Depends on what you mean when you say variegated. Variegation like what you have on your plant is...uncommon but not rare or difficult to find. For that kind, you'll be looking at the myriad forms of Neofinitia falcata and Dendrobium moniliforme mostly. Theres a variegated phalaenopsis like this but the name escapes me at the moment.

The other kind of variegation is much more common: mottling, which looks more marbley than stripey. Mottled leaved paphiopedilums are really common and really easy to grow. There are a couple phalaenopsis species that are mottled: P. schilleriana comes to mind and I *think* P. stuartiana though don't quote me on that. Lastly, a few aerangis are mottled. Aerangis mysticidii I know for sure is.

I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of them right now. Can't really say what happened to your guy other than maybe a spontaneous mutation (called a sport). Grow it up and see if it passes along to the next growth!

Phal stuartiana is generally mottled. I've got one that starts out very mottled and fades to mainly unmottled as the leaf ages. I might have a less common version though, one that blooms more yellow than white. It hasn't bloomed yet, so I don't know about this. I also have two Paph delenatiis that have lovely mottled leaves. Supposedly they are fragrant, but if they are, it's faint, in my experience. But we'll see when they bloom again. My room is more humid this year, and fragrances may carry better.

Now that you say aerangis mystacidii is mottled, you may have pushed me closer towards deciding to get that one next... my ang case is nearly complete and could use more angs... ha!

That variegation on your orchid is quite lovely, by the way. Is it a dend? Looks like it did something interesting to stave off being dumped in the spring.

One question... I know that in African violets, variegation in the leaves is affected by temperatures and light. I think growing them cooler and with higher light is supposed to bring out the variegation more. Does it work that way with orchid leaves as well? Is it possible that this orchid was always variegated but it didn't show before? Mayalee mentioned putting it into the shed because the temps were dropping... maybe the cooler temps helped bring out the variegation? I have no idea, but wondering if someone else here knows...

Hi
I have bought variegated Dends that reverted back to solid green lol. If you want a great debate mention this on a palm discussion. The famous variegated Lady palm . Woth 20/30 time the value of the solid green . I have heard that it can be induced by a virus as well as genetics
Another is the famous AE AE banana in too much sun it will revert to solid green, though not always.
i recently ran accross a website that sold nothing but varigated plants 20 of which were orchids.lol.
There must be a way to induce this without genetics lol gary

It's probably a dendrobium from what I see but which one ? This is why I came here to ask. I moved from one state to another last spring and lost some tags in the process. Further more I have had way too many things to do to take care of them.
Therefore the diet on my orchids this year was shade, no water except for the rain and no fertilizer - at all ! Et voila ! Just when I thought I should put orchids on the 2nd row (I am into palms now Gary) they winked at me :-)
Maya

Does look like a dendrobium with variegated leaf. Depends if this a chance mutation or a stable mutation. Culture conditions may have caused this mutation since the plant doesn't look too healthy. Too many rotting canes. Pot is way too big. Mix looks bad.

Toyo you are right on all these counts, but the orchid was dead after last winter so even given the poor conditions I think it is remarquable that it came back that way. If I had been less busy, it probably would rot now in the recycle bin ! Of course now it will be pampered again :)
PS. and given the normal conditions may be then it would never have come back variegated.