Interesting, but thanks. Looks like it teamed up with a disease.

Although it appears to be a pretty robust plant(s), those flowerheads look like a case of aster yellows.

Since they volunteered, I'd be inclined to get rid of them just to limit any potential risk of infection of more valued plants.

Thanks for the input, but no, they aren't diseased, several of the offspring that were produced are simply apetalous - or having no petals with normal round shaped discs. This is a healthy plant with mishaped flowers, nothing to get excited about really. Have been growing plants for over 50 yrs, have some plant pathology in my background and this to my trained eye appears to be a genetic aberration since several seedlings in far different areas of my property have this trait. (But not the lumpiness) The parent plants are all healthy, and the other normal flowered offspring as well. It will be yanked and sent to the compost pile.... gosh, thought you guys would have a better sense of humor. With the state of the world the way it is these days I need something to laugh about, even if it is just a silly looking plant. :)

Well, Jeff, ugly is in the eye of the beholder, and I behold this as ugly! Rip away! I’ve learned to not go for the new and amazing, I like the sure thing, too many disappointments in the garden.

Sherry

In the bank of my mind I think there's a place in the world for 'Pretty Ugly.' Distopian futures are all the rage with books, movies, etc. Think of all the money spent on special effects to create ugly plants infected with the latest virus that is trying to wipe out all life on earth, or poisoned by something-or-other and is killing all mankind. Hollywood might pay big bucks for 'Pretty Ugly.'

'Pretty Ugly' cracks me up as a name. Please name the next one 'Kinda Weird.' I think we could come up all kind of names to make the winter days go by!

Yup, pretty ugly!

Oddly enough I had the same thing show up in a pot of aster seedlings I grew out. Most were beauties but one plant has no petals. It's probably been four years now, but each fall the others open up nicely and then 'Pretty ugly' shows its face. Being lazy I haven't bothered to rip it out yet.

Sort of reminds me of those 'feelings' phlox. They're pretty ugly imo but there's a whole series of them. They probably look interesting in an arrangement, but...