gustave Flaubert
There are numerous varieties in cultivation, differing in the variegation of their leaves.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 8 |Various

Primaries and most of the secondaries plain brownish-black, without the variegation of the last species.

Bird Guide |Chester A. Reed