The key to successfully growing camellias is to recognize that camellias have a few definite cultural requirements and to know what conditions they cannot tolerate. Once their cultural needs are met, camellias will flourish and produce lovely blooms with very little additional attention. The queens of the shade garden, camellias are equally suited to pot culture for use on patios or in small gardens.

PLANTING: Camellias thrive in this area if a few basic needs are met. Camellias are shade-loving plants that prefer morning or filtered sun. The sasanqua varieties can tolerate the most sun.

The soil mix needs to be extremely loose to provide good drainage and the high oxygen requirements of the root system. A mixture of sandy loam soil, ground fir bark, and coarse peat moss or oak leaf mold for acidity would be an excellent soil mix. Horticulture perlite is a valuable addition for pot culture.

For pot culture, pot up into the next larger size only when the root ball shows extensive rooting. Do not move up to a pot too large or over-watering is certain to be a problem.

To plant in the ground, dig the hole twice as wide and one and a half times as deep as the root ball. Rest the root ball on a firmly packed cone of soil so that the root ball is slightly above soil level. Fill in and around with loose soil mix and mulch with fir bark.

WATERING: Camellias need to be moist, but not WET at all times. Watering should be thorough (if in pots, fill the pot to the brim once or twice) and as infrequently as the weather will allow. Delay watering if only the surface is dry. Dig gently with a finger below the surface to see if the root ball is still moist. Over-watering or a heavy, soggy mix will result in suffocation and/or a root rot disease called phytophthora.

Once buds are set, care must be taken that the root ball does not go dry. Be especially watchful during dry winter spells.

Avoid wetting foliage that is in warm sunlight. Brown circles on the leaves are the result of sunburn through the water drops. If the day has been very dry or the temperature above 85 degrees, camellias benefit from a late afternoon sprinkling or a misting of the foliage and mulch.

FERTILIZING: It is especially important to know the root and the growth cycle of the camellia when considering fertilizing. Because they are comparatively light feeders and surface rooting, more camellias are lost by fertilizing mistakes than by lack of feeding altogether.

Do not fertilize a dormant plant. Camellias are dormant when they are developing buds and blooming. That is, from about September 1 through the blooming period, camellias could be severely damaged or killed if a regular camellia-azalea-rhododendron fertilizer were applied during this time.

However, most competition growers do use a monthly feeding of a bloom enhancing fertilizer during this dormant period. Such fertilizers are called low-nitrogen or no-nitrogen fertilizers and have chemical designations of 2-10-10 or 0-10-10 (nitrogen (N)-phosphorus (K) –potassium (P)).

Do not use ordinary garden fertilizers. Use one especially formulated for camellias and azaleas or cottonseed meal.

Do not fertilize a thirsty plant. Always water thoroughly the day before fertilizing.

Do not fertilize an anemic plant. If leaves are yellow from lack of iron, restore the color with chelated iron feeding(s) before using any regular camellia fertilizer.

Do not fertilize during a heat wave. Camellias have tender roots, and the combination of fertilizer and heat is a dangerous, even deadly, situation.

Fertilize camellias during their growing season. As soon as growth buds appear active, generally when blooming is concluding, the plant can utilize the fertilizer. If a commercial, granular preparation for camellias and azaleas is used, it is safer to use half the recommended dosage and fertilize more frequently. Such granular types are active as soon as they dissolve, so a heat wave developing just after fertilizing could cause severe burning if the greater amount of nitrogen were present. Most growers prefer to use cottonseed meal as a growth fertilizer. This product is less likely to cause burning because its nitrogen is slowly released by bacterial action and does not flood the roots with active nitrogen at any one time. The dosage generally used is 1 T/gallon plant, 2 T/2 gallon plant, 3T/5 gallon plant, and proportionally more for larger plants in the ground. For this locality (Southern California), the first feeding can usually be early in April, followed by two more feedings at 6-8 week intervals. After September 1, switch to 2-10-10 or 0-10-10, if desired.

Most growers incorporate chelated iron into their feeding programs to prevent anemia, promote stronger growth, and enhance bloom colors. Blood meal can also be used, but it is an extremely “hot” fertilizer and should be used very sparingly and only in the early spring.

Thoroughly water in all fertilizers. If in pots, fill pots to the brim twice immediately after fertilizing.

PRUNING: Most older camellias that have not been tended need extensive pruning. Remove cross branches and weak, twiggy growth. Also selectively remove enough growth so that light penetrates into the interior of the plant. If shortening a branch, cut just beyond a growth bud that will grow in the desired direction. Consider the weight and size of the expected blooms when pruning and try to achieve branches that are both sturdy enough to support their weight and spaced to allow sufficient room for the blooms to open unhindered. Most growers do major pruning just after the blooming period, but pruning can be done any time, as needed.

DISBUDDING: Some varieties of camellias set buds too heavily and need disbudding to produce good quality blooms. When buds have developed so that it is obvious which are bloom buds, remove all but one terminal bloom bud in each group. If buds have also set along the branch, remove so that there is a space of at least two or three leaves between buds.

If blooms are miniature (under 2 ½ inches in diameter), remove only enough buds to allow the remaining buds room to open. Sasanquas are valued for their mass of blooms and are not disbudded.

REFERENCES: The Sunset publication Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Camellias and the Ortho book All About Azaleas, Camellias and Rhododendrons are excellent references for more complete discussions on camellia culture.

The Camellia Nomenclature (2006), the twenty-fifth revised edition that is a publication of the Southern California Camellia Society, gives an up-to-date listing and description of camellia varieties that have either been introduced after 1950 or are still in “substantial commercial distribution.” It defines the bloom color, size, and form, describes the growth habit, and gives the blooming period and available information on its history or introduction. It is available for $12.00 ($14.00 outside of the U.S.) from the Southern California Camellia Society, 40641 Via Anapola, Murrieta, CA 92562.

The Camellia Nomenclature Supplement, published in 1996, is to be used in conjunction with the current Nomenclature. It lists those older japonicas and sasanquas that were introduced prior to 1950 and did not have “substantial commercial distribution” and were omitted from the regular Nomenclature after the 1981 Historical Edition. It is available for $5.00 from the Southern California Camellia Society.



TERMINOLOGY

JAPONICA: the most common species of camellia. It is typified by glossy, attractive foliage.

RETICULATA: a species of camellia first introduced into the U.S. in 1948; varieties generally have large, heavy blooms and sparse, large, dull leaves. The growth habit and foliage are not as attractive as those of the japonicas, however, many varieties in this classification are hybrids, the result of crosses with japonicas and other species, and are quite attractive plants.

SASANQUA: the most sun-tolerant species of camellia. Leaves are smaller than those of japonicas. Sets masses of buds. Earliest varieties begin blooming in September. Prized for its profusion of blooms and its landscape potential. Some varieties are very adaptable to espaliering.

HYBRID: the result of a cross between two species.

SPORT: the result of a genetic change that produces a different flower and/or foliage. Sports that are removed and propagated and that hold true to these new characteristics are often the origination of new varieties.

UNDERSTOCK: the root used in propagation by grafting.

SCION: the small piece of wood containing a growth bud from a desired variety that is grafted onto another root.

GIBBING: the treatment of a bloom bud with a concentrated (10,000-15,000 ppm) solution of gibberellic acid to induce early blooming. The bloom is often larger and more spectacular than an untreated bloom. The treatment is to remove the growth bud nearest the bloom bud and immediately apply a drop or two of the “gib” solution. Gibbing can be done from September through December. Only a few buds on a medium to small sized plant should be gibbed in any one year because gibbing terminates the growth at that point.

VIRUS VARIEGATION: the introduction of white into an otherwise colored bloom that is caused by a systemic virus infection of the plant. As opposed to genetic variegation that gives predictable markings, virus variegation may be slight or extensive, uniform or non-uniform. Growers consider a bloom with good variegation very desirable.

PHYTOPHTHORA: a root-rot disease that occurs from poor drainage and/or over-watering.

PETAL BLIGHT: a fungus infection of bloom buds that shows as spreading brown blemishes on petals. The best control is to remove all old blooms on the ground which harbor the dormant spores. Becomes more prevalent with the right combination of warmth and moisture.