3 cotyledon leaves?

**tomatoaddict** · March 16, 2007

As most of you know this is my first year starting seedlings. I planted some Noire Charbonneuse seeds and one of the seedlings has 3 cotyledon leaves. Is this weird or does that happen sometimes?

pooklette · March 16, 2007

Hello tomatoaddict.

I think this just happens sometimes. I've seen these a few times over the years and I know many others here have commented on it as well. I never noticed a difference in vitality/production of the regular versus the 'oddballs'. It's neat though, huh?

**carolyn137** · March 17, 2007

Yes, tricots do appear from time to time and there are those who maintain that such plants grow faster, so please do see what happens with that plant.

**tomatoaddict** · March 17, 2007

I think I will take a few pics of it and follow it thru it's growing stages. I feel lucky now that I got one like this. I will be very curious to see if it differs any from the Noir Char. that have the two leaves. I will keep everyone posted.

dcarch · March 17, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomatoaddict

----- I planted some Noire Charbonneuse seeds and one of the seedlings has 3 cotyledon leaves. Is this weird or does that happen sometimes?

A three-cotyledon leaf seedling is the same as a four-leaf Shamrock. It brings you incredible good luck.

I found one amongst my many seedlings. They are all about 5" tall now. I don't see any difference so far.

dcarch

the999bbq · February 18, 2008

Yeah, good luck to me too ... ;-)
the season started with three three cotydelon seedlings. Unfortunately most of them are anonymous : I found one accidently (I had put the seedling in the outcast selection, I keep three seedlings per variety for me and don't like to waste the waste so the get a second life in a seperate container that I can give away but in that process they are anonymised), one was in a container that 'someone' tripped over so that got anonymised too...

I've read an article on the number of cotyledons in wild radish - the mechanisms are poorly understood (variance, selection, ...) but pleiocotyly (other than two cotyledons for typically dicotyledonous plants does happen from time to time (less cotyledons than two happens more than more cotyledons); one cotyledon plants where reported to be weaker...

Mine are on pepper plants, one is looking like a three leaf shamrock, the other is fused like an acer leaf (maple I think is the common name) :

These baby's will get extra attention though, I hope I can rename them with the help from their fruits and I can than tryout if this behavior is kept over generations (pepper whatsHisName aceroides the999bbq and whatsHisName trifolium the999bbq ;-))

kimpossible · February 18, 2008

Here's a few old threads about it ...

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=tricots%2C

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=tricots%2C

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=tricots%2C

mcsee · February 18, 2008

I had one Tomato seedling tricot last season and kept the plant, but didn't notice anything different with its growth.

March 16, 2007	#1
tomatoaddict Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: zone 5 Posts: 1,459	3 cotyledon leaves? As most of you know this is my first year starting seedlings. I planted some Noire Charbonneuse seeds and one of the seedlings has 3 cotyledon leaves. Is this weird or does that happen sometimes? __________________ Secretseedcartel.com

March 17, 2007	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Yes, tricots do appear from time to time and there are those who maintain that such plants grow faster, so please do see what happens with that plant. __________________ Carolyn

March 17, 2007	#4
tomatoaddict Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: zone 5 Posts: 1,459	I think I will take a few pics of it and follow it thru it's growing stages. I feel lucky now that I got one like this. I will be very curious to see if it differs any from the Noir Char. that have the two leaves. I will keep everyone posted. __________________ Secretseedcartel.com

February 18, 2008	#6
the999bbq Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 191	Yeah, good luck to me too ... ;-) the season started with three three cotydelon seedlings. Unfortunately most of them are anonymous : I found one accidently (I had put the seedling in the outcast selection, I keep three seedlings per variety for me and don't like to waste the waste so the get a second life in a seperate container that I can give away but in that process they are anonymised), one was in a container that 'someone' tripped over so that got anonymised too... I've read an article on the number of cotyledons in wild radish - the mechanisms are poorly understood (variance, selection, ...) but pleiocotyly (other than two cotyledons for typically dicotyledonous plants does happen from time to time (less cotyledons than two happens more than more cotyledons); one cotyledon plants where reported to be weaker... Mine are on pepper plants, one is looking like a three leaf shamrock, the other is fused like an acer leaf (maple I think is the common name) : These baby's will get extra attention though, I hope I can rename them with the help from their fruits and I can than tryout if this behavior is kept over generations (pepper whatsHisName aceroides the999bbq and whatsHisName trifolium the999bbq ;-)) Last edited by the999bbq; February 18, 2008 at 02:09 PM.

February 18, 2008	#7
kimpossible Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Z5b SW Ont Canada Posts: 767	Here's a few old threads about it ... http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=tricots%2C http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=tricots%2C http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=tricots%2C __________________ *So Many Tomatoes ... So Little Time*

March 16, 2007	#2
pooklette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Zone 5 Posts: 262	Hello tomatoaddict. I think this just happens sometimes. I've seen these a few times over the years and I know many others here have commented on it as well. I never noticed a difference in vitality/production of the regular versus the 'oddballs'. It's neat though, huh?

February 18, 2008	#8
mcsee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Victoria. Australia Posts: 543	I had one Tomato seedling tricot last season and kept the plant, but didn't notice anything different with its growth.