Helen Mirren’s Bisexual Tomato Comments Stun Jimmy Fallon

Helen Mirren turned a casual food segment on “The Tonight Show” into an impromptu gardening lesson — and left Jimmy Fallon blushing in the process. The 80-year-old Oscar-winning actress, currently promoting “The Thursday Murder Club,” revealed a surprising fact about tomato plants and shared a unique tip for helping them grow.

Helen Mirren Explains Why Tomatoes Need A “Tremble”

While Fallon prepared fresh salsa for Mirren and fellow guest Pierce Brosnan, the actress interrupted with some unexpected advice. “Incidentally, I just want to give you a tip about growing tomatoes,” Mirren said. “You know the little flower? Well, a good way to get a tomato out of a flower is you have to tremble the flower like this”, according to EW.

She demonstrated the technique by waving her index finger in the air, prompting Fallon to react with mock discomfort. “Stop doing that. I don’t know what’s happening,” he said. Laughing, Mirren assured him, “It’s legitimate!” Fallon quipped that he wasn’t about to try it on his own plants, saying, “Killing it is one thing! Doing that is something else.”

Helen Mirren Talks “Bisexual Tomatoes” And Surprising Plant Facts

Mirren then revealed the scientific reason behind her advice. “A tomato is a bisexual thing, you see,” she explained to audible gasps from the audience. “Well, it is!”

As Fallon tried to process the comment, Brosnan leaned into the moment. “You’ve ventured into this now, Jimmy,” he teased. Mirren explained further, “I looked it up very recently because I had a problem with my tomatoes. It’s bisexual, so you have to go around to each tomato, each flower, and go like this,” she said, mimicking the trembling motion again.

She noted that Fallon must have already done it unknowingly, since the tomato he was slicing for their salsa looked “lovely.” Brosnan, keeping the playful mood going, asked if the tomato he was cutting was male or female. Mirren clarified, “No, it’s the flower.”

Mirren’s gardening tip is backed by botany. Tomatoes have “complete flowers,” meaning they contain both male and female reproductive parts. This allows them to self-pollinate, often with help from wind, insects, or, as Mirren suggests, a gentle shake from the gardener. By giving each flower a little jostle, pollination can be encouraged, leading to more fruit.

The moment had the studio audience — and Fallon — in fits of laughter, but it also gave viewers at home a new piece of gardening wisdom. And for those curious, yes, Mirren and Brosnan still enjoyed the salsa.