Fasciation in Plants: What It Is and How to Spot It

Fasciation in plants causes flattened stems, swollen shoots, and distorted flowers in a fan-like shape. Commonly seen in vegetables and ornamentals, fasciated stems result from genetic mutation, environmental stress, or damage to the growing tip. This quirky plant mutation is usually harmless and can even create strikingly unusual blooms. Learn how to identify fasciation and decide whether to prune or embrace this fascinating garden phenomenon.

If you’ve ever walked into your garden and noticed a plant that looks like it’s had a very bad hair day, chances are you’ve stumbled across fasciation. This strange plant mutation might leave you scratching your head, but it’s one of the most fascinating quirks of the gardening world. Let’s dive into what fasciation is, how to identify it, and why it’s not always a bad thing.

What Is Fasciation?

Fasciation is a rare plant growth abnormality where stems, flower heads, or shoots grow in an unusual way. Instead of forming their usual neat shape, the plant’s growth gets confused, producing flattened, swollen, or split stems. In many cases, you’ll see flower heads that look like they’ve been squashed together, creating a bizarre fan-like or crested effect.

This phenomenon can happen in a wide range of plants, everything from vegetables like tomatoes and beans to ornamentals like delphiniums, foxgloves, and roses.

Symptoms of Fasciation

The symptoms are usually easy to spot once you know what you’re looking for. Key signs of fasciation include:

Flattened stems that look ribbon-like instead of round.
Swollen or split growth, often appearing unusually thick.
Excess flowers or shoots emerging from one point, creating a crowded, frilly display.
Twisted or distorted shapes, giving the plant a fan or crest appearance.

Why Does Fasciation Happen?

The exact cause of fasciation can be tricky to pin down. It’s thought to occur when the plant’s growing tip (the meristem) gets disrupted. This can be due to:

Genetic mutation
Hormonal imbalance
Environmental factors like frost or drought stress
Damage from insects, fungi, or bacteria

In many cases, fasciation is completely harmless and doesn’t spread between plants. It’s not usually a sign of disease, but rather a quirky mutation.

Should You Worry About Fasciation?

The good news is that fasciation won’t usually harm your plant. In fact, some gardeners treasure fasciated blooms for their unusual beauty. Certain cultivars of cacti and ornamental plants are even bred specifically for their fasciated “crested” growth.

If the distortion looks attractive, enjoy it as a conversation starter in your garden! But if fasciation is affecting vegetable crops and reducing yield, you can simply prune out the affected stems.

Fasciation is one of those garden oddities that reminds us nature isn’t always predictable. Spotting a fasciated stem or flower can be surprising, but it’s rarely a cause for concern. Whether you admire the strange beauty or trim it away, fasciation proves that even imperfections in the garden can be fascinating.

Meet the author

Nelly

Nelly works in the She Grows Veg marketing department and is an incredible cook! She's learning how to grow veg fast in her very own container garden. Her favourites so far are the Dwarf Sunflower called 'Sunspot' and our Dwarf Pea called 'Tom Thumb'.