Fasciation and Proliferation in Roses

What causes fasciation in roses?

Fasciation, the botanical equivalent of a quirky genetic twist, turns your run-of-the-mill plant into a horticultural contortionist. It’s like the botanical version of a gene throwing a surprise party and inviting all the cells to join in the celebration. Picture this: instead of your typical solo stem or flower, you end up with a botanical family reunion, where stems decide to join forces and become Siamese twins. It’s as if the plant kingdom has its own secret club, and some genes just can’t resist turning the party into a full-blown botanical bash. While most plants experience this genetic shindig temporarily, there are the rebels like the ‘cockscomb’ celosia that decide to make the change permanent, passing on their quirky traits like a botanical family heirloom. So, next time you spot a plant with an unexpected floral fandango, just remember, it’s probably the result of genes letting loose on the dance floor of botanical life.

What causes proliferation?

Proliferation is caused by an error in the usual genetic sequence. The normal process of cell multiplication and division stops when the flower bud is produced. In proliferation, the apical cells of a flowering cane multiply and divide long after they should have stopped, causing foliage and buds to grow from the centre of the existing flower. As far as roses are concerned, any rose can show a case of proliferation, either once or spasmodically. Other roses have the predisposition to proliferate – “Spray Cecile Brunner,” aka “Bloomfield Abundance,” is one such example shown in the photos. There is one Old Garden Rose (OGR) that proliferates so badly that it is named “Prolifera de Redoute” and is shown in Redoute’s Roses. Proliferation occurs in many plants other than roses.