FASCIATION is FASCINATING!

 

Fasciation, or cresting, is a somewhat rare form of abnormal growth in plants where the growing tips becomes elongated perpendicularly to the direction of growth, producing flattened, ribbon-like, crested or contorted tissue. Fasciation can also cause plant parts to increase in weight and volume. This condition can happen in stems, roots, fruit or flower heads. Some plants are grown and prized for their development of exotic fasciation. There are several possible causes including hormonal, genetic, bacterial, fungal, viral, insect or mite attacks, exposure to chemicals, physical damage to a plant’s growing tip, weather changes and extremes and other environmental impacts.

Some plants, such as peas and cockscomb (Celosia), can inherit the trait and it’s a benefit in these cases. It is not contagious but pathogens that cause some fasciations can be spread from infected plants to other plants by insect vectors.

To shut down the suspected pathogens, spray infected plants with hydrogen peroxide mixed 50-50 with water or Garrett Juice.

What I do is just enjoy the interesting display that nature gives us. It’s usually pretty spotty and not a big problem.

Here’s a site that you want to check out about this interesting phenomenon - http://dept.ca.uky.edu/Morphology/Stemfasciation.pdf