Not all plants are created equal. But generally, a rose looks like a rose, smells like a rose, and is a rose by any other name. Except, of course, when Mother Nature decides to stir things up a bit. Sometimes, plants pop up from the earth and appear to be from another planet. They might look weird, deformed, or even alarming. They may even be cute, ultra-beautiful, or other-worldly. Either way, they’re unique.
When plants don’t look like their ‘peers,’ and have things like twisted stems, Siamese twins, flattened flower stalks, or blooms that seem like alien growths, it’s often as a result of something called fasciation. These botanical mishaps are caused by abnormal activity in the growing tip of the plant. Science aside, they’re fascinating to look at.
That’s probably why there’s an entire page dedicated to honoring these “freaks of nature.” Simply called Fasciation, the community shares photographs showcasing the wild phenomenon. From twocumbers to grinning flowers, Bored Panda has put together a list of the page’s best posts. Many are proof that Mother Nature has some tricks up her sleeve, and gardening can be quite an unpredictable business.
#1 Strawberry
Image source: iam_rak1b
#2 Saw This At My Local Nursery
Image source: Taro_Otto
#3 🌻
Image source: HansCCT
I bought some kiwi fruit the other day, and what appeared to be a very large one seemingly turned out to be conjoined quadruplets. It felt like a four-for-the-price-of-one jackpot special.
Fasciation is a rather fascinating phenomenon in the plant kingdom. The word comes from the Latin ‘fascia,’ which means ‘band’ or ‘bundle.’ On their blog, the Garden Professors define fasciation as a malformation or abnormal pattern of growth in the apical meristem (growing tip) of plants. In case you’re wondering what an apical meristem is, it’s basically the ‘growing tip’ of the plant.
#4 Pineapple With Fasciation
Image source: Plantchic
#5 Best Fasciation I’ve Ever Seen
Image source: alicd27
#6 Behold! Lemononon… Cross Sectioned
Image source: Current-Struggle-514
“The apical meristem is undifferentiated tissue that triggers the growth of new cells (which extends roots and shoots, and gives rise to stems, leaves, and reproductive structures),” says Abiya (Abi) Saeed, the Extension Horticulture Specialist at Montana State University.
In the case of fasciation, explains the experts, this new growth is abnormal and often appears as flattening, ribboning, swelling, fusion, or elongation of plant parts.
#7 The Squeal I Squempt!!! Pre-Stuffed Pepper!! Pre-Stuffed Pepper!!
Image source: RottenOddity
#8 Normal Forget-Me-Nots Have 5 Petals. Here’s An Array I Found In My Yard
Image source: SligPants
#9 I’d Like To Present The Twocumber I Found At Work A Couple Of Years Ago
Image source: LittleLiro
Fasciation is also sometimes called cresting. And Saeed explains that while it can occur anywhere on the plant, it is more likely to be seen in stems, flowers, and fruit.
In some cases, she says, several stems grow together. In others, there’s a multi-headed or misshapen flower, perpendicular or irregular growth, dense tuft-like growth, or coiled, contorted, and twisted stems. These can also have a bizarrely high concentration of leaves and flower buds.
#10 Coneflowers Lookin AI Generated Over Here 😂
Image source: StatementBrilliant55
#11 Is This An Example Of Fasciation?
Image source: FrolickingTiggers
#12 Mongolian Giant Sunflower Seems To Have Taken Its Name Literally
Image source: FrannyStoat
So what causes plants to grow “out of the box”? According to experts at Penn State University, there are a number of internal and external factors that can damage cells in the growing tip of a plant, which in turn could lead to fasciation.
One is an infection by some kind of virus, bacteria, or other microbe. “One type of bacteria, Rhodococcus fascians, is known to cause fasciation as well as a disorder called ‘leafy gall disease.’ With these microscopic agents, the infection can be spread to other plants through contact or contamination,” reveals the university’s site.
#13 Not Sure If This Belongs Here But I Thought It Was Cool!
Image source: carolinaomaria
#14 Massive Foxglove
Image source: gong_show_judge
#15 Seen In My Pnw Gardening Group
Image source: Brewhilda
Random genetic mutations within the dividing cells can also cause fasciation. As can attacks by insects, mites, or fungal growth. Exposure to chemicals or chemical imbalances within the cells is another potential culprit.
“Some types of herbicides, which mimic the action of plant hormones within cells, can cause damage to growing plant tissue that resembles fasciation,” say Penn’s plant experts. They add that sometimes, the growing point suffers mechanical damage, or is affected by environmental conditions, like exposure to cold or frost.
#16 A Morning Update On My Fasciating Triple Eggplant
Image source: bovisarthas
#17 My Fasciated Eggplants
Image source: SignificanceMost8826
#18 Heart Shaped Flower
Image source: Vrooomnerv
Saeed says fasciation is generally harmless and merely an aesthetic anomaly. It’s quite rare, and hardly ever impacts the survival of affected plants. Especially, she adds, if they are established woody plants.
However, if fasciation is caused by certain pathogens, it is possible that parts of the affected plant will wither away. “Although infectious fasciation can spread to other susceptible plants, in the majority of cases fasciation is not infectious and will not spread,” the expert notes.
#19 Behold! This Beastly Fasciated Thistle I Saw On A Hike
Image source: volucrine
#20 Massive Asparagus
Image source: Special-Sense4643
#21 Insane Fasciation On A Pride Of Madeira (Echium Candicans)
Image source: 13jfncjai31
Botany experts say that fasciation can happen to any plant, but it’s most frequently seen in cacti, daisies, asters, legumes, willows, and plants in the rose family. Some plants are prized for their tendency to fasciate. For example, heirloom tomatoes, beefsteaks, or the giant strawberries we sometimes see that appear to be fused together.
#22 We Found A Rose With 2 Centers! Neither Me Nor My Grandmother Have Ever Seen One Before
Image source: reddit.com
#23 Life Is Corn-Fusing Sometimes, But I’m Just Here To Ear It Out
Image source: n1njette
#24 Sunflower Not Feeling Well
Image source: vish_handa
#25 It Looks A Bit..
Image source: V33EX
#26 Fasciated Strawberry I Found At Work
Image source: Gumball_0420
#27 What On Earth Could Cause This To Happen In My Work’s Front Lawn?
Image source: Lbrones92
#28 Guys I’m Scared 😳
Image source: cata_stro_phe
#29 Went Back And Found Plenty More
Image source: Sex-To-ER-Speedrun
#30 Foxglove, Ireland
Image source: IntentionalyLftBlank
#31 Look At My Pepper Leaf!
Image source: Vegetable-Pen-3433
#32 Is This Fasciation ?
Image source: Gumball_0420
#33 Strawberry I Found At Work The Other Day!
Image source: StorybookDragon
#34 Saguaro Cactus
Image source: TallWaltz
#35 This Daisy My Grandma Grew
Image source: Hannie0109
#36 Euphorbia Lambii In My Collection
Image source: shaungrady
#37 Three Headed Tulip
Image source: No_Cake642
#38 Fasciated Foxglove
Image source: StormChaser8
#39 Beautiful Example From The Desert Botanical Garden In Phoenix
Image source: bleeckler
#40 I Didn’t Know This Subreddit Existed Until 1 Minute Ago, But Here You Go
Image source: Clear_Growth_5229
#41 Massive Grape
Image source: One_icarus
#42 Fasciated Asparagus, One Week Update
Image source: dozazz
#43 Just Right
Image source: dark-archon
#44 My Tomato Appears To Be Phoning Home 😅
Image source: FeralWayward
#45 Today Years Old When I Discovered This Was Called Fasciation 🤯
Image source: crawleysoftpen
#46 Twin Pumpkins I Grew Last Year!
Image source: CactusCait
#47 Local Florist Grew A Mutant Ranunculus
Image source: ZombieMotel
#48 Interesting Find Today, Two Stems With One Cap
Image source: PlantsMcSoil
#49 Freakier Than Labubu
Image source: jewelofrussia
#50 Booberry
Image source: CactusCait
#51 What’s Up With My Chili?
Image source: nukulele145
#52 The Most Beautiful Cactus In The World!
Image source: NegentropyNexus
#53 I Found A 7-Leaf Clover In The Park!
Image source: Extension_Wafer_7615
#54 Is This Fasciation? The Whole Tree Was Like This
Image source: Brainsforfarts23
#55 Lil Fasciation On A Cannabis Plant
Image source: looper420
#56 Like A Caterpillar 🐛
Image source: Difficult-Pilot-5860
#57 Longtime Lurker, Think I Finally Saw One Example In The Wild
Image source: Sex-To-ER-Speedrun
#58 Trillium!! Never Seen Fasciation In This Plant Before!
Image source: missfitz1
#59 Found This Glorious Succulent On My Walk Yesterday
Image source: squeegiebean
#60 I Have This Type Of Lily In My Yard
Image source: hukkelberry
#61 Strawberry Fasciation
Image source: mommymanifestor
#62 Foxglove’s Fancy Hat
Image source: colleenmcm
#63 Is This Calendula Fasciated?
Image source: maximumtoastiness
#64 My Guava Tree Has Been Making These Babies!
Image source: ChattyCatty2
#65 Trippy Dandelion
Image source: marsmycelium
#66 Sunflower Tongue?
Image source: WorldWideDeb
#67 Fasciated Echium!
Image source: SaltishAgenda
#68 This Brown Eyed Susan In My Sister’s Yard
Image source: nativeplantaccount
#69 Cucumber
Image source: No_Boysenberry2167
#70 My Kiwis Are Weird
Image source: Hermes1480
#71 Boxing Gloves Cactus
Image source: Floratopia
#72 Sundew
Image source: its_mike_y
#73 Craziest Case Of Fasciation I’ve Encountered
Image source: apple1rule
#74 Fasciated Calluna ‘Blazeaway’ I Found At A Local Nursery Today
Image source: deepinthesoil
#75 Found My First Fasciation At My Local Nursery
Image source: PoblanoDane
#76 Lupine
Image source: SpaceJellly
#77 Bananana
Image source: TesseractToo
#78 Cockscomb Gone Crazy
Image source: Giedingo
#79 Fasciated Yam
Image source: stellar6388
#80 Look At This Crested Beauty
Image source: filipha
#81 Look At That Fasciated Primula! I Found It Today! Comparison In The Last Photo
Image source: ram_gerszon
#82 Fasciated Barberry I Spotted While At Work !
Image source: No_Leather2212
#83 Went To Our Local Greenhouse For Some New Plants, Had To Get This!
Image source: Full_Rise_7759
#84 My First Fasciation! (Sweet Potato)
Image source: ratratte
#85 This Banananana
Image source: Consistent_Cancel756
#86 Day Lily 💚
Image source: BanjoTheremin
#87 Twolips, Does This Count?!
Image source: Artmuscomp
#88 Lily Finally Bloomed!
Image source: FluffyBirdz
#89 Mullein
Image source: notyouronlybaby
#90 Stunning Fan-Shaped Fasciation On This Conifer :3
Image source: _little_demon_child_
#91 Some Of The Cherries I Bought Today Looked Like This
Image source: antiko
#92 My Family Doesn’t Understand Why I’m So Excited
Image source: mydogiseatingmyfeet
#93 The Ugliest Horror Show Of A Tomato I’ve Ever Seen
Image source: benbentheben
#94 Volunteer Flowers In Our Yard – Dame’s Rocket, Maybe?
Image source: GraniteAve
#95 Fasciated Bluebonnets
Image source: Legitimate-Lie-9208
#96 Orchid Genetic Mutation
Image source: Fast-Director-1503
#97 Mango Leaf
Image source: Worried_Menu4016
#98 Does This Pickle Count?
Image source: ironman_atee
#99 Got A Live One
Image source: anon
#100 Easter Lily Fasciation
Image source: happyplants7
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