Jeanette Robinson of Rockmart carefully places an unusual tomato on a tray.

She admits this one is different from others she has purchased or grown.

It is small round, red and apparently normal, but it has two sprouts growing from its left side near the top.

“You can see,” says Jeanette. “It is not my imagination. This tomato has new growth coming through its side.”

Mrs. Robinson, a farm girl from Haralson County, said she knows what tomatoes are supposed to do. It does not include growing new plants from seeds still inside the parent tomato.

However, she does admit that tomato seeds easily germinate when everything is right for new growth.

Growers can recall throwing a shriveled vegetable into a flowerbed, compost heap or other rich soil. Later, they discover tiny plants have sought new life from seed within the parent.

The true answer is that the tomato’s seeds are a bit confused. It has everything needed to produce sprouts, according to Ricky Ensley, Extension Coordinator.

“I have seen them before,” he said. “It is genetic confusion and the tomato seeds are trying to become plants.”

Jeanette says she recently purchased her tomato from Ingle’s. It was one of five on a green stem. The first four were normal and delicious, but not the last one.

“I decided I did not want to eat it,” she smiles. “However, it has attracted some attention.”

Her son, Marty, was interested after he asked, “Where did you get it?”

She says he placed it on Facebook, but she wanted it in her community newspaper.

In the future, she plans to take a close look at the tomatoes she buys to see if they are sprouting.