{"id":492,"date":"2025-11-05T10:07:55","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T08:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/?p=492"},"modified":"2025-11-05T10:07:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T08:07:55","slug":"fasciation-explained-how-it-affects-plants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/?p=492","title":{"rendered":"Fasciation explained: How it affects plants"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"cb-itemprop\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Gardening can sometimes be an unpredictable task, leaving<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0even the most experienced gardeners surprised from time to time. If you\u2019ve ever walked into your garden and noticed some plants may look like they are deformed, chances are you\u2019ve stumbled across fasciation. This unusual plant mutation may leave you both confused and intrigued by the oddities of gardening. Here\u2019s what you need to know about fasciation and how to identify it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What is fasciation?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This is a rare plant growth abnormality in which the stems, flower heads, or shoots of the plants grow unusually<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Instead of forming in their usual neat shape, the plant\u2019s growth gets confused, resulting in the production of flattened or swollen stems. This genetic mutation can visibly affect the stem and even the fruits of the plant. It often leads to multiple extra flowers being produced on the affected stems. In most cases, you\u2019ll see flower heads that look like they\u2019ve been squashed together, creating a bizarre visual appeal on the plant. Fasciation can happen in a wide range of plants, from vegetables to flowers; any plant can be affected by the phenomenon.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51537\" class=\"wp-image-51537 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509-copy-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509 copy\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509-copy-scaled.jpeg 1707w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509-copy-200x300.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509-copy-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509-copy-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509-copy-1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-thepaintedsquare-10880509-copy-1365x2048.jpeg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\" \/>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Why does fasciation happen?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The effects of fasciation result from a genetic mutation which is often random. There are also some underlying causes which can prompt the changes in susceptible plants. It is believed that the plant\u2019s growing tip becomes disrupted, leading to various deformities. This can be due to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Genetic mutation<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hormonal imbalance<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Environmental factors like frost or drought stress<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Damage from insects or bacteria<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Although completely harmless, it can still be an unpleasant sight for many gardeners.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Symptoms of fasciation <\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When fasciation happens due to the many physical disruptions, it\u2019s not likely that fasciation will recur in the same plants each year. This is why it is important to note the symptoms, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Flattened stems <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Swollen or split growth on the plants<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Excess flowers emerging from one point, creating a crowded display.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Distorted plant shapes give the plant a weird appearance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51535\" class=\"wp-image-51535 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash-scaled.jpeg 1707w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash-200x300.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash-1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ernest-boyd-XqBpTMQFPVE-unsplash-1365x2048.jpeg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\" \/>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: Unsplash<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Although fasciation is one of those garden oddities that let us know nature isn\u2019t always predictable. Spotting a fasciated flower can be surprising, but it is not a cause for concern.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/gardening\/shade-loving-plants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>ALSO SEE: SHADE-LOVING PLANTS FOR HOT SOUTH AFRICAN SUMMERS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"xi3LOewB7V\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/gardening\/shade-loving-plants\/\">Shade-loving plants for hot South African summers\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Feature Image: Unsplash<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/gardening\/fasciation-explained-affects-plants\/\">Fasciation explained: How it affects plants<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gardenandhome.co.za\/\">SA Garden and Home<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gardening can sometimes be an unpredictable task, leaving\u00a0even the most experienced gardeners surprised from time to time. If<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=492"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}