Enjoy a short garden video

Do plants get cancer? The answer is, ‘Yes’, if cancer is defined as dysregulated cell growth, but typically plant cancer is different than in animals. Plant cells have a rigid cell wall that limits metastatic spreading of cancer cells through the plant. Instead, the tumor grows as a single mass called a gall. Also, most plant tumors/galls are caused by a viral infection that disrupts the normal expression of genes.   Here is an example that I found in my garden. I think this is an onion bulb where the new shoot has developed as a tumor of abnormal stem/leaf cells.

The leaves give it the name fishbone cactus or zig-zag cactus but it is the flower that is the prize. It is not really a cactus but a type of epiphyllum. Disocactus (Epiphyllum) anguliger is native to the forests of Mexico and the flowers only come on mature plants, typically in early summer.  This plant was started as a single cut frond given to me by R. Gale three years ago.  This is its first ever flower and it has arrived in winter. It will only last 1 day.