White orange tree confusion

[Tylerhoage]

About 2 weeks ago I planted some orange tree seeds that I plan to one day turn into Bonsai. About 3 to 4 days ago I noticed 1 of the seedlings looks white I figured it would eventually turn green. Well this morning I noticed a leaf forming and it as well is white. I figured maybe it was a light issue but it is in my green room which has 4 grow lights strung on the ceiling and has a bog window in it plus all the other plants apear fine so i don't believe that is why its white. Is it going to stay white? Is this rare? (Sorry for the lighting like I said its in a green room with several grow lights)

 

[TN_Jim]

it’s a mutant!!!

white leaves would suggest no chlorophyll..it’s my understanding that generally plants will not spend vital energy making chloroplasts if they think they are in darkness..

For example...had a turnip hidden back in the crisper that had grown out big solid white leaves...it was getting all the sugars needed in the fridge from the ‘turnip’, knowing that one day, sugars are gonna run out, and leaves will be needed...even if pitch black. I put it on the back of the stove..they turned green in a few days..it’s in a pot now ~4’

Point is..you may need a broader spectrum/stronger light source to wake up that chlorophyll production before all sugars remaining in taproot are expended...?

 

[Tylerhoage]

If u look in the photo u can see that their is a purple light that's is my 4 grow lights. I thought maybe it was not geting enough light as well so I transplanted to onto a 4inch pot and put it in front of my kitchen window which gets the most light in the house. It is still alive and has a total of 4 leave all are white.

 

[TN_Jim]

Yea..sunlight seems the way to go.
I was joking, but it really could be a mutation or some wierd deleterious allele preventing the expression of chloplasts or something of the sort.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Looks cool - could be variegation. See if you can keep it alive

 

[WesternGrower]

Its because your grow lights aren't doing anything of use.

Most LED "grow lights" you see are dual spectrum LED setups that peak in the red and blue spectrum, hence the purple color you get. This is essentially wasted on vegetative growth, so that is why your leaves are white, there is not enough wavelengths of light the plant actually needs. Its a common misconception since chlorophyll peaks in these areas, but in reality they need a full spectrum. Those grow lights are beneficial to flowering plants however, as the flower and its associated parts need red and blue spectra to develop. This is why many people use these LED grow bulbs for weed.

For you however, real sunlight or full spectrum lights are the way to go.

 

[queenofsheba52]

What a fascinating little orange tree you have! Im amazed that it has stayed white while growing on your sunny windowsill.

Welcome to this great bonsai forum!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Its because your grow lights aren't doing anything of use.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the OP's post, but in the photo he has a number of seedlings, and only one of them is white. So I think he is talking about a single plant that is white out of a number of other green ones.

 

[WesternGrower]

If I had to guess the other ones developed fast enough to take advantage of the limited spectrum available, and that one simple didn't.
I grew some basil and some seeds ended up flushing through the starter pots and were completely white, a few weeks in the sun did them well.