Bud drop
Flower buds fall before they open, usually after a move, a chill or a swing in watering.
What you'll see
- Healthy-looking buds yellow, shrivel or simply fall off before opening.
- It often starts soon after the plant is moved, brought home from the store or set near a cold window or vent.
- Common on Christmas cactus, hibiscus, gardenias and camellias.
Why it happens
The plant drops buds it can't support after stress: soil too dry or too wet, cold drafts or a sudden change in light or warmth. Too much nitrogen and heat waves add to it, and camellia buds drop after a dry summer.
How to fix it
- Pick a bright spot away from drafts, heaters and cold glass, and stop moving the plant while it is in bud.
- Keep the soil evenly moist: water when the top inch (2.5 cm) is dry, and never leave the pot standing in water.
- Hold off on high-nitrogen fertilizer while buds form, and feed at the label rate.
- Use room-temperature water; cold water can shock the buds.
Keep it from coming back
- Buy plants in bud rather than in full flower, and keep them warm on the trip home.
- Give Christmas cactus a cool rest with less water in early autumn to set buds.
- Water camellias and other spring bloomers steadily in late summer and autumn, when next year's buds form.
Sources
- UC IPM: Premature bud drop
- Clemson HGIC: Houseplant diseases and disorders
- RHS: How to grow Christmas cactus
- UF/IFAS Extension: Bud drop and other hibiscus horror stories
General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.