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applestar
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Weird growth on male squash blossoms

OK< anyone know what's going on here? These two MALE blossoms are growing on my C.moschata Kikuza x Tromboncino F1 :shock:
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JONA
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Any chance it could a reaction to Melon Fly damage.
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applestar
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You think? I don't know, JONA. Melon Fly isn't one of the common pests here as far as I know.... But I'm sure if they are around, they would manage to find my garden sooner or later. :?
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applestar
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Today, I looked to see if those blossoms which were male and should only be open for just one day and then fall off, had fallen off... And what happened to the strange growth -- did it turn brown?

One of them did fall off the stem. I pulled off the browned mushy petals and found something that is embryo-fruit like.. I fully expected it to be some kind of a gall with a hollow egg chamber inside, but when I cut it open, it looked like this:
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...You can see that the cut surfaces are beading with moisture like any cucurbit fruit would
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As you can see, the second one is still attached to the long male-type stem.... :|
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rainbowgardener
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a gender fluid/ gender non-conforming squash blossom! :)
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Lindsaylew82
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:shock: Weirrrrrrrrrrrrrd! It looks like it would have had seeds maybe?!
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applestar
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Two more appeared today. :roll: There ARE normal male blossoms, too, though. :|

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applestar
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...maybe I should be EATING these blossoms... :P
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Gary350
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Some plants are male, some plants are female.

Why does nation wide weather report never match local weather report?
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Lindsaylew82
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I want to know what happens when they mature! If they mature!

Are there female blossoms too? Maybe you have a mutant asexual plant!
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applestar
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Today, an ACTUAL FEMALE blossom opened way further up the vine. Two normal males opened on the same vine so I hand pollinated. :D (I should explain that after dabbing, I leave the male blossoms in the female flower with the anther nestled against the stigma.)


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I think the ribbing on the baby fruit looks very Kikuza-like. 8)
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applestar
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Lindsaylew82 wrote:I want to know what happens when they mature! If they mature!
Nope! The first two eventually browned and rotted, so I ate those last two in a pasta sauce :twisted: --texture like summer squash. Next time (if there IS a next time) I'll taste by itself to see if there is any flavor, maybe a little salt.


The female/baby fruit looks good. I have to get a brick for it to sit on :-()
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