A unique fusion gene is disclosed which is useful for transforming a wide range of plants, resulting in a significant alteration of the plant phenotype with respect to shoot and floral tissue response, but not affecting root growth or function. The gene construct includes an ACC oxidase promoter to drive an ipt coding sequence that expresses IPT at certain stages of plant maturation and in certain tissues of the shoot. Exemplary transformations include chrysanthemum and tobacco, both of which exhibit increased branching in the vegetative shoot and increased bud count in the generative shoot.