Yep, both Gallardia. The one on the right is just deformed.
jmdp3051
That’s a cool developmental mutation
Some people refer to that flower head as a “sport” since it’s unique, and the plant will likely only produce one. UNLESS it is caused by some environmental factor which may affect future blooms similarly
Ionantha123
I hope you get some more like that, that’s so cool!
Amelaista
There is more going on here, and both types are recognized varieties for Blanket flower. Blanket flowers are part of the Aster family, and as such their flower-heads are actually a cluster of flowers. The outer flowers or “ray flowers” are usually sterile and have a modified shape to be large and showy to attract insects. The inner “disk flowers” are fertile and small.
The left flower here is the typical wild type that is commonly found. The right flower has a reversion to tubular ray flowers. They can also have versions where the disk flowers grow more like the tubular ray flowers, and various color mutations.
If your flowers are attached to the same plant, then one of them likely had a minor point mutation, or “sport” and that branch should keep growing the oddball flowers. Its also possible that the change was due to stress as the bud was developing, and future blooms will be the typical type.
4 Comments
Yep, both Gallardia. The one on the right is just deformed.
That’s a cool developmental mutation
Some people refer to that flower head as a “sport” since it’s unique, and the plant will likely only produce one. UNLESS it is caused by some environmental factor which may affect future blooms similarly
I hope you get some more like that, that’s so cool!
There is more going on here, and both types are recognized varieties for Blanket flower. Blanket flowers are part of the Aster family, and as such their flower-heads are actually a cluster of flowers. The outer flowers or “ray flowers” are usually sterile and have a modified shape to be large and showy to attract insects. The inner “disk flowers” are fertile and small.
The left flower here is the typical wild type that is commonly found. The right flower has a reversion to tubular ray flowers. They can also have versions where the disk flowers grow more like the tubular ray flowers, and various color mutations.
If your flowers are attached to the same plant, then one of them likely had a minor point mutation, or “sport” and that branch should keep growing the oddball flowers. Its also possible that the change was due to stress as the bud was developing, and future blooms will be the typical type.
Here is a link that shows lots of varieties. [https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/blanket-flower-gaillardia-spp/](https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/blanket-flower-gaillardia-spp/)