Topic: Unusual tomato flower

[Amazin]

I seem to recall a thread last year about these but I can't find it - did anyone ever pin down the cause?

[saddad]

It's a natural "sport" called something like Fasciation..  :)

[manicscousers]

yep, got a few this year, too..mostly on the beefsteak  ;D

[amphibian]

These are very common on beefsteaks, often forming a terminal to the main stem, that's why I never pinch out early sideshoots on beefsteaks, so one can take over as the main stem if a terminal forms.

If the flower sets you get a crazy catfaced tomato, often VERY large.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I had several on my Black Seaman two years ago, but I haven't grown them since. A couple of the flowers were clearly cristate, and so were the resulting toms, but I didn't take pictures.

[amphibian]

I had several on my Black Seaman two years ago, but I haven't grown them since. A couple of the flowers were clearly cristate, and so were the resulting toms, but I didn't take pictures.

Cristate fruit can be wonderfully strange, I had a cristate tomato that formed itself into a horseshoe shape.

[manicscousers]

here's a wierd tomato

[Amazin]

That'll make interesting slices!    ;D

And mine have all appeared on beefsteak varieties: Amish Paste, Marmande and Great White.

I've never had it on toms before but three years ago I had something very much like it on every single giant sunflower - the centres were cupped  right round, almost touching at the back, and many had two flowerheads fused together. No other effect on the growth at all.  ???

[Amazin]

Just Googled around for more info. It seems the reason is usually an injury during the early stages of growth, caused by frost, slugs or a pruning injury. (viruses may also be a cause).

Don't think mine is due to virus as I reckon other varieties and/or species would be showing signs by now.

[manicscousers]

don't think this can be a virus, either. The rest of the toms on this plant and all of the others are fine, just this one is weird, but you have to have one  ;D

[isbister]

Me too - had several on Marmande which are interplanted with Ferline which were all normal

[Robert_Brenchley]

I don't think it's a virus, and people have jabed plants with nedles and all sorts to try to induce fasciation. Nobody has ever succeeded. The best we can say is, nobody knows why it happens.

[tonybloke]

I've got a few of those flowers, all on 'Marmande', it's my 1st year with these, I thought it was a trait of the variety? But, Bl**dy Huge fruit!!

[Hyacinth]

I've noticed that 3 Marmande & one from another beefsteak variety have these.. Never happened before, so was pleased to see this thread.

[amphibian]

I swear we have this discussion every year.

Anyone else get cristate flowers on aubergines?

[thegreatgardener]

nothing special just king flower they are very common on the larger varieties.
 Unless you never seen one before, if treated properly you can get very large tomatoes from them.