Two different tomatoes on one plant

LoreD · September 15, 2006

I was trimming and topping off one of my bi-color plants and noticed that the tomatoes on the bottom were a smooth bi-color and the tomatoes on the top seem to be a solid color ruffled tomato (looks a bit like an accordian tomato). Unfortunately, I was a little lax in marking my plants and this is one that is a bit of a mystery.

I planted three types of bi-colors: Flame, Williams Striped, and Copia. I know its not Flame because I grew it before and this is definitely not it. Its either Williams or Copia. I can't tell the ruffled tomatoes color yet because its green.

Is this really unusual for two different tomatoes to be growing on the same plant. Its never happened to me before.

LoreD

Suze · September 16, 2006

Lore, a couple of possible explanations. Sometimes ruffling or fluting of a fruit is due to environmental influences (but I see you are also reporting a possible different color). You might also be seeing a somatic mutation - cellular mutation that is just affecting a branch of the plant and causing a different size/shape/color for that one branch. Not common, but certainly a possibility.

For example, this is how Yellow Risesentraube came to be.

PaulF · September 16, 2006

Not that this is true in your case, but I had a similar occurance a couple of years ago. I was so excited at my "discovery" I informed the forum populace and asked what was up. One esteemed member gently prodded me to look carefully at the base of the plant for an intruder of the volunteer kind. The sneaky devil was twisted almost invisably around the original plant. The leaves and stems were so close in size and color I was fooled and feeling foolish. I hope the other explaination is the correct one. All kinds of neat things happen to tomato growers.

Dunkel · September 16, 2006

I planted a variety I got from a friend in Southwestern WV this year called "Radford Tommy Toes". It was named tongue in cheek as it was supposed to be a giant variety. The first fruit that formed was like a roma/oxheart shape which I thought odd. The next fruits to set were beefsteaks. I e mailed my friend to ask him what shape the tomatoes are supposed to be and he said "they set blunt ended oxhearts and beefsteaks"! I ended up getting 5 tomatoes off the plant 2 were roma/oxheart shaped and 3 were beefsteak shaped. Pretty neat I thought.

September 15, 2006	#1
LoreD Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chicago Suburbs Posts: 306	Two different tomatoes on one plant I was trimming and topping off one of my bi-color plants and noticed that the tomatoes on the bottom were a smooth bi-color and the tomatoes on the top seem to be a solid color ruffled tomato (looks a bit like an accordian tomato). Unfortunately, I was a little lax in marking my plants and this is one that is a bit of a mystery. I planted three types of bi-colors: Flame, Williams Striped, and Copia. I know its not Flame because I grew it before and this is definitely not it. Its either Williams or Copia. I can't tell the ruffled tomatoes color yet because its green. Is this really unusual for two different tomatoes to be growing on the same plant. Its never happened to me before. LoreD __________________ Its not what you get to keep in life, its what you get to give away.

September 16, 2006	#4
Dunkel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West By God Virginia Posts: 245	I planted a variety I got from a friend in Southwestern WV this year called "Radford Tommy Toes". It was named tongue in cheek as it was supposed to be a giant variety. The first fruit that formed was like a roma/oxheart shape which I thought odd. The next fruits to set were beefsteaks. I e mailed my friend to ask him what shape the tomatoes are supposed to be and he said "they set blunt ended oxhearts and beefsteaks"! I ended up getting 5 tomatoes off the plant 2 were roma/oxheart shaped and 3 were beefsteak shaped. Pretty neat I thought. __________________ I plant... Therefore I am. - Dunkel What the country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds. - Will Rogers

September 16, 2006	#2
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Lore, a couple of possible explanations. Sometimes ruffling or fluting of a fruit is due to environmental influences (but I see you are also reporting a possible different color). You might also be seeing a somatic mutation - cellular mutation that is just affecting a branch of the plant and causing a different size/shape/color for that one branch. Not common, but certainly a possibility. For example, this is how Yellow Risesentraube came to be.

September 16, 2006	#3
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	Not that this is true in your case, but I had a similar occurance a couple of years ago. I was so excited at my "discovery" I informed the forum populace and asked what was up. One esteemed member gently prodded me to look carefully at the base of the plant for an intruder of the volunteer kind. The sneaky devil was twisted almost invisably around the original plant. The leaves and stems were so close in size and color I was fooled and feeling foolish. I hope the other explaination is the correct one. All kinds of neat things happen to tomato growers.