Weird T.Rex behaviour

[AndyC]

Here is my T.Rex today

When it started to regrow in the spring it produced two growing points. The one on the left is producing the normal looking large leaves but the one on the right is behaving very strangely. I thought it was going to flower but there is no sign of any flowers just masses of small weird shaped leaves.

Can someone tell me whats going on

[kentgardener]

Hi Andy

can you peel away some of the old leaves from the 'weird head' to see the stem?

When I have seen similar growth in other plants it has been due to faciation/cristation of the growth tip. Can't say if that it what is happening here - but seeing the main stem may help diagnose the prodrome.

If it is turning cristate - that will be one extremely desirable plant in my eyes ( I have always had a soft spot for the unusual).

cheers

John

[AndyC]

Thanks John, I'd never heard of cristation before and had to look it up along with a look in the dictionary at what fasciation means. I've pulled off some of the dead fluffy bits from the top of the stem to reveal three short thin stems from the top of which all these strange leave appear. I don't know if this helps but here is a pic.

[MarkD]

Very odd, the leaves look more like loquat leaves now than tetrapanax (to my eyes anyway).

Despite the different appearance the leaves look healthy to me. If it bothers you would you consider decapitating the 'deviant' head?

[Chad]

I think it was trying to flower on that side. Aren't those aborted flower spikes?

If so, the surrounding leaves will be different as they are effectively 'involucral bracts'.

If there is a growing point on that side it will carry on and revert to normal. If there isn't a growth point, that shoot will wither away.

Chad.

[AndyC]

Chad, I thought that they were flower spikes but I don't know why it would abort flowering at this time of year

[Chad]

Andy,

I think the buds would have initiated a long time ago. Did you get hit with the April frosts? If so it could still be that 'growing out'.

Chad.

[Ali K]

Kentgardener wrote:

If it is turning cristate - that will be one extremely desirable plant in my eyes ( I have always had a soft spot for the unusual).

Is this unusual enough for you J?

[billo]

The above pic looks like fasciation to me. Happened on all the Echium fastuosum flowers on one plant.

[kentgardener]

Is this unusual enough for you J?

Thanks Ali, that takes me back, I used to grow that. I had over 200 different cristate plants when I was into cacti /succulents in the late 70's early 80's - they were definately my thing.

cheers

John