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

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

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

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.

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.

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on July 06, 2008, 23:36:03
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.

here's a wierd tomato

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.  ???

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.

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

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

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.

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!!

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

I swear we have this discussion every year.

Anyone else get cristate flowers on aubergines?

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.