I took these in early fall up the mountains from me, so not in my neighborhood, but not too far away The first one is a Q. Alba and the second is a Q. Rubra, both up the mountains from me. And then there are 2 American Beech trees about 5 miles from me, and each tree is about a mile from each other. The jug in the 2 top pics is a gallon jug. Shingle oak about 5 miles from my house. There are some closer to me, actually in my neighborhood, but, I have yet to get someone to pose next to them for scale. I may just bring a baseball cap along for scale. There is a Q. Alba that isn';t super large, but, is kinda old and a bit large, it is hollow now so I best get a picture taken. There was a car which crashed into it about 8-10 years ago. It just may not be there for too much longer. I went on the Pa big trees site last night, and there are not very many oaks in my county, which is Fayette county Pa. I think there are only 2-3 listed. And I was shocked there were no Sycamores listed as champs here. Poaky1

Cold weather and soil moisture problems can negatively affect bloomage. Wildly fluctuating temperatures will cause bud drop; soil moisture that goes from very dry to moist/wet & back will also cause bud drop. In some cases, bloomage may be delayed considerably. For example, I have a Debutante that started blooming in January when we suddenly got a cold spell so it stopped blooming. Then it restarted in March. This year, Prof. Sargent has been very tardy. The flower buds look like they should burst open soon but the only problem is that, tonight, the temps will drop to 30 degrees and on the next few days, temps will be around 32+ at night. So, who knows for sure how all the unopened buds will respond. If you can rule out the weather, maybe the plant is not getting enough moisture during the winter months. For example, at first it may have had sufficient moisture during winter but as it grew larger, it could have reached a point where it regularly needs more water than in prior years. Just an example. If you think it is the weather, consider early or late blooming camellias. For example, Camellia sasanqua should not have this kind of problem as it blooms early, when temperatures are much warmer. Japonicas bloom during winter and thus can suffer this problem. Luis

Hibiscus need full sun, all day if they can get it, especially to flower. Many leggy plants will get fuller by cutting back (or pinching back, on small plants). Years ago when I lived at the beach, my neighbor would whack back her pink hibiscus to only about two feet tall. And that thing would be absolutely GORGEOUS a few months later, loaded with blooms. It was in full sun. But that the cut back used to kill me - it was way before I was ever a gardener. Carol

Thanks, citrunut! I take lots and lots, constantly adjusting the focus as I go. I had no idea that you got hummingbirds so far north! Yes, the Black and Blue would be a great hummingbird plant, wouldn't it? I hadn't even thought of that and haven't seen any around mine, but they probably wait until I leave the garden to go there.