Camellias in your Garden
December 2001
By Mary Bernard, Master Gardener
Camellias are a beautiful addition to the landscape and make excellent
container plants for porch or patio.
They come in a wide variety of forms, sizes, and colors. Bloom time runs from September through March,
depending on the variety.
You can visit a local nursery now to select plants that will bloom in late
winter and early spring. A healthy plant
will have plenty of leaf and flower buds.
Be sure to check the plant carefully for signs of pests or disease. Camellias should be grown in partial shade
for best flowering. They do best where
they are protected from extreme exposure to heat, cold, and wind.
Camellias are shallow-rooted and require a well-drained soil. Cultivate the soil to 8 or 10 inches deep and
mix in plenty of organic matter to encourage root growth and development. Place the plant so that the root ball is
level with the soil surface. Never allow
soil to cover the base of the plant.
Keep the root zone evenly moist, cool and weed free by mulching with 2-3
inches of organic mulch.
Camellias prefer moderate applications of water and fertilizer. Avoid over-watering and over-feeding. When watering, be sure to give them a deep
soaking to leach accumulated salts out of the root zone. Apply a commercial acid fertilizer just after
they have bloomed. In addition, chelated
iron may be used if chlorosis is a problem.
Read the package label and follow the recommended rates.
Pruning should be done after flowering, in the summer or fall. Remove any dead wood or weakened
branches. Thin out center of plant to
allow for better air circulation.
A common fungus disease of camellias is Petal Blight. Disease development requires cool, moist
conditions in early spring just before or during early bloom. The disease first appears as small,
water-soaked spots or as large, single, and brown to tan areas in the flower
center. During proper weather conditions
the smaller spots rapidly expand to encompass most of the bloom. Petals are quite slimy to the touch. The fungus carries over to the next season on
fallen, diseased blooms. Prevention of
the disease through proper sanitation is preferable to use of fungicides. Remove all infected flowers and discard. Rake up and dispose of old mulch, as disease
spores can survive here as well.