Camellia (Camellia) is an evergreen plant belonging to the Tea family. This amazing flower was named after the Jesuit monk Camelius Georg Joseph, who first brought it to Europe. In the wild, the plant grows in tropical and subtropical zones in countries such as Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, China, on the islands of Java, and Sulawesi.
Surely the description of the camellia flower will be of interest to many florists. This beautiful plant is a shade-tolerant bush or tree, the height of which can vary from 2 to 20 m. Blunt or pointed leaves have a simple, elliptical, broadly or oblong-ovate shape, leathery structure, glossy surface, short petioles. They can be single or sequential. The length of the leaf plate is about 3 - 17 cm.
It is imperative to get an answer to the question of what a plant flower looks like. Camellia produces many single buds. The diameter of blossoming flowers with numerous stamens can vary from 1 to 12 cm. The petals are fused at the base. Their color can be pink, red, white, variegated.
Popular types of camellia
Modern breeders have developed numerous varieties and camellia hybrids, using different varieties of the plant as a basis. The most popular types are discussed below.
Camellia japonica
This variety is considered the most famous, often used in breeding activities for the purpose of breeding indoor flowers. In the Land of the Rising Sun, this plant is revered on a par with the iconic sakura. The magnificent Japanese camellia flower (Camellia japonicaa) is cultivated as an indoor, greenhouse, and garden flower. It is often used as interior decor and for making bouquets.
Under natural conditions, the plant can have a height of 1.5 - 11 m. By caring for Japanese camellia at home, you can count on getting a tree-like shrub with stems up to 1 m long, blooming in November - January. Semi-double, double spherical flowers can have white, pink, red colors. In hybrid specimens, the petals often have a spotted or striped color. Flowers form in the leaf axils and cover the entire crown.
Camellia sinensis
This variety also has another name - tea bush. The leaves of the plant are used to produce green, black, and long tea. Dried flowers are components of various aromatic additives.
If you are interested in the question of where Chinese camellia (Camellia sinensis) grows, you can find out that the plant is industrially cultivated in many countries: China, India, Kenya, Japan, Georgia, etc. Our state is also engaged in the cultivation of tea camellia (Krasnodar region). Its cultivation indoors is quite rare.
Mountain camellia
Mountain camellia (Camellia sasanqua) grows naturally on the islands of Kyushu, Okinawa (Japan). In a cool room, it is fashionable to observe its flowering in the period November - February. The species is often taken as a basis when breeding indoor, garden varieties. The plant develops single buds or rosettes with 2 - 3 flowers. The red camellia flower looks very impressive; also, the petals can be white or pink.
Camellia saluyonskaya
This species is actively used in breeding cold-resistant varieties suitable for garden and greenhouse cultivation. The weakly branched shrub reaches a height of 1.5 m. Large flowers (8 cm in diameter) gradually bloom on it, the color of which can be snow-white, pink, dark red, burgundy. Saluen camellia (Camellia saluenensis) is considered the most unpretentious of garden plants of his family.
Camellia oleifera
Cultivating it evergreen tree with a height of about 10 m, it is practiced in the Chinese mountainous regions. Large seeds of the Camellia oleifera flower are formed in a large fruit capsule. Single bisexual or paired axillary flowers are characterized by the presence of a white color.
Indoor camellia: cultivation and propagation
As practice shows, caring for a camellia flower at home, which is quite capricious, will be very successful if you follow a number of rules. Any gardener can master the skills of growing such a plant.
Requirements for location, lighting
To ensure that keeping camellias at home does not cause problems, you will initially need to decide on the most suitable place to install the pot with the plant.
For this purpose, it is worth giving preference to windows oriented to the west or east. Camellia also feels great in a winter garden, greenhouse, or on a glazed loggia.
An inexperienced florist caring for and propagating a camellia flower should take note that the plant (especially in the first year after planting) does not like moving, turning the flowerpot, or being exposed to direct influences. sun rays, in drafts.
Purchased or given as a gift new flower It is necessary to keep it in a shaded, cool room for 2 weeks, and then transfer it to a permanent sunny place, where the temperature will be maintained not exceeding + 16 ° C.
In summer, the plant can be exposed to fresh air with mandatory shading. Beautiful flower camellia in a pot will demonstrate good growth and bud development in diffused light for 12 - 14 hours per day. During the cold season, it is worth providing the camellia with additional lighting.
Temperature regime for the plant
During the formation of flower buds, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature is maintained at + 5... + 6 ° C. The plant will demonstrate the best flowering at + 8 ... + 12 ° C. In the resting phase, camellia tolerates temperatures well from +20 ... + 25 ° C.
Organization of watering camellia
When deciding how to care for a camellia flower, you will need to ensure its regular watering using settled water. During budding and flowering, irrigation is carried out immediately after the drying of the upper soil layer is detected. It is very important to prevent water stagnation and soil acidification. During the dormant stage, you should get by with moderate watering.
To increase air humidity on hot days, it is recommended to spray the bush twice a day. Adding water to the pan also works well. It would be justified to place the pot in a container filled with moistened gravel, moss, sand or pebbles.
The plant likes water acidified with lemon juice and vinegar. If there is a lack of moisture, the bush can shed its leaves. Excessively abundant irrigation can provoke a situation where the leaves and stems of camellia acquire a brown tint. Subsequently, the plant’s flowers and buds may fall off. If the situation is not corrected, the flower will die.
Soil quality for crops
Camellia is very demanding on soil quality. It feels best when planted in acidic soil with a pH level in the range of 3 - 5. The use of soil substrate for azaleas has worked well. Self-cooking the soil mixture involves the use of turf (1 share), sand (1 share), peat (2 shares), leaf soil (2 shares).
It is better to place the transplanted shoots in a flowerpot filled with a substrate with the following composition: sand (0.5 shares), peat (1 share), coniferous soil (2 shares). There must be drainage at the bottom of the planting container.
Fertilizing Camellia
Camellia reacts positively to organic fertilizers. During the autumn-spring period, monthly application is practiced. liquid fertilizers. During budding and flowering, this event is carried out 2 times a month. For camellia, it is advisable to purchase ready-made fertilizers suitable for orchids and azaleas.
Pinching and pruning the plant
In order to prevent the flowers from being crushed, the buds should be pinched, leaving a maximum of 2 copies on the branch.
In autumn, the plant is pruned. Damaged, weak shoots are removed. This activates the formation of axillary buds.
The procedure for transplanting into another pot
Camellia undergoes annual replanting during the first 3 years, and an adult, well-flowering bush - every 2 years. A similar procedure is carried out after the flowers have withered in spring or summer, while simultaneously pinching the apical sections of the shoots.
Camellia propagation in different ways
When propagating camellia flowers, it is advisable to give preference to the cutting method.
To obtain high-quality planting material, you need to trim the apical shoots that have formed during the current season. The recommended length of the cuttings is 6 - 8 cm, they should have 4 - 5 leaves. It is practiced to make an oblique cut over the axillary bud.
The optimal months for vegetative propagation of plants are January, July-August. It will take about 2 months for summer seedlings to root; winter ones will form a root system over a longer period.
The cuttings are planted in boxes filled with a mixture of peat (1 share), sand (1 share). The containers must be installed in a bright room, maintaining a temperature of + 20 ... + 23 ° C, moistening the soil by spraying. Sprouted specimens are placed in pots with a diameter of 7–8 cm.
Experienced flower growers practice growing camellias from seeds to simultaneously produce a large number of young bushes. As part of this procedure, each seed is sown in a separate container. The appearance of 2 true leaves is a signal about the need to pick plants into larger containers.
It is worth noting that flower shops can often offer a mixture of seeds for sale. different varieties. In order not to later encounter a solution to the problem of how to care for camellia mix, you will first need to carefully read the information published on the packaging. The preferred choice is planting material a certain variety or hybrid.
Garden camellia: care features
Experienced florists are confident that keeping a camellia flower in the garden is guaranteed to be not problematic for a person who has studied the appropriate agricultural techniques. A young plant is replanted in open ground conditions every two years; an adult plant is transferred to a new location every 5 to 7 years.
IN landscape design, the flower mainly used is Camellia vinosa. In regions with harsh winter periods for growth in open ground Many low-growing varieties have been bred. On the eve of frost, they are transplanted into flowerpots and transferred indoors.
Diseases, crop pests
Unfortunately, camellia in open ground, like indoor flowers, often becomes the target of attack by pests such as aphids, scale insects, whiteflies, scale insects, spider mites, and thrips.
The appearance of a white, dense coating in the leaf axils and in areas of the stems indicates that the plant is infested with a scale insect. To get rid of the pest, you need to remove it with a cotton swab or toothpick, and then wipe the affected areas with a sponge dipped in a solution of laundry soap.
Due to aphids and scale insects, sooty spots begin to appear on the plant - the black camellia looks very unpresentable. Severely damaged specimens must be treated with specialized fungicides and insecticides. Blackened leaves must be removed.
Brown, gray spots on the leaves indicate fungal infection. Yellowed veins on the surface of the leaves indicate a mosaic virus. Having identified the disease in time, it is necessary to urgently begin to treat the plant, because otherwise decorative properties camellias will be lost for a long time, and sometimes the flower may even die.
Reward for patience and work
Walking past a well-kept garden, you can’t help but catch your eye on some bright flower. And as a rule, an idea arises, maybe it’s worth planting flowers at home? Plants are a convenient addition to the interior. If the morning went with good feelings, then the day goes by more fun. Growing a garden for many favorite hobby, which brings positive feelings not only to loved ones but also to all passers-by.
Growing conditions and care for camellia
Camellia and care at home... We have an opinion that when a camellia blooms, it cannot be moved from place to place or turned, otherwise its buds will fall off. In the West, they think the opposite: when camellias bloom, various operations can be done with them - replanting, cutting off overgrown roots, transporting, etc. At the same time, the camellia will calmly continue to bloom.
Probably, the plant drops its buds due to improper maintenance of them. room conditions. Batteries central heating dry the soil in winter conditions that are abnormal for camellia. These mistakes can be avoided if you know the needs of the plants.
In general, camellia is considered capricious and picky about lighting, temperature and air humidity. Hobbyists will need a lot of patience and a caring attitude. The lighting should be bright and bright, but the camellia must be protected from direct sunlight. Water in spring and summer abundantly with settled soft water. room temperature, in winter watering is reduced. Indoor camellia for good growth needs high air humidity. During hot wintering, the humidity is increased by regularly spraying the plant.
After purchasing, you need to place the camellia flower in a cool, semi-shaded place, and two weeks later move it to a warmer place, but the temperature should not exceed 16 degrees. To successfully grow camellias, it is necessary to provide them with a cool winter. In summer they are kept at room temperature, and in winter within 10-15 degrees.
In summer, during relative dormancy, it is better to bury the camellia along with the pot in the garden in a semi-shaded place. If this is not possible, then in the room she needs to create favorable condition: regular ventilation, high humidity. It is useful to spray until the indoor camellia plant begins to form buds. After the buds are laid, watering is reduced.
To ensure that the plant does not become depleted and the camellia flowers are larger, the weakest buds are removed by pinching, leaving 1-2 buds on the branch. When flowering ends and young shoots appear, you should feed with mineral fertilizers for indoor flowering plants in half the concentration indicated on the package, until the next season, when the plant enters the budding stage.
Overfertilizing camellias is one of the biggest mistakes. Camellias need to start fertilizing in the spring, during the first outbreak. active growth in April. They should not be fertilized in the fall, especially if you decide to grow frost-resistant varieties in cold climates. Fertilizers can provoke late growth of camellias, as a result of which their green, immature shoots can be seriously damaged in winter - along with the entire plant that is not “asleep” enough.
To give the plant a more attractive appearance, it is pruned, removing weak, bare shoots. But do this only if absolutely necessary, since camellia is painful to pruning.
Many camellia owners make mistakes related to deep planting and incorrect soil mixture. The neck of a camellia (the point between the roots and the trunk) should never be covered with soil. Planting camellia even 3 centimeters deeper is the right way kill the plant. Transplanting camellias during a period of active growth is a mistake, as they can stop growing and become in poor condition.
Young camellia plants are replanted annually, better in summer, and adults after 2-3 years. The soil should be well fertilized, moderately acidic. For indoor camellia, it is better to purchase a ready-made mixture. There are special mixtures for acidic soil plants (camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons), which are prepared from high peat, perlite, vermiculite, sand, ground bark and similar ingredients. In such a mixture, the camellia roots will always be evenly moistened, the water will not stagnate and the roots will be able to breathe air.
Some varieties of camellias can withstand -10 degrees below zero. Therefore, if you have a ventilated glass balcony, where in winter the temperature ranges from 0 to +15 degrees (ideally from +5 to +10 degrees) and never drops below -10 degrees below zero - then camellia is for you.
Camellias are adapted to light frosts in their natural conditions. In winter the bushes are protected by snow. As soon as the snow melts, the camellia simply explodes with fire of numerous colors. In France and England, camellias can grow in open ground. Apparently, this can be done in the southern regions of Russia.
Camellia is propagated in August apical cuttings growth for the current year. Root in sand, preferably under glass or film at a temperature of 20-25 degrees, more reliably in mini-greenhouses with bottom heating. For successful rooting, growth stimulants are used.
If camellia is sick
This can happen by various reasons. Too warm a place in the house, too frequent or infrequent watering leads to the fact that the plant’s buds fall off. Camellia reacts to too wet soil in a pot by forming crusty growths on the leaves. White felt coating on stems and in leaf axils is a symptom of mealybug damage. They suck out juices and release substances that poison the plant. Remove pests using a toothpick or cosmetic stick dipped in soapy water. If black spots appear on the plant, similar to a coating of soot, then it is damaged by sooty fungi, which appear on the secretions of aphids, scale insects and mealybugs. Rinse off the black deposits with water at room temperature. If the leaves are significantly affected by sooty fungus, it is better to tear them off.
Houseplants
How to care for camellia at home?
Of blood and dry ice
From petals and leaves of wax,
The camellia was blooming in the garden,
No smell, and no shine.
Yes, this is what camellia looks like: a meter tall, solemnly proud, luxurious, royally cold flower, native to Southeast Asia. Its shiny, laurel-like leaves are amazing. But even more striking are the pink, red or variegated flowers, the diameter of which reaches 14 cm. No wonder the camellia is called the princess of the East. It decorates the flower beds and flower beds of many Black Sea cities, but in more northern regions it can only be seen in greenhouses. If a gardener falls in love with this amazing flower, you can grow it at home if you show maximum patience and care for the plant.
Camellia grown indoors can bloom even in the winter months. And it blooms for an unusually long time, sometimes it lasts for several months, and cut flowers can remain fresh for two to three weeks.
Camellia care instructions
Many gardeners give up at the very beginning, having learned that not everyone succeeds in growing camellias. Yes, this is true, but, as a rule, the cause of failure is insufficient air humidity or incorrectly selected soil composition. These errors will not occur if you carefully read the instructions for caring for camellia.
Camellia loves bright and diffused light. This can be achieved by placing the plant on a western or eastern window. If there are none in the apartment, you can use a window on the south side, but, if possible, protect it from direct sunlight. The north side is not at all suitable for camellia, which loves sunlight. Be sure to periodically change the position of the flower so that all its sides are illuminated. If this is not done, the crown will develop unevenly. However, during flowering this rule does not apply: the plant must be left alone so that the flowers and leaves do not fall off.
The most optimal is from 20 to 25 degrees. But when flower buds set, the temperature can be lowered. The plant begins to bloom in February. At this time, the thermometer should reach approximately 12 degrees. If the room is hot, some of the buds will fall off, and those that do bloom will not amaze with their beauty and splendor.
Camellia needs fresh air. Therefore, in the summer, from time to time you need to briefly place the plant on the loggia. But it is necessary to ensure that the flower is protected from direct sunlight.
In the summer months it should be abundant and uniform. Watering should be done after upper layer the soil will become completely dry. In winter, the higher the room temperature, the more often the plant needs watering. If the room is cool enough, frequent watering will cause the soil to become acidic, which will cause the buds to fall off. Do not water the plant with water freshly drawn from the tap. It should settle, become soft, freed from excess calcium content. A flowering plant should be watered with extreme caution so that water does not get on the petals.
Camellia re-blooming
It can be achieved in the second year. To do this, several conditions must be met.
- Periodically feed the plant with special mixtures that are intended for azaleas and camellias. By July, at least two such feedings need to be done.
- From July until spring, fertilizing is not recommended. In order for the flowering to be lush and lush, at the end of summer the camellia is treated with special means.
- From October until the camellia stops flowering, you need to take care of good lighting so that the plant does not drop its buds.
- After flowering, watering is gradually reduced, but the soil should always be moist.
As for pruning camellias, this is done at the discretion of the gardener himself. Camellia has the ability to self-form. But it also tolerates pruning well, without signs of wilting.
Thus, anyone who dreams of having their apartment decorated with camellia flowers can achieve this if they care for the plant with joy and patience.
Camellia - how to care for a luxurious flower in your home (photo, video)
Among indoor plants, camellia stands out for its unusually beautiful flowers. Graceful buds are set off by dark green glossy leaves. The flower looks very impressive. The popularity of the plant was also ensured by the fact that camellia feels excellent at home. She's had enough easy care so that it will delight you with its flowering at any time of the year.
Camellia – evergreen, belonging to the tea family. Its difference is a dense, shiny crown of leaves. Camellia can be grown at home or in open ground. It can decorate a window with bright buds or add charm to the garden.
Proper care of the plant
Like any other indoor plant, camellia requires attention. Maintenance is not burdensome. The main thing is to follow these rules:
- Provide the plant with diffused light. At home, it is recommended to place camellia on windows facing west or east. To avoid one-sided growth, it is necessary to rotate the pot.
- The flower should not be disturbed while the buds are forming.
- The optimal summer temperature is + 25˚С, winter - 20˚С.
- Dry air is harmful to camellias. To prevent the death of the plant due to dry air, it is necessary to place it in a tray with expanded clay. You can periodically spray it with a spray bottle.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
Proper care of camellias includes optimal watering. When budding and flowering occur, the plant needs plenty of moisture. When the top layer of soil in the pot dries out, the flower should be watered. In winter, watering is reduced to prevent soil acidification.
Watering and spraying are performed with settled water. It must be remembered that flowers do not need overhead watering.
The plant requires special care when buds appear on it. It is better to move it to a room where the temperature is maintained at no more than 12 degrees. If this is not done, the flowers will have a dull color and quickly fall off. The photo shows how pale these buds look.
Features of camellia transplantation
Planting at home cannot be called particularly difficult, but there are subtleties in this matter.
You should pour oxidized soil diluted with humus into the pot. Then it is well moisturized. It is necessary to take care of the moisture permeability of the soil so that watering does not cause rotting of the root system.
If you are replanting, you do not need to place the flower too deeply in the ground. The root system should be located at soil level. Home cultivation The flower will not be successful if calcareous soil or saline soil is used. Land can be purchased in flower shop or collect in a coniferous forest.
If at home the plant constantly drops buds, then the soil is oversaturated with calcium. The situation will be corrected by transplanting into good soil and competent care.
With increased acidity of the soil, the leaves begin to turn yellow. In this case, replacing the soil mixture also helps.
How to propagate camellias?
Reproduction is carried out in two main ways:
- cuttings;
- planting seeds.
The first method of breeding at home allows you to acquire adult plants capable of flowering within two years. Reproduction is carried out using semi-lignified shoots. This operation should be carried out in late spring - early summer.
When the shoot turns colors Brown color, then it is suitable for cuttings. The growth bud should be well developed. In order not to make a mistake in choosing a shoot, you can look at the photo of planting material.
Rooting usually occurs quickly (no longer than 4 months). The soil for replanting should be fertilized. It is necessary to ensure optimal temperature air and soil - 23 degrees.
If this indicator is exceeded, bud growth will begin, and the root system will not have time to form.
If propagation is carried out by seeds, then flowers will appear only after 5-8 years. The seeds ripen by mid-autumn. They are collected and planted. To make the germination process more successful, it is necessary to provide partial darkening. The soil composition should include peat and sand. Reproduction is carried out at a temperature of 22 degrees. Growing camellias from seeds is more difficult than from cuttings, but it allows you to obtain strong, healthy seedlings.
If propagation is carried out for the first time, then it is better to study the intricacies of this process on a special video from experienced florists.
How to prevent and cure camellia diseases?
Indoor camellia, like garden camellia, is susceptible to various diseases. Often their occurrence is caused by improper care. Symptoms of various diseases can be seen in the photo.
Fungal diseases are easy to identify. They manifest themselves in the appearance of gray and black spots on the leaves. The flower is covered with brownish spots. If the damage is massive, the foliage may completely fall off. Such diseases are treated with special fungicidal drugs.
To prevent the infection from spreading to other flowers grown at home, it is better to part with the diseased camellia.
Camellia can get oidium. The photo shows that the leaves of such a plant are covered with unsightly gray spots. Treatment consists of treating the leaf plates with a soap solution.
Japanese camellia is susceptible to cucumber mosaic. Symptoms of the disease are yellowing of leaf veins. In order for the plant to recover, careful treatment with insecticides is necessary.
Japanese camellia is a magnificent ornamental plant with a long flowering period. It will perfectly complement any home interior. In order for a flower to delight with its soft pink buds, it is necessary to properly care for it. You can decorate your window with a real rose garden, since growing these plants is not particularly difficult.
caring for camellias.If you bought a blooming camellia. It is recommended to place it closer to the window, from where sufficient light enters, perfect option the premises for it are cool greenhouses or just a glassed-in balcony of an ordinary city apartment. The flower has a negative attitude towards constant movement from place to place; you should also not turn it.
Camellia lighting
Camellia is a short-day plant. Flower growers recommend artificially shortening the daylight hours to 12-13 hours in the warm season (in particular, in late summer - early autumn), creating shade for the plant. This ensures that the camellia can successfully establish and begin to develop flower buds.
Temperature
Maintaining a certain temperature regime is also important for the good development and flowering of camellia. during the period when its buds are being laid and during flowering, the most suitable temperature is 13-17°C; with the onset of cold weather and winter (from November to December-January), it is recommended to lower this temperature to 6-8°C. It should be remembered that a decrease in temperature must be accompanied by a decrease in watering (without allowing the soil to dry out) - otherwise the camellia's buds may fall off.
Watering camellia
Camellia should be watered with soft water at room temperature, abundantly and regularly, without allowing the soil to dry out. At the end of July, the plant begins to bud; from this period, watering should be slightly reduced. To increase air humidity, you can spray the flower daily; For the same purposes, the pot is often placed in a pan of water on a layer of gravel or pebbles: this allows you to maintain the moisture balance without damaging the flowers during flowering. By the way, this is where Seramis granules will come to your aid. Not only will it promote a healthier air/water regime for the roots, but it will also increase humidity and ensure uniformity. To avoid flooding the plant, use the Seramis humidity indicator. This is very important, because if you water the plant unevenly and excessively, the camellia leaves may turn brown and the buds may fall off - this is due to impaired aeration and acidification of the soil.Fertilizer
Regarding fertilization of camellias, we note the following. From the period of resumption of growth until the end of July, it is recommended to feed the plant weekly, including the use of special fertilizers for roses (following the instructions on the package). When the camellia has bloomed and its growth has resumed, you can apply a highly diluted fertilizer for the flowers, and during the period when the buds are being laid and filled, fertilizing should be stopped. In addition, we must remember that the concentration of the fertilizer solution for camellia should be lower than the average dose: 1 gram per liter instead of 3-5 grams for the same amount of water.If we talk about Seramis brand fertilizers. which can be used to feed camellias, we recommend paying attention to the packaging with a red cap: this is a complex nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer for flowering plants with added microelements (including chelates of iron, manganese, zinc and copper).
Transplanting camellias
Camellia is replanted once every two years, but at a certain period: replanting can only be done after flowering, when the plant begins to produce new shoots, but not later than the end of July.
Reproduction
Camellias are used for propagation in January or July: cuttings are cut along with developed leaves (3-5). The pots with cuttings should be placed in a bright (but not in the sun) and warm place; usually the cuttings take root within two months.
Florist Tatyana shares her experience of growing camellias in Seramis soil with us: “Now I don’t have any problems with camellias. Yes, my very first camellia died, for the reason that there was very little information in the literature, but now we are with it We became friends and it is blooming for me. Now it’s not the double pink one that is blooming, but the double pink one is still picking up buds. They are in my kitchen, the windows (double-glazed windows) are open all the time with micro-ventilation, if it’s -3 outside I open the sash completely, there’s a piece of polyethylene on the windowsill. , which drops to the floor - so the temperature in the window area is about 10-12 degrees, at night it’s a little lower. I don’t spray them, but there are vessels with water around them. warm water. In the first year after transplantation I did not feed it at all, in the 2nd year only 2 times. In April I start taking it out onto the balcony and bringing it in in October; this year I brought it in in November (it was very warm). That's all the wisdom. I really want to buy it in a different color, but I haven’t seen it anywhere yet. This year I’ll see if I need to replant, and then I’ll try.”
The camellia flower is a very capricious plant that requires constant attention, but with proper care it blooms amazingly beautifully. If not maintained correctly, this flower instantly drops its buds and does not bloom. Lighting, humidity and air temperature are the main factors for the good growth of a plant such as camellia. A flower at home will bloom magnificently if you first provide it with sufficient lighting. The light should be bright, but diffused, excluding direct sunlight from hitting the camellia. It is very important to increase air humidity in winter. The camellia flower should not be placed near radiators or heat sources. In summer, it is advisable to take the flower out into the fresh air. A balcony or loggia will be just the perfect place for it.
Homemade camellia flower: proper watering- guarantee of abundant flowering
This is true, because a plant, like all living organisms, simply needs moisture. A flower is watered using water
room temperature, it should not contain lime. The soil in the pot should not be overly moistened. The camellia flower will also respond negatively to drafts and sudden temperature changes. It should be fed with special fertilizers about 2 times a month.
Camellia is susceptible to disease and attack by harmful insects. The main problem in such cases is the appearance of spotting on the leaves. The most dangerous pests are scale insects and whiteflies. If a plant suddenly drops its buds, this primarily indicates improper care.
The camellia flower can be propagated by seeds or cuttings, both apical and annual growth, from which the buds are first removed. Cuttings root well in summer at a temperature of 25 degrees.
Camellia flowering can be delayed or moved to a later date. To do this, place the pot with the plant in a dark, cool room, where the air temperature is about 8 degrees. About two weeks before the start of flowering, place the camellia pot in a bright and warm place and be sure to water it abundantly.
Helpful advice: when transplanting camellias, pay attention to the neck of the stem. It should not be covered with soil. And you should not replant plants during a period of intensive growth, otherwise they may stop developing and get sick.
Besides, this flower does not tolerate pruning, and no matter how much you would like to form a nice bush, you should not do this. You can trim only weak shoots that have dropped their leaves so that the plant does not lose decorative look. But this procedure must be performed with caution.
It is necessary to replant every year, older ones - after 2 years. When replanting, it is recommended to completely replace the soil. For camellias, it is better to buy a special soil mixture; its composition is most suitable for such flowers. Some camellias can grow in open ground, although only in southern and warm areas. With the onset of spring, camellia bushes throw out an incredible number of buds and flowers, creating a feeling fireball. It's fabulously beautiful!
Indoor flower Camellia - home care, photo.
Today I propose to get acquainted with Camellia, one of those indoor plants that bloom in December. December is not particularly generous flowering plants, and at home I so want beauty and comfort. And the blooming camellia will help you with this. Unfortunately, camellia is quite difficult to care for, and in order for it to bloom, you need to know its secrets. Which? This is discussed in our article.
The flower itself as a plant is very beautiful, its leaves are shiny, glossy, there are many varieties and different colors of the buds. It is popular among those who like to buy potted plants as a gift instead of cut ones. Often the recipients of such a gift simply throw away the camellia. After all, not everyone manages to preserve it after flowering.
Secret 1
The traditional method is not suitable for growing camellias. The correct one is very important for them. temperature regime. And in winter they need cold. It will not be possible to keep camellia in a hotly heated apartment. Moreover, this plant can withstand frosts down to -5 degrees.
About the plant
Camellia belongs to the tea family and in nature it is evergreen shrub or small tree, which are common in China, Japan, and the Philippines. It was brought to Europe from the Philippines. Views of this moment more than two hundred, but the most popular of them are Camellia Japanese, Camellia Mountain and Camellia Reticulata. They are also used to develop new varieties.
If you look closely at the photo, you will see that the leaves are not very special, oval and leathery. But at the same time they attract with their glossiness. But the flowers are just a sight for sore eyes. Large, attractive, can be terry. These are mainly red, pink, and white flowers, but yellow ones are also found in nature. Depending on the type, the petals may have transitions from one color to another, specks, waves and stripes, spots and stains.
It is believed that this indoor plant has no aroma, but some varieties can emit a tea scent. If you manage to get a camellia to bloom, it will do so for up to 2 months, depending on the variety you purchased. During flowering, camellia does not grow. It begins to grow only in the spring.
Secret 2
In the first secret, we already mentioned that camellia needs low air temperatures in winter. So, in order for it to bloom, you will have to provide an even lower temperature - as much as 10 degrees. Which, of course, is hardly possible in apartments. But it’s possible!
Home care
1. Although camellia loves a cooler place, it must be provided with good lighting. As an option, the plant will feel great on insulated balconies. Camellia montana will especially like this. It is better to shade the Japanese one from direct sunlight.
2. O air temperature in outline. It is best to place the camellia on an insulated balcony or loggia. Here's another reason to buy this plant. Not every indoor flower will agree to live on the balcony. Camellias can only be harmed by temperatures below -10 degrees. In summer, she needs to provide an air temperature of about 20-25 degrees. And when the buds ripen - about 15. As you understand, you will have to monitor the air temperature in different seasons.
Secret 3
Those who have their own home are lucky, because their camellia will feel best. There it is easiest to find a room with the desired air temperature. And if you have winter Garden, greenhouse or glazed, insulated veranda - then the camellia is just lucky!
3. Air humidity will have to support all year round. It is enough to have a humidifier at home. You can only spray the plant not at the time when it is blooming.
4. Camellias need to be watered rarely in winter, and often in summer. Well, as with most plants, you need to make sure that the soil does not dry out or become waterlogged. Watering should be done only with soft water. On suburban area Settled, snow or rain water is quite suitable.
5. Mineral and organic fertilizers can be given to the flower as soon as new shoots begin to form, and so on until the end of July. In August, the plant will begin to lay new flower buds. Take care of them.
6. Since camellia begins to grow in the spring, it cannot be replanted at this time. It is best to do this in winter. In this case, you can replant even if the plant is blooming. Which is also an advantage. When replanting, make sure that the root collar is level with the ground. Camellia can be replanted once every 2-3 years.
6. The soil is the same as for azaleas. Loose, sour. You can buy it in a store, or you can make it yourself. Take approximately equal proportions of coniferous and leaf soil, high-moor peat and perlite. Then add sand, 2 times less than you took the previous components.
7. You can propagate your camellia from apical cuttings. It is best to do this in July. Take shoots that have turned olive in color, but you can also cut off green ones. The shoots will take root in about 2 months. Monitor the air temperature, it should be 20-25 degrees. The ideal soil for propagation is equal proportions of peat soil and sand. It can also be rooted in pure perlite.
8. Camellia is susceptible spider mite, aphids, scale insects, mealyworms. The most common insecticides intended for these pests are quite suitable for treatment.
Secret 4
In order for the camellia to bloom with large buds, you need to select 1-2 of the strongest buds at the end of each shoot and cut off the rest. If your buds are falling off, it means the plant is weak. This means that for it to bloom, more care and attention to the plant will be required.
As you understand, main secret When Camellia blooms, this is the correct air temperature. If you manage to provide her with this, consider that you have one more blooming flower at home. winter plant more. Good luck!
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Camellia is a rather attractive flower with dark glossy foliage and beautiful large flower buds. This tropical flower can be grown in outdoor garden and indoors, decorating your interior with it.
So that the plant grows and develops well, and also makes you happy beautiful flowers you need to properly care for Camellia throughout the year.
Lighting and temperature
The best place in an apartment for growing is with east-facing windows, as it loves bright and diffused light. When growing a Camellia bush on a window, it must be turned to the light in different directions so that it develops evenly.
Camellia does not tolerate direct sunlight.
Throughout the year, the plant prefers an even temperature within 20-25 degrees Celsius. But for the formation of buds and flowering of the Asian beauty, a temperature of +10 degrees is needed.
Humidity and watering
The tropical beauty grows in the forests, where all the time high humidity . This means that indoors she will not refuse timely watering and spraying the leaf mass with warm and settled water.
When spraying leaves, it is important not to get it on the flowers, as their appearance will deteriorate.
Soil and fertilizing
Soil for Camellia must be oxidized, but you can compose it yourself from the following parts:
- Part of turf land.
- Part of the sand.
- Leafy soil.
- Two parts of coniferous land.
When replanting, it is important not to cover the crown of the plant.
The plant is fed throughout the year with full mineral fertilizers. Fertilize once a month on moist soil so that the root system of the plant does not burn.
Transfer
Like any plant transplant, this does not look very difficult. For this purpose, select a pot that is not much larger in diameter than the previous one; even a 5 cm difference is enough.
It is important to ensure that the container contains drainage holes, through which water will drain into the pan. If it is not absorbed into the soil after watering, it should be drained after 15 minutes to prevent rotting of the plant’s root system.
A 2 cm layer of expanded clay is laid out at the bottom of the pot, which serves as drainage. Then 4 cm of soil. The soil is selected specifically for Camellia and is oxidized, but The ready-made mixture is also suitable for Azaleas. Since the soil sold is usually moistened, therefore additional watering No soil is needed on the first day.
If such soil is not commercially available, you can collect soil from a coniferous forest by removing the top layer of needles. Then the Camellia is placed on a layer of soil, and its roots are straightened so that they are directed in different directions and are not tangled.
From the purchased Camellia you need to remove all the peat in which it was planted for sale.
Then earth is poured around the roots, and you need to lightly tap the walls of the pot so that all the air voids in the middle of the roots are filled. When the soil is poured almost to the edges of the container, you need to lightly squeeze it with your hands around the Camellia trunk. The first watering is done on the second day.
How to trim and pinch correctly
The plant is pruned in October, this will give the opportunity to develop side shoots, on which flower buds will later form. Pruning is done by shortening the branch by one third of its length.
Sometimes there are branches that, if cut, will be too short, and they will stand out from the overall mass of the bush. Then they are pinched, removing the last two pairs of leaves.
Diseases and pests
Camellia diseases not sick, but you can find pests on it:
- Mealybugs– on leaf blades and their axils it forms white coating, this means that it has settled on the leaves mealybug feeding on plant sap. All white deposits must be removed with a cotton swab dipped in soapy solution, and if this does not help, then spill it with Actellik solution.
- Shields– covered with growths, under which there are pests feeding on plant sap. It is difficult to get rid of scale insects, but it is possible. The brown growths are picked off by hand, and then the plant is first sprayed with Actellik from a spray bottle, and then the soil is spilled. This operation is carried out three times, after which the plant is transplanted into new soil.
It is necessary to notice pests in time and begin treatment.
Flowering at home
Flowering different types happens in different time. Some bloom all fall and winter, others bloom all spring. The plant blooms for a very long time, under the right conditions it lasts five months.
Possible problems with growing a flower
This flower reacts poorly as if a dry earthen coma is drying out, and to a constant flood that harms the roots of the plant. From the scorching sun, the leaves turn brown, and the flower sheds its numerous buds.
With a lack of light, flowering may not occur at all.
Flower propagation
Flower propagation occurs in the following main ways:
- By cuttings.
- Seeds.
- The vaccine is used quite rarely.
Cuttings
After the cuttings have grown stronger, they are transplanted into a permanent pot.
Cuttings are carried out in late spring before the onset of summer heat. For this purpose cut cuttings 15 cm long.
It is important that the shoots are green and not woody.
The lower cut is wrapped in Kornevin, and the cutting is planted in a small container filled with soil for the Camellia. Lightly moisturizes and cover glass jar according to cutting size to create greenhouse conditions. At the same time, you should not forget to ventilate the cuttings once a day so that it does not begin to rot at high humidity and temperature.
The temperature in the room where Camellia seedlings are standing should not rise above 21 degrees Celsius. After about 3.5 months, the cutting will have its own root system and then it can be removed from the greenhouse and in a week transplanted into a slightly larger pot.
Seeds
Propagation by seeds is less popular, since with this method of propagation the first flower can be seen after 8 years. The seeds have good germination and they are sown in mid-autumn in nutritious soil and covered with glass.
At the same time, it is worth monitoring excess humidity and ventilating the seedlings. When most of The seeds sprout, the glass is removed, and when two true leaf blades appear, the seedlings are planted in separate cups.
Camellia seedlings require lighting, since in winter there is little sun and the seedlings may begin to stretch out.
In the spring it is hardened and taken out into the fresh air.
Vaccination
Sometimes propagation by cuttings bad luck, and then Camellia is vaccinated. For the rootstock, choose non-problematic Camellia varieties or tea bushes. A grafted seedling requires the same care as an ungrafted plant.
Types of Camellia
Nowadays, many different hybrids have been obtained that differ in the shape and color of the flowers.
Camellia japonica (Japanese rose)
Camellia japonica - the most common type Camellia, which is quite common among our flower lovers.
The shape of the Camellia Japonica flower can be different:
- Terry;
- Semi-double;
- Symmetrical;
- Simple.
The shades of colors themselves may vary from white to pink to red. IN Lately hybrids with two-color buds were bred. At home, the bush grows no more than a meter high. In the wild, there are thickets where Camellias have reached 11 m in height.
This name was given because the sheet plates make green and black teas. Flowers with a delicate aroma are also added to tea using their petals. We grow it for its leaves in the Krasnodar region.
It is not cultivated at home, since it has only single flowers.
The Japanese call it Flower of the winter sun. In nature, it is found in the mountains of Kushu and Okinawa, creating beautiful flowering thickets there. At home, it will bloom if cool conditions are created, and then from November to February wonderful flowers will form on it.
This Camellia was the basis for the development of new hybrids. The shrub has a height of one and a half meters and beautiful large flowers of various shades bloom on it:
- White;
- Pink;
- Dark red;
- Burgundy.
Oilseed
This type of Camellia grows along river banks in China. This is a tree up to 10 m high. does not shed its leaves for the winter.
White flowers begin to bloom in September and bloom until the end of October. After flowering, a seed capsule is formed, which contains seeds with a large amount of fat.
It is cultivated for oilseeds.
This is no longer a bush, but huge tree, having a height of 20 m. Large double red flowers bloom on it. This flower is 20 cm in diameter and the color of the buds changes from white to red, mixing these shades. People call this color of buds Chimera.
This species of Camellia grows in the forests of China and Vietnam and is different from other species large presence of blooming flowers. On one small bush there can be about 200 of them. bright yellow flowers. This species is listed in the Chinese Red Book.
Camellia beautiful decorative flower. Some gardeners consider it a rather capricious plant, but if you create it the right conditions, then it will delight you with its flowering every winter or spring, depending on the variety purchased.
After all, the main thing that is needed for flowering is a bright, cool room, where the temperature will remain as in the homeland of Camellia at 12 degrees Celsius.
