What is a bud
All higher plants, such as herbaceous perennials and flowers as well as woody plants, have growth points, the buds. These form in the course of the vegetation phase on all parts of the plant, from the shoot or trunk to the roots. Think of a bud as a tiny powerhouse that contains all of the components needed to grow this year. A bud receives the signal for budding via plant hormones, which in turn are controlled by the weather conditions.
also read
- Cut fuchsias every 4 weeks - instructions for beginners
- Good background knowledge counts here: sowing salsify
- How to properly prune a lilac tree - beginner's guide
Overview of bud types
The type of plant, the growth behavior, the time of planting and the position determine whether the buds turn into a flower, a leaf or a shoot. Summer-flowering shrubs attach their flower buds to this year's shoots, whereas spring-flowering plants already complete this task in the previous year. Sometimes a bud remains dormant and stays tiny for a long time, only to sprout suddenly. The most important
Bud species and their main functions are presented in the following overview:| Bud species | Main function | position |
|---|---|---|
| Flower bud | Development to flowering | mostly on the one, two or three year old shoots |
| Leaf bud | Leaves and / or side shoots shoot | along the stem axis |
| Terminal bud | Shoot of leaf and / or flower | at the end of a woody shoot |
| Adventitious bud | Growth of leaves, flowers, shoots and roots from old wood | spontaneously on the trunk, on shoots and roots |
| Asleep eye (Preventive bud) | Restoration of lost plant parts, primarily on fruit trees | long time under the bark |
Adventitious buds and sleeping eyes are the secret reserves of bushes and trees. On older trees, they can spontaneously and immediately emerge from the Cambium sprout like adventitious buds. Or they wait years for their big entrance, like preventive buds. If a strong pruning results in a high loss of branches, the affected plant falls back on the budding second occupation to create a balance. Thanks to these types of buds, numerous woody plants are able to sprout from old wood after a rejuvenation cut.
Tips
The essential importance of buds for plant growth requires special pruning in woody plants. A bud must not be injured because it then dries up and dies. In return, there should not be a long stub above the growth point, because it can develop into a focus of infection. Therefore, place the cutting tool a few millimeters above a bud in a slightly inclined position.
