Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Stephenb on July 24, 2009, 09:02:20 AM

Title: Deviant Valerian #2
Post by: Stephenb on July 24, 2009, 09:02:20 AM

This one is from last year. My Valeriana officinalis started producing cauliflower in one of the inflorescences (very useful, I thought as slugs don’t like Valerian)  ;)

So, what causes it: a form of fasciation or perhaps a Gall? If the latter I guess this should be moved to the Wildlife thread...

This year, the same plant has a flowering stem which is completely flattened (fasciation?).

Title: Re: Deviant Valerian #2
Post by: Ragged Robin on July 24, 2009, 10:50:50 AM

.....stranger and stranger..... :o

Title: Re: Deviant Valerian #2
Post by: Lori S. on July 25, 2009, 08:51:25 PM

I have a delphinium on which the flower stalks have always been fasciated for the last few years... but this year, it doesn't seem to be.  I'm not sure which is odder... that it was repeatedly, or that it isn't anymore!
Another delphinium from the same bed that is slightly odd (maybe it's something in our water  ;)) - seedpods are forming in the flowers at the base, while normal-looking bees are still present in the flowers at the top.

Edit:  Actually, as  I look at other ones, this doesn't seem to be unusual at all... I guess either I just didn't notice or didn't remember!