Unlocking the secrets of chimerism: Plastid genes and the quest for variegation in the ornamental plant market

The global indoor plant market is burgeoning, with projections of reaching $7.27 billion by 2025. Chimeric plants, first noted in the 17th century, have become popular for their distinctive variegated patterns. These patterns are a product of the structure and development of the plant's shoot apical meristem (SAM).