Hey Bill...That's really good to know about the Ortho systemic. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California (zone 8b), which is just inside the lower zone limit for Gardenias. The one bummer about Gardenias and where I live is the lack of humidity. Of course the joy I receive when my little potted Gardenia flowers overpowers the labor I put into keeping that little plant thriving. Thanks for the input. I'm always interested in learning about other people's gardening techniques both locally and throughout the country. Cheers, Robby

Hear, Hear! Thanks, Bill. Sounds like your Bougainvillea is busting out with flowers. Also, the fact that you said bracts (which subtend the true flowers of the Bougainvillea and are the colorful parts) leads me to believe that you've been around the gardening block a few times. :) Happy Gardening! --Robby

You may also want to check the light conditions for the plant. Gardenias can take a good amount of light, BUT (that was capitalized for a reason) not if all that sunlight makes the Gardenia too hot. If the Gardenia is not getting enough light, it will also very likely drop its buds. Gardenias are amongst the most temperamental of plants. I too have fallen victim of premature bud drop even though I know the environmental conditions that cause it, so it can happen to anyone. I hope this was helpful. Happy Gardening!!! --Robby

Even though one of the primary causes of premature bud drop is low humidity, I would not advise misting the foliage of the Gardenia. Gardenias are susceptible to fungal leaf spots and will have a higher chance of disease if their leaves are constantly wet. There is little more that you can do other than keeping the soil for the Gardenia and all around the plant evenly moist to create a microclimate of higher humidity than you would otherwise have.

An EasyBloomer recently asked a question that I definitely deemed as worthy of replying to on the forums. The question was about why the buds on their Gardenia kept dropping right before they would open. This is a fairly common problem. (Confession: I too have had this problem with the Gardenia that is sitting on my porch). The EasyBloomer who was having this problem also mentioned that besides the premature dropping of the flower buds, the Gardenia looked great. This, unfortunately, is a fairly common problem with Gardenias. Gardenias are very temperamental, and premature bud drop can be caused by several environmental stimuli. Probably the most common cause for this problem is low humidity. Gardenias truly thrive in moderately warm temperatures where the humidity is also relatively high. This is why Gardenias flourish in Southern gardens where it doesn't get too cold. There are other reasons why the buds may have dropped. Large temperature swings can cause the buds to drop. Under- or overwatering can cause the problem. Poor lighting, cold drafts or even physical distress can cause bud drop. Physical distress can occur by simply moving a potted Gardenia to a different position. If you have a heat wave or a cold snap, the buds can also drop.

Hey Frank...Good call! The Blue Dawn Vine, which is also called Blue Dawn Flower, is known by its Latin name Ipomoea indica. It used to be classified under different names: Ipomoea learii & Ipomoea acuminata. I will add this plant to our database and you should see it shortly. Thanks for the recommendation. --Robby

Hey Ellen...I think that's a great idea! By chance do you have any specific lawn grasses in mind? --Robby

Hey Andrew...I wouldn't be surprised if what you had was a Chilean Wine Palm. Its Latin name is Jubaea chilensis. It generally has a thicker trunk than the coconut palm, but the fruits are very similar. By chance do you remember the color of the flowers? Did they have a purple hue? There are many edible palms, but I hope this was helpful. Happy Gardening! --Robby

Hey Win...I was going through some old posts just to be sure I did not miss anything. Unfortunately, I found that I did miss your post. :( I will add this plant to our database. In the meantime, I would recommend using the Weeping Willow. The temperature and zones would be slightly different, but the light, humidity and soil moisture should be very similar. I hope this is helpful. Also, if you have more plant suggestions for our database, feel free to post your suggestions in the Ask the Plant Doctor forum. I hang out in there all the time, since I am the Plant Doctor. ;) --Robby

Hey Michael...You are definitely asking a question that is outside of my realm of expertise. I have to be honest with you before I go into too much detail. I do have a PhD, and my education is in horticulture and plant biology, but I am not a medical doctor. I can tell you what I do know about the plant. Feverfew is known by its Latin name Tanacetum parthenium. I would be concerned with using it medicinally since handling the leaves can cause dermatitis and eating the leaves have caused mouth ulcers in some people. I'm sorry that I cannot give you more information. I would feel uncomfortable giving medical advice when I am not a medical doctor. :( --Robby