Cool Brenda, it's fasciated. It can happen to almost any plant, and it's just a mutation. Along the lines of vegetative centres in roses. I have seen some mind-blowing pictures of fasciated lilies, with a huge stem with pieces of flower sticking out of it. But I have never seen a lilac do it, it looks cool!!

Yah, my DS also thought that it was cool too...'cause he took all 3 weird stems and made a bouquet of them for his girlfriend.

I have had some lilies do the mutation thing also, last summer.

Brenda

I found that lily again - check this out, it's Franken-lily!

Here is a link that might be useful: Check this out!!

Our neighbour's lilac is doing the same thing this spring! Here are photos of the stem, which hangs over our fence. Sorry they're a bit blurred. I had to shoot quickly between downpours. I wish I had more than one rain barrel, today. It's really coming down!

{{gwi:708991}} {{gwi:708993}}
Sure makes for impressive cluster of blossoms!

Gil, the lily on your link is quite the mutation! I thought this sort of thing was the result of too much fiddling with genetics, but my neighbour's lilac has been there for decades.

Turns out all four of my orienpets are fasciating this year. All four! >:( They're usually the most impressive of my lilies too. Grrrrrrr!

Wow Marcia, all four! That's weird. Maybe they will look cool. Post a pic when they bloom!

I took a picture of them this morning. When i post it, you'll see how crowded the buds are. These are usually huge flowers. Other years, this might qualify as an interesting phenomena, but i don't need it this year! But.... nothing i can do about it, eh? I did say i had some more unusual things in my garden, didn't i?

Goodness Marcia, with an odd spectacle like that, you'll have to charge big money for garden tours this year!lol