In the present study, the cDNA of C. reticulata (floral leaf and green leaf) were sequenced based on Illumina HiSeq2500 to analyze the leaf color mechanism. In total, 228 862 unigenes were obtained and 4 851 differential expressed genes (DEGs) were selected. 2 291 DEGs were divided into 31 GO terms, 1 826 DEGs were divided into 23 COG major functional categories. Most of these genes are related to its growth and metabolism. 1 363 DEGs were annotated into KEGG database, 15 pathways of DEGs most annotated were screened out, GluRS, δALAD, ALAS, in the pathway of porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism; ANS, LAR, CHS in the pathway of flavonoid biosynthesis, are the key genes in its floral leaf formation. The coloration of the leaves was caused by a large amount of gene expression changes related to leaf color metabolic pathways, not caused by single gene mutations, the silencing of homologous genes induced by C. reticulata mosaic virus in Yunnan is probably the main reason for the formation of C. reticulata leaf coloration. These results greatly enriched genetic information of C. reticulata, and provide some reference for the cultivation of the colorful leaf varieties.