Cresting or Fasciation - One of Nature's Conceits

There are some really odd flowers growing in my garden. Instead of the usual round daisy shape of a Black-eyed Susan, they look flattened, crested or ribbon-like. See for yourself. 


The word for these fascinating distortions of the plant world is "fasciation", from the Latin 'fascia' = "to fuse".  


What causes plants to produce fasciated flowers? Mostly science doesn’t know. Some causes of Fasciation include bacterial infection, insect or mite attack, severe pruning, wounding or mechanical damage, chemical damage or experimental applications of plant hormones, or mutations in rapidly dividing cells at the growth tip. However, most appear by chance with no obvious cause.

Humans seem to be fascinated by fasciated plants, and the literature documents fasciation in more than 100 different varieties. Their unusual shapes make them prized by many, like the Fantail Willow that is essential in the world of flower arrangers. According to Dr. T. Ombrello of the UCC Biology Department additional examples are Crested Cockscomb Celosias (which I have propagated by seed) and beefsteak tomatoes. Dr. Ombrello says, “If you have ever wondered why beefsteak tomatoes have such unusual shapes, look at their flowers and you will readily see why”.  Many of the ones perpetuated by vegetative propagation  become cultivars within species.

How about sending in photos of the fasciated plants you come across? We'd love to see them.