farmerbell said:The black shiny beady looking stuff had pushed through the top of the bud and now the outside "skin" of the bud is growing, trying to close again. I am just observing every day, totally fascinated.

Are you taking daily photos, too?

I took a photo yesterday, but it was fuzzy. I am wondering if the stuff could be some kind of eggs.

Eggs??? Oh now I gotta know what layed those things???!!!

I would take it to your local ag extension service office and see what they say about it, if you want to pick the bud off.

I took a photo of the same bud yesterday. It is little blurry, but you can see that the outside of the bud is growing and trying to cover the black stuff. The side of the bud that showed black stuff all inside has almost closed. The handle of my tweezers is pointing to the bud. I keep wondering if an insect chewed part of the outside of the bud away and laid eggs inside. All I know is the black stuff was quite hard, black and shiny. I just keep watching it every day, wondering if the bud will try to bloom. Tis' a mystery. Thanks to all for your interest and suggestions. I don't want to break the bud off until I figure out what is going on, if I ever do!

tink3472 said:I would take it to your local ag extension service office and see what they say about it, if you want to pick the bud off.

My thoughts exactly! Very interesting, though.

Beth

Beth!

In my humble opinion, I think this might be very important if it is a deformity.
If you have a lot of small fans developing around the plant, this may possibly have
something to do with growth enzymes.

I have some plants doing some strange things. Putting up
buds on branches that are about 2 inches tall, then they die and put out 1-2 inch
scapes with buds again and die. There are many tiny fans around the main fan. The
entire plant seems to be in overdrive.

To see a bud continuing to grow and close around the black stuff really gets
my attention. If the black object were some type of eggs with part of the bud
being eaten away, I can't imagine a bud repairing itself by continuing to close
around the damage. So, I'm definitely interested.

If it does bloom, maybe some answers will arise.

I just noticed Beth, Welcome Beth!!!

I think Michele had an excellent idea about taking it to the extension office. Hopefully they could identify whatever it is. I kind of hate to get the progress reports though, since the bud would then be gone.

Very tiny pod people. That's my thought on what it is.

Natalie said:I think Michele had an excellent idea about taking it to the extension office. Hopefully they could identify whatever it is. I kind of hate to get the progress reports though, since the bud would then be gone.

Very tiny pod people. That's my thought on what it is.

OMG! We've found Whoville!

Who knew that the Who's down in Whoville grew from eggs/seeds/pods?

Natalie said: Who knew that the Who's down in Whoville grew from eggs/seeds/pods?

Well, it's either Whoville, or teeny tiny body snatchers... I'm voting for Whoville

Maybe the mystery will be solved soon. The bud should open tomorrow. A few days ago I saw a creature about one quarter of an inch long near where the side opening had been.

Yikes Ann!! Be careful! It could be very tiny Grinch!

I can't wait to see what these things are! This has been the best mystery in a really long time!

Do you really think that awful looking creature was a tiny grinch? LOL It could be. I am legally blind and don't see too well. I took a photo of the weird stuff in the bud so no one could tell me I was just seeing things. I will be real careful when I approach that bloom tomorrow morning!

Walk slowly and carry a big stick. Some bug spray may not be a bad idea either!

Natalie said:Walk slowly and carry a big stick. Some bug spray may not be a bad idea either!

Maybe they will all have escaped by the time I get outside. Maybe I need one of those bee keeper's suits. :