Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Thursday - July 25, 2013
From: New York, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Soils, Watering, Vines
Title: Trumpet Vine Dropping Buds
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
My trumpet vine is dropping its buds before flowering. This happened last year as well. Do you know what is causing this and what I can do to prevent it?ANSWER:
Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper or trumpet vine) is generally as a tough, vigorous (sometimes too aggressive) vine that can handle conditions from full sun to shade and having a cold tolerance down to zone 4 (-30 F.)
When your vine starts to drop its buds it is signaling that it is under some form of stress – too wet, too dry, too windy. While your vine can tolerate quite a bit of moisture fluctuations, dropping buds do signal that it isn’t happy with some aspect of the environment. Trumpet vine grows best in average soils with regular moisture in full sun. It needs a good amount of sun to flower well. Excessive winds, poor soil drainage, water-logged soils, dense shade and excessive soil drying can all cause stress on the plant and bud drop. Start your investigation with the soil and vine roots to see if you can determine what is causing your vine to drop its buds.
From the Image Gallery
More Diseases and Disorders Questions
Improving blooming on mock orange
March 03, 2008 - I have a now 6 yr. old mock orange shrub in the garden which has never bloomed, darn it. I have fed, not fed, mulched, not mulched, sheared, not sheared. What gives? Will it ever bloom, or shall I ...
view the full question and answer
Live oaks exhibiting white foam spots from Round Rock, TX
June 08, 2014 - We have several native very large Live Oak in our backyard, and this summer we have noticed white foam spots on the branches. We live in Round Rock next to the Williamson County Park. The spots look...
view the full question and answer
Petals not developing on blackeyed susans from Nashville TN
July 05, 2011 - I have an established "patch" of black eyes susans. This year, the leaves are beautiful, the centers black..but the petals are practically non existent. They didn't seem to develop correctly. Any...
view the full question and answer
When is the best time to trim oak trees in Driftwood TX?
September 09, 2010 - When is the best time to trim oak trees?
view the full question and answer
Hibiscus plants being attacked by powdery mildew, or maybe mealy bugs in Austin, TX.
August 10, 2011 - I have three hibiscus plants planted outside about a foot apart from each other. The one that gets most of the sunlight is the worse off of the three. However, all three of them have white powdery stu...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |