squash leaves have a normal white pattern on them

Some squash and pumpkin plants have interesting normal leaf color patterns

Updated: February 20, 2023
purplish-black coloration of tomatillo skin
Dark coloration of tomatillo skin

Gardeners are sometimes unaware that surprising color changes are actually normal for the plants they grow. For example, almost all pepper pods will change from a deep green to a different color when mature- red, orange, purple, yellow, brown, etc. Some pepper cultivars will go through two color changes. Sometimes seed catalog pictures and descriptions do not accurately correspond to actual fruit colors. In rare instances, one might also see genetic mutations in the garden. One chocolate-colored pepper may appear on a plant where all the other pods are red. Fruits will also change color when they pass the mature ripe stage and become over-ripe. Purple skin eggplant becomes dull and brown, cucumbers become cream-colored, and beans will lighten in color.

ripe jalapeno peppers with blackened areas on skin
Normal coloration of peppers