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If you've ever eaten a freshly grown tomato from a local farmers market, you know how anomalous and quirky natural plants can look. But this time, we’re taking the oddness of Mother Nature to a whole new level.

Please meet the aliens of the plant kingdom that resemble little creatures you’d see in Ridley Scott’s movie. This is due to a condition known as vivipary, which basically, and now you may hold tight, refers to “live birth” in Latin. And it means precisely what it sounds like—it’s when the seeds start germinating while still attached to the mother plant.

So let’s dive into the fascinating world of vivipary in plants as compiled by Bored Panda, so we all know what gardeners' nightmares are made of, and the next time you eat your lovely salad, don't take it for granted.

#1

Mutant! My Sunflower Has Had An Unconventional Baby

Mutant! My Sunflower Has Had An Unconventional Baby

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#3

Friend Of Mine Found An Apple With An Apple Tree Growing Out Of It

Friend Of Mine Found An Apple With An Apple Tree Growing Out Of It

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In order to find out more about this unusual phenomenon, Bored Panda spoke to David Lifton, a gardener and blogger who runs the Instagram account “Young Ground Grows.” David said that vivipary is pretty common sight for him because he has been growing his own produce on his allotment garden for eight years.

David explained that vivipary is a condition whereby the seeds of a fruit begin to sprout from inside the fruit. “Every seed contains growth hormones that are programmed to activate when the conditions are right (heat, light, humidity). And they normally do this once the fruit has dropped and has rotted away in the soil.”

However, these growth hormones can be tricked to grow prematurely in situations where fruits are left out in hot or humid weather.

#4

Sprouting Strawberries? How Can I Fix This?

Sprouting Strawberries? How Can I Fix This?

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#5

An Avocado Tree Was Starting To Grow Inside My Avocado

An Avocado Tree Was Starting To Grow Inside My Avocado

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Aria Whitaker
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I...dont think I have seen anyone cut their avocados horizontally before....

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#6

Noticed Something That Looked Like A Worm In My Apple. Upon Further Inspection, It Turned Out To Be The Seeds Inside Sprouting

Noticed Something That Looked Like A Worm In My Apple. Upon Further Inspection, It Turned Out To Be The Seeds Inside Sprouting

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David also said that you can eat vivipary fruits, but you need “to cut around the sprouted seeds and check there's no softness on the skin, bad odor, or signs of mold, as this would indicate the fruit is off.”

Even though vivipary-affected fruits and veggies look odd, to say the least, it turns out the condition is more common than we think. “If you grow your own pumpkins and squash and store them away for a few months, when you come to open them up, you may find the seeds have begun to sprout!”

Plus, “if you live in the western hemisphere, you'll most likely find vivipary in supermarket peppers,” David said.

#7

Forgot About This Tomato While On Vacation And It Sprouted

Forgot About This Tomato While On Vacation And It Sprouted

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#8

This Strawberry's Seeds Started Sprouting While It Was Still On The Plant

This Strawberry's Seeds Started Sprouting While It Was Still On The Plant

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#9

Vivipary (Premature Germination) Of Corn Kernels. This Condition Is Most Likely To Occur When Kernels Have Dried Down To 20% Moisture Or Less And Are Then Rewetted By Rains

Vivipary (Premature Germination) Of Corn Kernels. This Condition Is Most Likely To Occur When Kernels Have Dried Down To 20% Moisture Or Less And Are Then Rewetted By Rains

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Other places where you can find vivipary fruits is near the equator, “where length of day and temperatures stay consistent.” Here, David explained that “vivipary may be a far more common sight in lots of fruits,” not just sprouting tomatoes.

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#10

This Bell Pepper Has Other Bell Peppers Growing Inside Of It

This Bell Pepper Has Other Bell Peppers Growing Inside Of It

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#11

Live Birth

Live Birth

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#12

The Seeds In My Butternut Squash Were Sprouting On The Inside

The Seeds In My Butternut Squash Were Sprouting On The Inside

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#13

My Tomato's Seeds Have Started To Sprout From The Inside

My Tomato's Seeds Have Started To Sprout From The Inside

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Merili Auq
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, my tomatoes do it all the time, because I forget about them on the kitchen table for too long :D

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#14

I Find These Wonders Of Nature Often On My Plate

I Find These Wonders Of Nature Often On My Plate

Just as I was about to gobble up these pomegranate seeds I saw some green sticking to one of the seeds and thought it could be the coriander greens I was handling the same time I peeled the pomegranate. But it turned out to be a sprouting seed, a fine example of viviparous behaviour. I have experienced in earlier in papaya, many citrus fruits, tomatoes, cantaloupes, watermelon and even mangoes

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#15

Mango Pit Began To Grow Into A Tree, While Still Inside The Mango (Full Branch Visible)

Mango Pit Began To Grow Into A Tree, While Still Inside The Mango (Full Branch Visible)

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JessG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's awesome! You've got a great starter! Plant that sucker!

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#16

How Vivipary Is Happened In The Given Picture Of Mangifera Indica, Showing Emerges Of Seedling After Germination While The Fruit Still Attached With Mother Plant Identify This Abonormality......

How Vivipary Is Happened In The Given Picture Of Mangifera Indica, Showing Emerges Of Seedling After Germination While The Fruit Still Attached With Mother Plant Identify This Abonormality......

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#17

Found A Sprouting Seed In My Tangerine

Found A Sprouting Seed In My Tangerine

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Aunt Messy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Plant it! Stick it in a pot with a little soil and have fun.

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#21

I May Have Left This Butternut Squash In The Field Too Long

I May Have Left This Butternut Squash In The Field Too Long

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#25

Nature Is Amazing

Nature Is Amazing

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Maiun
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think teazles (Caprifoliaceae Dipsacus) are great plants and birds love them

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#27

A Tomato Growing More Tomatoes.

A Tomato Growing More Tomatoes.

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#28

I Just Opened This Butternut Squash And Found This Amazing Phenomena That I Never Thought I Would Ever See

I Just Opened This Butternut Squash And Found This Amazing Phenomena That I Never Thought I Would Ever See

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M O'Connell
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would the sprouts themselves be edible? They look a lot like bean sprouts.

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#29

The Wonders Of Plant Vivipary

The Wonders Of Plant Vivipary

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#30

Vivipary

Vivipary

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Note: this post originally had 56 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.