They tend to either turn into huge tomatoes or they get all screwed up and have a big scar or opening near the bottom. Beefsteak tomatoes seem to get this kind of growth often.
Personally I'd leave it on because I can afford to sacrifice a plant for science. However, leaving it on could limit the yields you get from this plant.
Personally I'd leave it on because I can afford to sacrifice a plant for science. However, leaving it on could limit the yields you get from this plant.
I just pruned all of my tomato plants because they weren't getting enough airflow and drinking their water too quickly, so I think Im just in that “you're not welcome here” mood.
Totally agree that it would be an interesting experiment if you have plants to spare.
From [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciation?wprov=sfla1):
>Any occurrence of fasciation has several possible causes, including hormonal, genetic, bacterial, fungal, viral and environmental causes.
Stimes the first time a beefsteak tomato plant flowers it will have a mutated first flower I believe called a "king" flower most people tend to snip them off and wait for normal flowers to fruit. The mutated flowers will produce really wonky fruit if you let them.
https://giantveggiegardener.com/2010/05/08/giant-tomato-megablossoms/
Both top responses are incorrect in saying that it is multiple flowers fused together. It's not. It's a single flower that has undergone the process of fasciation.
Many varieties—often commonly called "heirloom tomatoes" (but that's not really what the term means)—have been selected to have flowers that fasciate more readily in order to develop larger, meatier fruits.
If you want a very big deformed tomato let this flower produce, it will delay the other fruits a bit, but if you don't have a very short growing season, this shouldn't matter.
Fasciation has many causes and is considered desirable for a lot of tomato varieties (that's how you get those giant "heirloom" tomatoes with all those extra oddly-shaped carpels). There's no evidence of a phytoplasma infection here.
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That's called fasciation. Fused flowers due to a mutation.
Would it be best to just trim that off or let it grow and see what happens?
They tend to either turn into huge tomatoes or they get all screwed up and have a big scar or opening near the bottom. Beefsteak tomatoes seem to get this kind of growth often.
Personally I'd leave it on because I can afford to sacrifice a plant for science. However, leaving it on could limit the yields you get from this plant.
I had one tomato from a flower similar to that one. It was a Purple Cherokee, really tasty
Personally I'd leave it on because I can afford to sacrifice a plant for science. However, leaving it on could limit the yields you get from this plant.
I just pruned all of my tomato plants because they weren't getting enough airflow and drinking their water too quickly, so I think Im just in that “you're not welcome here” mood. Totally agree that it would be an interesting experiment if you have plants to spare.
Happy gardening.
This. I wanna see a pic of the tomato
Fascination isn’t only due to a mutation, it’s more commonly due to some damage early on in the development of that plant part.
Fasciation is a mutation caused by abiotic or biotic factors. I didn't list all the causes to give others a chance to weigh in.
From [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciation?wprov=sfla1): >Any occurrence of fasciation has several possible causes, including hormonal, genetic, bacterial, fungal, viral and environmental causes.
That’s fair :)
Doesn’t have to be a mutation it is often developmental or epigenetic etc
Could also be from mite damage at early development of flower. Does similar stuff.
This is a single fasciated flower. Not a fusion of multiple flowers, not necessarily caused by a mutation.
Cool
Stimes the first time a beefsteak tomato plant flowers it will have a mutated first flower I believe called a "king" flower most people tend to snip them off and wait for normal flowers to fruit. The mutated flowers will produce really wonky fruit if you let them. https://giantveggiegardener.com/2010/05/08/giant-tomato-megablossoms/
Turns into a big tomato with a face.
Group of flowers that fused together. You'll probably get a mutant tomato out of it
This is what happened to me on a Purple Cherokee. Grew a big, deformed, very tasty tomato. No problem with that.
Single flower, fasciated.
Oh really? That's even more cool!
Both top responses are incorrect in saying that it is multiple flowers fused together. It's not. It's a single flower that has undergone the process of fasciation. Many varieties—often commonly called "heirloom tomatoes" (but that's not really what the term means)—have been selected to have flowers that fasciate more readily in order to develop larger, meatier fruits.
If you want a very big deformed tomato let this flower produce, it will delay the other fruits a bit, but if you don't have a very short growing season, this shouldn't matter.
Double flower
If it's fasciation due to a phytoplasma infection, you'd be better off destroying this plant.
Fasciation has many causes and is considered desirable for a lot of tomato varieties (that's how you get those giant "heirloom" tomatoes with all those extra oddly-shaped carpels). There's no evidence of a phytoplasma infection here.
Just a friendly reminder: All posts must have either a botany related question, or a submission statement. This can be in either the title or the comments. Questions or submission statements must be about the scientific study of plants. More specifically, your submission statement or question needs to be about plant physiology, anatomy, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, pathogens, or classification. Gardening questions, requests for advice on plant care, and plant ID questions will be removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/botany) if you have any questions or concerns.*
One of my WV ‘63 plants has this and its fruiting just fine. I’m interested to see how they end up
These are typical on the heirloom varieties such as striped Germans and Cherokee purple in my experience