Apical buds occur at the end, or apex, of stems. Because of this location, they are also known as terminal buds. Axillary buds occur at a leaf node, which is where a leaf emerges from the stem of a stem. Terminal buds are able to hinder the growth of axillary buds.

The apical, or terminal, bud on a stem releases a hormone that prevents axillary buds from growing or causes them to grow slowly. This allows the plant to grow taller to reach more light. When the apical bud is removed, the hormone signal stops and the axillary buds can grow more vigorously.

Hlo