Gilles Hustre’s plot was uncultivated for five years. “Before, there were tomatoes there. Rochois explains, “This year, I decided that I would put in radishes.” Two tomato plants appear in the middle of the radishes as they grow up. The one that is normal is the other. The other is unusual. The crown of flowers looks almost like a sunflower. There’s the central stem. Gardeners who wish to learn more about this speciality describe the upper leaves closing in the evening, as if to protect the crown of flowers perfectly distributed around this pivot.
The National Alpine Botanical Conservatory was contacted and studied the photos. He says, “It’s common distortion of tomatoes flowers with supernumerary leaves.” Rochois responds, “A common deformation, but which I have never experienced.” The gardener continues to watch this plant, its blossoms and its development. Is this flower going to bear a fruit? This question is still open for debate.
