Q: I purchased a begonia that has started to bloom with pointed leaves. Do you know what type it is and how to care for it?
A: You made a great purchase by choosing a star begonia, a very hardy plant suitable for your home or landscape. Star begonias prefer to grow in bright areas out of direct sunlight. If you want to add it to your landscape, place it in a container or plant it in the ground in the shade of a tree or other cover. Plants can tolerate some cold, but will die if frozen. It can usually be protected with mulch or a cover during very cold weather. Every spring, star begonias bloom in spikes of pink flowers. At other times of the year, you can enjoy the star-shaped dark green leaves. If planting in the ground, keep it moist and fertilize once in March, May, and October. Potted plants can be fed with container-type fertilizers listed on the label.
Q: My St. Augustine lawn has brown spots all over the green grass. What causes brown spots? What can I do?
A: When it gets cold and frosty, brown markings appear on most lawns. There may also be areas where dead weeds such as crabgrass are growing. However, if you notice that only your St. Augustine grass is affected, it should be starting to grow again by now. You can also rake up brown weeds and replace dead weeds with grass or plugs if needed. It’s time to fertilize your St. Augustine lawn. This should also help update the greens. Water as much as possible during dry weather to aid recovery.
Q: I have two new small to medium-sized frangipani trees that I planted in May 2025. I covered it during the recent freeze, but the tops of the trunk and branches feel soft. As you work your way down, you will reach a solid area that still appears to be healthy. Any advice on when and how to prune?
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A: Unfortunately, plumerias have a nasty habit of dying much longer than you first think after freezing. Feel free to cut out the really obvious dead parts, then wait a month or two to look for potential further decline. Continue to prune as needed until you are left with consistently green stems and new growth begins. Keep your plumeria tree moist and reapply with a slow-release fertilizer this month and in May.
Q: My palm tree is ready to be fertilized. When should I start fertilizing all my palm trees, including cold-damaged robin palms, with a stake of slow-release fertilizer?
A: Fortunately, most robin palms seem to only have their leaves damaged by the cold, and the buds should be ready to start new growth. The brown to bronze leaves can be removed at this point. All viable palms are ready for fertilizer application in March. I recommend skipping the stakes and applying 8-0-12-4Mg analysis palm fertilizer or a similar fertilizer below the palm leaf spread and beyond the drip line. Stakes are still optional and useful, but simply place the fertilizer in a pocket under your palm.
Q: My gardenia shrub is tall and spindly. Is now the time to downsize your factory?
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A: Do not touch the shrub yet as the flowering period has begun. If you look closely, you’ll see new buds begin to swell, and fragrant white flowers will open in about a month. After most of the flowers have faded, it’s time to do any necessary pruning to keep your gardenia in shape. Usually late May or early June. Some varieties may flower sporadically in summer, but these are often lost during pruning.
Q: I grow snapdragons and they don’t seem to mind the cold. Will bringing cut flowers indoors affect their blooming?
A: Snapdragon flower stems last a long time in any flower arrangement, so be sure to target them. Not only do you enjoy flowers indoors, but they also benefit your plants. Removing flowers from most plants will encourage new shoots and extend their display period in the garden. In annual plants like snapdragons, removing the flower stalk delays the formation of seed production, allowing the plant to send out more shoots. The flower buds may not be as tall or full, but they bloom in large numbers to provide more color.
Q: My hibiscus bush has lost all its leaves due to the cold. When and to what extent can you reduce it?
A: Most hibiscus plants can be pruned in late winter or early spring, before large growth begins. First, test the shoots by scraping a few stems to see how much cold damage has occurred. If it turns brown, it indicates severe damage and prune the stem far enough to remove the dead area. In some cases, dead parts may even reach the ground. When the plant is still healthy, many residents prefer to remove about a third of the old buds and leave the rest to bloom the first flowers. Then, as new buds fill the gaps, some of the old buds are removed again later in the season. However, if you have specific questions, you can cut the plant back to within 1 to 2 feet of the ground if necessary.
Q: My angel wing begonia that I am growing in a container has been damaged by the cold, but it looks like new green shoots are coming out. How can I care for my plants?
A: Now that some time has passed since the cold weather, it’s time to determine which parts of the plant are dead and which parts are alive. If the stems are green, chances are your begonia will be able to continue growing from its shoots. If necessary, cut the plant back to healthy green areas. You can use this opportunity to reshape your plant and remove green stems to create a nicer looking plant. Angel wing begonias can grow very tall and wide, so now is also a good time to add them back to the border. Some plants will freeze and fall back close to the soil surface, but given time, most plants should regrow and form new begonias.
Tom McCubbin is an emeritus urban horticulturist for the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write to Orlando Sentinel, PO Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com.
