Coneflower – Fasciated
Q: My granddaughter spotted this flower in my front yard. It seems very unique. It has one very wide stem and a daisy bloom that wraps around that looks like two blooms made together.
A: This is a very interesting physical phenomenon called fasciation. It is caused by the bud on the stem producing flattened cells rather than round cells. You can easily see the flat stem and the weirdly shaped flower.
I know of several plants which can become fasciated …..curly willow, daylily and others.
see Fasciated Plants