Home camellia is a beautiful oriental beauty, similar to a luxurious rose. beautiful buds look gorgeous against the background of dark green foliage, but in order to admire the plant, you need to properly care for it. Camellia has won the love of flower growers due to the fact that in addition to the decorative properties of the bud, its leaves are used as tea leaves.
The most common varieties of camellia
Camellia (camellia) has been known since the time of the Japanese samurai. Interest in bright flower has not faded yet. Proper cultivation camellias at home guarantees lush flowering in the winter. There are such types of flowers:
- Camellia oleifera is an oil-bearing evergreen tree up to 10 m high, which is conveniently located along the river banks and in the wooded area of China at an altitude of about 500-1400 m above sea level. seas. Often they are grown specifically in order to extract healthy oil from seeds. Flowering occurs from September to the second half of October with luxurious snow-white flowers. After that, seed boxes appear, and you can collect seeds from them.
- Camellia sinensi is a Chinese tree with fragrant buds up to 10 m high. It begins to bloom in August, and in October, three-leaved, slightly flattened boxes appear in place of the flowers. Due to the fact that its foliage is brewed as tea, the plant has received a second name - the tea bush.
- Camellia japonica - this beauty grows up to 15 meters. Lives in Korea, Japan and China. Abundant flowering lasts from December to April. Flowers are terry, simple and semi-double, reaching a diameter of 4 cm.
- Camellia sasanqua is a mountain camellia native to the islands. Bushes about 5 m high with thin branches and slightly red shoots. Fragrant flowers of white, pinkish and red shades appear from November to the end of January.
Habitual in the middle latitudes of Europe, garden camellia and home varieties common among our compatriots were bred on the basis of the Japanese variety.
How to care for homemade camellia
To grow a room camellia, you should study in detail the conditions that a capricious flower prefers. Even a slight deviation from the norm can cause it to start shedding leaves and flowers.
Important! This flower is not for the lazy, so be prepared to pay due attention to the care of indoor beauty.
Proper lighting
Indoor flower requires certain lighting:
- The best place for breeding perennials is a well-lit conservatory. The flower prefers lower temperatures during the colder months.
- The optimal brightness of lighting is at least 3000 lux, and the required daylight hours are at least 12-14 hours. That is why in winter the flowers need to be illuminated. For these purposes, gardeners use phytolamps, which you can read more about. In the absence of the necessary light, the plant will not bloom.
- For camellia during the formation of buds, it is strictly forbidden to turn it relative to the light source. If you do not listen to this requirement, she will simply drop the buds.
- Camellia in open field is also common, but even a pot with a home flower can be safely taken out to the balcony or garden in the summer, as well as change its location. At the same time, the greens will not react in any way to a change in the place of cultivation.
Important! Saturated green foliage requires protection from direct sun rays on particularly hot days. Therefore, the pot is best placed in a slightly shaded place.
Competent temperature regime
The camellia flower is winter-flowering, so the temperature of its cultivation, like many other flowers, is very different during the autumn-winter period.
- March-September - the temperature ranges from +20 to +25 degrees. As soon as the period of formation of flower buds begins, lower the temperature to the optimum +18 +20 degrees.
- December-February - the temperature is not more than +8 +12 degrees.
If the temperature is violated, you may experience such problems: the ovary will fall off or flowering will come much earlier, but the buds will be small and inconspicuous.
Camellia care involves the complete absence of drafts and the presence of fresh air.
How to water a plant
Camellia loves moisture, but this process also obeys clear rules.
- Watering cannot be called consistently plentiful or moderate. Throughout the year, the degree of required moisture changes several times. In summer, abundant watering, and in winter, moderate.
- The soil should not be allowed to dry out in summer, as the camellia may die. In winter, watering is prudent and accurate, since moisture evaporates very slowly at low temperatures. With excessive moisture, the flower may turn sour and die.
- Watering is carried out only with settled water. The liquid can be slightly acidified by dropping a few drops of vinegar into it.
Important! The flower prefers watering with settled water of medium temperature. Water rich in lime can kill the sprout.
- Set up a watering schedule. This will help you keep track of how often you moisturize. Landmark - the degree of drying of the earth. If, according to the schedule, the watering time has come up, and upper layer soil is still wet, set aside moistening for a few days.
Optimum indoor humidity
The flower does not tolerate dry air in the room where it grows. You can ensure optimal humidity in the following ways:
- Place a saucer of water next to the pot. The liquid will gradually evaporate, providing the plant comfortable conditions. How to humidify the air in the room in other ways, you can read.
- Install a humidifier in the room to maintain desired level humidity.
- Spray the leaves regularly, especially in summer. Be extremely careful during the budding period. Moisture should not fall on the flowers.
How to fertilize correctly
In the summer, the plant does not require active feeding, but for harmonious development, it should still be carried out. For these purposes, buy a special mineral fertilizer, and in the absence of it, a substrate for a rose or liquid top dressing for azaleas. Apply fertilizer according to the instructions no more than 1 time per month. During the flowering period, increase feeding up to 2-3 times a month. Before fertilizing, be sure to pay attention to expiration dates. Delay can only harm the pet.
Japanese beauty transplant
Perennial requires systematic transplants. The frequency of changing the pot depends on the age of the plant.
- Replant young flowers every spring. Each time take a container with large diameter. When transplanting, the soil changes completely, while the neck of the flower should not be covered with earth. This is dangerous for the plant, and can lead to its death.
- Mature plants change the pot every 3 years. But the top layer changes every year.
- If a perennial grows in a tub, then it is not transplanted, as it is very difficult. In addition to inconvenience, you can cause irreparable harm to the plant. Therefore, it is enough just to change the top layer of soil. This will reduce the risk of disease and stimulate the development of buds.
Reproduction of room camellia
Plant propagation occurs in several ways:
- Seeds. Gardeners are not very fond of this method, as it does not preserve the quality of the variety. Some individuals have seed pods. These seeds are transplanted into a container with a nutrient substrate and grown until the first leaves appear, after which the sprouts dive into different pots.
- Cuttings. The most popular way to maintain the quality of varieties. It is better to cut off the upper parts of ripe shoots. Their length varies from 3 to 8 cm. The cuttings are placed in diluted heteroauxin. After that, the cuttings are moved to a box filled in half with peat and sand. Planting is left at a temperature of +20 +23 degrees until rooting.
- Grafting. This method is considered very time consuming, and is extremely rare at home.
What problems do gardeners face?
How to care for camellia depends on its flowering. Mistakes in care main reason plant disease and death.
- If the foliage falls, then you make mistakes with watering.
- Withered leaves - the plant lacks nutrients.
- If, as in the photo, brownish spots have formed on the leaves, then remove the pot from the windowsill as soon as possible. These are signs of sunburn.
- Poor flowering is a sign of soil acidification.
- In the event of an attack by a scale insect, tick or aphid, it is necessary to treat the foliage with special preparations, or with an ordinary soapy solution.
The video below shows how to grow a camellia and make her a queen. winter garden. Have you had any experience in breeding camellias? Write about the most important, in your opinion, in this process to readers.
In today's article, we will take a closer look at such a beautiful houseplant as camellia. So…
Camellia ( lat. Camellia) - a genus of evergreen trees or shrubs with beautiful flowers of the family Tea (Theaceae).
The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus in honor of the Jesuit missionary and botanist Czech origin George Josef Camel (1661-1706), who worked as a doctor and pharmacist in the Philippines, who first brought camellia to Europe from the Philippines.
Camellia is common in tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast and East Asia, the South of the USA, on the peninsulas of Indochina, Korea, in Japan, on the islands of Java, Sulawesi, Philippine.
The most famous type of plant is Camellia sinensis (Camellia sinensis), from the leaves of which raw materials for making tea are obtained. Many types of camellia are used in ornamental gardening.
Camellia is a small evergreen shrub or tree from 2 to 20 meters high.
The leaves are simple, elliptical to broadly and oblong-ovate, leathery, glossy, pointed or obtuse, singly, sometimes 2-3, alternate on short petioles, 3-17 cm long.
Flowers solitary, 1-12 cm in diameter. Petals fused at the base, pink, red, white or variegated, numerous stamens. Camellia blooms in winter at a temperature not exceeding 12 ° C.
The flowering time of the camellia bush is 1-3 months. One flower lasts up to a month. The fruit is a dry capsule that usually divides into 5 compartments with 8 seeds.
Some species of camellia are widely used as valuable ornamental evergreens and flowering plants. They are widely used for landscaping interiors, creating an exposition in the park during the summer period. Others as tea, as we already know.
From the leaves of the Japanese-Chinese camellia eugenol (Camellia sasanqua), an essential oil containing 97% eugenol is obtained.
According to various sources, from 80 to 250 plants belong to the genus Camellia (Camellia).
Types of camellia
Camellia sinensis (Camellia sinensis) , whale. 茶 "cha" , Jap. 茶 "cha") . Other plant names: Tea, tea plant. Homeland - tropical and subtropical mountain forests of Southeast Asia (Indochina).
Camellia sinensis - evergreen shrub or small tree up to 10 m high with spaced branches.
The leaves are alternate, oval or oblong-oval, narrowed towards the top, short-petiolate, dark-green above, light green below, 5-7 long, 3.5-4 cm wide, slightly pubescent when young. In the pulp of the leaves there are branched supporting sclereids.
The flowers are fragrant, solitary or 2-4 in leaf axils. Bracts and florets arranged in a spiral. The calyx is joint-leaved with 5-7 sepals, almost rounded, remaining with the fetus. Corolla 2.5-3 cm across, falling off after flowering, of 5-9 white petals with a yellowish-pink tint, fused at the base with each other and the calyx. Stamens in two circles: the outer stamens grow together with stamen filaments and adhere to the petals, the inner ones are free; anthers small, ovoid. Gynoecium cenocarpous, with columns fused to the middle.
The fruit is a flattened tricuspid woody box. Seeds are rounded, dark brown, 10-13 mm long, 1 mm thick.
Blooms from August to late autumn. Fruits in October-December.
The tea bush was first cultivated in China, from where it came to Japan. In 1824, the Dutch began to cultivate tea on the island of Java, and in 1834, the British began to cultivate tea in the Himalayas. At present, the main tea cultures are concentrated in China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Africa (Kenya and Natal), and South America. In Europe, it grows outdoors in Russia (Krasnodar Territory), the Caucasus, southern England, Portugal, Sicily, and western France.
. This type of camellia is common in forests and along the banks of rivers in China, at altitudes of 500-1300 m above sea level. It is sometimes cultivated there for the oil-rich seeds.
Camellia oleifera is an evergreen tree up to 10 m high. The trunk with a diameter of up to 20 cm is covered with brown bark. The leaves are alternate, simple, leathery, petiolate, ovate, pointed or obtuse at the apex. The flowers are white bisexual single or paired axillary, appear in September. Their flowering period continues until mid-October. The fruit is a large capsule with numerous spherical seeds up to 3 cm long.
Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) . It is found in forests in China, Japan, Korea.
Japanese camellia is a shrub or tree 10-12 (up to 15) meters tall. Leaves elliptical or ovate, 5-10 cm long, pointed, marginally serrate, leathery, glossy, dark green. Flowers solitary or collected in several, 4 cm in diameter (in culture, they are bred mainly garden varieties with large, 7-12 cm in diameter, flowers), simple, semi-double or double, pink, red, white, variegated, Seeds are large, almost round. Blooms profusely in December-April.
Widespread in culture various forms, but mostly garden varieties that vary in degree of doubleness, flower size, petal arrangement and color. Outside the subtropics, it is also a widely known plant in culture, grown in cool rooms as a pot plant, tub plant and in the ground; in rooms grows well and blooms, requires no higher than 12 ° C in winter time. Fruits in greenhouses.
In Chinese traditional medicine, all Camellia japonica plants are considered anti-cancer. The flowers have astringent and tonic properties.
Some varieties of camellia japonica:
"Adolphe audusson"
Camellia mountain (Camellia sasanqua) . Synonyms: Camellia Miyagi (Camellia miyagii), Camellia tegmentosa (Camellia tegmentosa), Miyagi tea (Thea miyagii), Mountain tea (Thea sasanqua), Tegmentosa tea (Thea tegmentosa). It lives in mountain forests on the islands of Kyushu, Okinawa.
Camellia mountain is a shrub up to 3-4 (up to 5) m tall, with thin branches and reddish hairy pubescent shoots. The leaves are elliptical or oblong-ovate, 3-7 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, bluntly pointed, serrate at the edges, glossy and dark green above, with a hairy pubescent midrib below. Flowers solitary or collected in 2-3, up to 6-7 cm in diameter, simple, white, pink or red, fragrant. Blooms profusely in November-January.
As evergreen and flowering plants in culture, mainly garden varieties are bred. Suitable for cold rooms.
There are five main groups of carp cultivars:
- "real" carp Camellia sasanqua;
- camellia Camellia x hiemalis;
- camellia Camellia x vernalis;
- a group of camellia hybrids with the common name "Egao";
- frost-resistant Ackerman hybrids of camellia.
Some varieties of mountain camellia:
"Bicolor"
Camellia grijsii
Camellia care
In the room, the camellia grows, blooms and even bears fruit, if it is provided with proper care.
Lighting. Camellia prefers bright diffused light, suitable for growing near windows of western and eastern exposure. At the windows of the southern exposure, the plant is provided with shading from direct sunlight. At northern exposure windows, the plant may not have enough light for normal growth. To prevent the crown from being one-sided, the plant can be turned towards the light. Just in no case do this during budding: by disturbing the plant during this period, you will achieve dropping buds.
In summer, the plant can be put on open air, in a place protected from direct sunlight.
Temperature. Camellia in the spring and summer prefers air temperatures in the region of 20-25 ° C. For laying flower buds, a temperature of 18-20 ° C is required, and during flowering in December - February, on the contrary, 8-12 ° C. At a higher temperature, flowering occurs earlier, but the quality of the flowers will be worse, there is a risk of falling buds. With a short daylight hours, the laying of flower buds can also occur at a temperature of 8-10 ° C.
Camellia needs access to fresh air.
Watering. In summer, camellias are watered evenly, plentifully, after the top layer of the substrate dries up, the camellias should not be poured. When kept cool in winter, in order to avoid acidification of the soil, water carefully. As a result of acidification of the soil, the leaves turn brown, and flower buds fall off. From prolonged drying, the plants shed their leaves. The plant does not tolerate the high content of calcium in the water, so it should be watered with soft settled water.
Air humidity. Camellia prefers high humidity, it is advisable to regularly spray it with soft settled water, put pots with plants on trays with wet expanded clay or peat. During the flowering period, spray carefully, avoiding moisture on the flowers.
Fertilizer. Once every three weeks, camellias are fed with a complete mineral fertilizer at the rate of 1 g / l. Top dressing is carried out all year round.
Growing features. Camellias are short-day plants, and 12-14-hour daylight hours are optimal for the laying and normal development of flower buds. To lay flower buds, adult plants also need a temperature of 18-20 ° C; when growing in conditions of low positive temperature and in a shaded place, flower buds are not laid. During the flowering period (December-February), camellias are kept at a temperature of 8-10°C (12°C); at higher temperatures (18-20°C) there are premature flowering, while the quality of the flowers is worse, and bud drop, the latter is also noted when the plants in the budding phase are moved to another place (a change in the light regime affects). In areas with short daylight hours, flower buds can be laid at a temperature of 8-10°C.
Pruning. In October-November, shoots are pruned to stimulate the growth of axillary buds.
Transfer. Young camellias are transplanted annually. Plants that bloom annually are transplanted every 2 years. Transplantation is carried out in the spring, at the same time the tops of the shoots are pinched so that the plant branches better.
The soil. For camellias, acidic soil (pH 4.5-5) is preferred. Out of many subtropical plants camellias have a unique ability to grow on acidic soils with a pH of up to 4 and below. The composition of the substrate can be as follows: turf - 1 hour, peat - 2 hours, heather or leaf - 2 hours, sand - 1 hour. Potted plants are rarely transplanted, but annual topping up of the earth and top dressing are necessary. The bottom of the tank provides good drainage.
Reproduction. Camellias are propagated by fresh seeds and cuttings.
Seeds are sown one by one in 5-7 cm pots or in boxes, then in the phase of two leaves they are dived into pots.
If you want to grow a varietal plant, it should be propagated vegetatively - by cuttings, since varietal characteristics are lost when propagated by seeds. In ornamental gardening, camellia varieties are especially valued, so they are propagated vegetatively in order to preserve the characteristics of the variety.
Ornamental camellias are often propagated by apical non-lignified cuttings b-8 cm long in a breeding box at a soil temperature of 20-24 ° C in January and July. The substrate for planting cuttings is made of sand - 1 hour. and peat land - 1 hour ... Cuttings are cut with 3-5 developed leaves. They take root within 50-60 days (especially in summer). Care for cuttings consists of watering and spraying. In view of long term rooting, it is advisable to soak the cuttings in a solution of heteroauxin, and then periodically water them, however, in this case, it is also possible to stretch the rooting. Rooted cuttings are planted in 7 cm pots. The composition of the earth mixture: sheet - 2 hours, peat - 2 hours, turf - 1 hour, sand - 1 hour; pH 4.5-5. Vaccinations are made on 1-2-year-old camellia seedlings, sometimes on rooted cuttings. Water abundantly, then reduce watering to promote the maturation of the wood.
Poorly rooted varieties are propagated by grafting, mainly in January, with developed buds from the top of the shoot. Vaccinations contain at a temperature of 18-20°C. Germination is observed after 2 months. Care for young plants consists in watering, spraying, shading from the bright rays of the sun (as leaves with burn spots fall off), creating air humidity and pruning shoots. In the 2nd year of culture, the plants are transplanted into 9-11 cm pots. The substrate is the same.
In the 3rd year of culture, the plants are transferred to 11 - 14 cm pots. The earth mixture is made up of turf - 2 hours, peat - 2 hours, leafy earth - 2 hours, heather - 2 hours, sand - 1 hour.
Possible difficulties
As a result of acidification of the soil, the leaves turn brown, and flower buds fall off.
Brown spots appear on the leaves as a result of a burn from direct sunlight (especially in summer).
The main reasons for the failure of an amateur trying to grow camellia at home: low air humidity, lack of light, high temperatures and unsuitable soil.
From prolonged drying, the plants shed their leaves.
From a lack or excess of moisture, camellia can shed its leaves.
Damaged
The main reasons for the failure of an amateur trying to grow camellia at home:
— low air humidity;
- lack of light;
- high temperatures;
- unsuitable soil composition.
Camellia in history
The first written mention of camellias dates back to the 1st century AD, when the governor of the province of Kyushu dealt with the leader of a gang of criminals with a club made from camellia wood. Therefore, this part of Kyushu is called Tsubaki, after the Japanese name for the Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica), and the battle site itself is called the "Bloody Field". The name reflected the fact that wild Tsubaki flowers are bright red, and the first ever White flower of this species appeared only in the 7th century and aroused such interest that it was even brought to be shown to Emperor Temmu.
The culture of breeding camellias has experienced several periods of decline and prosperity in Japan. In the XI century, camellias lose popularity, interest in them awakens only during the Muromachi period (1333-1568), the era of the formation of the traditional style Japanese garden. Cultivation of camellias becomes one of the occupations of the samurai class. In addition to Tsubaki, Sazanka (Camellia sasanqua), an autumn-flowering mountain camellia, was also popular. It is smaller in size than Tsubaki, but it blooms more abundantly and has a flower of a more asymmetrical shape, easily tolerates open sun.
Throughout history, camellias have been cultural symbols with often opposing meanings. At first, the Tsubaki camellia was one of the symbols of the sun goddess Amaterasu, and during the ban on Christianity in Japan, it also became a symbol of Jesus Christ for the Japanese Catholics, who were forbidden to wear a cross.
To this day, the Catholic Church in Nagasaki is decorated with an ornament of Tsubaki flowers. Initially, this camellia was also a symbol of longevity. And in the 15th century, it was believed that a samurai who touched it would be beheaded. The explanation for this belief is that the Tsubaki flower falls to the ground as a whole, like a severed head, and does not rain down petals, like a Sazanka.
Members of the Japanese Higo Camellia Society believe that this superstition was part of the "black PR" of some samurai clans against others. Even stranger, in 19th and 20th century America, members of the racist Ku Klux Klan used the Japanese camellia as a symbol of the white race and called themselves the Knights of the White Camellia.
Contact with America - Commodore Perry's arrival on the islands in 1858 and the subsequent opening of Japan to the world caused a decline in interest in camellias in Japan, as the Japanese quickly began to copy everything Western, from Western roses to warships. With the destruction of feudalism, many samurai, who were the keepers of the culture of growing camellias, lost their collections, and the younger generation began to perceive camellias as flowers for cemeteries. Only a century later, in 1958, a group of flower growers in Kyushu decided to revive the tradition of Higo, the flowers of the Kumamoto samurai clan. They found about a hundred varieties, many of which grew on ancient graves. Thanks to the enthusiasm of this group, as well as the Italian florist Franco Ghirardi, Camellias Higo spread to Europe and the USA. This flower perfectly conveys the Japanese taste, based on simplicity, asymmetry and closeness to nature. Traditionally Higo is grown as bonsai, although Hygo lovers in Europe also grow them as regular-sized camellias.
Medicinal and other beneficial properties of Camellia sinensis 
Tea seeds in Japan and China are used to produce fatty oil. Refined oil is used for food, unrefined oil is used for technical needs.
Camellia sinensis in medicine
A significant part of the leaves and branches of tea, cut during the care of tea bush plantations (during molding), as well as tea dust generated in tea-packing factories, are used as raw materials for factory extraction of caffeine and theophylline alkaloids. Caffeine is important medicine. It has an exciting and tonic effect on the central nervous system, improves mental and physical activity, is a diuretic and migraine remedy. Theophylline is used as a means of improving coronary circulation, as a diuretic for circulatory disorders of cardiac and renal origin. Tea alkaloids are included in a number of drugs (eufillin, diuretin, etc.) used for coronary insufficiency, hypertension, bronchial asthma, angina pectoris, edema of cardiac origin, etc.
In addition, a complex of catechins with P-vitamin activity is obtained from old tea leaves and tea dust, which is used for violations of permeability and increased fragility of blood vessels, hemorrhagic diathesis, retinal hemorrhages, radiation therapy, hypertension, etc. Due to the presence of caffeine and tannins substances tea drink and the isolated alkaloid caffeine are used as an antidote for poisoning with poisons, narcotic substances and alcohol.
Along with black, the so-called long leaf tea, is widely used green tea. Green tea is less aromatic, but physiologically more active. Experimental studies have found that green tea has antimicrobial properties. Its decoction has been suggested to treat dysentery. It is also indicated for whooping cough, enterocolitis and dyspepsia. In combination with other drugs, it stimulates hematopoiesis, increases elasticity and reduces the permeability of the walls of blood vessels, and has an anti-radiation effect.
In folk medicine, compresses from strong tea relieve pain and fever with sunburn, inflammation of the eyelids.
Camellia sinensis in cooking
The well-known dry tea used to make a tea drink is obtained from tea leaves through complex processing. The most important constituent parts tea drink (tea) are tannins, caffeine and essential oil. The taste, color, aroma and taste depend on these substances. medicinal properties tea. Tannins and catechins give the tea a bitter and astringent taste, while the essential oil gives it a delicate fragrant aroma. The invigorating effect of tea is due to caffeine.
The ways of drinking tea are peculiar. In Central Asia, pottage with salt, fat and milk is brewed from brick tea (sometimes sheep's blood is added). IN Central Asia in some places they drink green tea with salt, in Tibet - with the addition of rancid oil. In England and in many regions of Russia, strong tea infusion diluted with milk or cream is preferred.
The chemical composition of camellia sinensis
The leaves contain 9-36% tannins, among them up to 26% soluble and up to 10% insoluble, resins, nucleoproteins containing iron and manganese. The composition of soluble tannins includes gallocatechin gallate, L-epiatechin gallate, L-epigallocatechin, L-gallocatechin gallate and L-epicatechin, free gallic acid and other substances. Also found in the leaves are alkaloids - caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, xanthine, adenine, hypoxanthine, paraxanthine, methylxanthine, isatin and other organic bases. Flavonoids were found - kaempferol, kaempferol 3-rhamnoglycoside, quercetin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin, rutin, etc.
Stems, roots and seeds contain steroidal saponins. The seeds contain 22-25% fatty oil, 30% starch and sterols - stigmasterol and β, γ-sitosterol, up to 8.5% protein.
The leaves also contain coumarins, vitamins - ascorbic acid (more than 0.230%), thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, phylloquinone, nicotinic and pantothenic acids, essential oil.
Part essential oil fresh unfermented leaves (yield 0.007-0.014%) include hexen-3-ol-1 (66%), methyl alcohol, hexen-2-al-1, isobutyric and isovaleric aldehydes, acetic, propionic, butyric, n-caproic and palmitic acid, salicylic acid methyl ester.
Green fermented leaf oil (yield 0.003-0.006%) consists of β, γ-hexenol (25%), n-hexanol, methyl alcohol, n-octyl alcohol, geraniol, linalool, citranellol, benzyl, phenylethyl alcohol, secondary alcohols, butyl isobutyl and isovaleric aldehydes, hexene-2-ala-1, benzaldehyde, acetophenol, n-hydroxybenzalacetone, cresol, phenol, acetic, butyric, caproic, salicylic and phenylacetic acids and methyl salicylate.
The components of black tea oil are as follows: citronallol, geraniol, linalool, secondary terpene alcohol, benzyl, phenylethyl, butyl, isobutyl, isoamyl, hexyl, octyl and 3-methylbutyl alcohols, aldehydes (caproic, isovaleric, benzaldehyde), propionic, isovaleric, caprylic and palmitic acids, esters of these acids, cresols, quinoline, methylmercaptan, methanesulfonic acid, 2-acetylpyrrole, methyl-, dimethyl-, trimethylamines, ethylamine, n-propylamine, etc.
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Rose, according to many, - beautiful flower in the world. She is really beautiful, and everyone admits it. But there are other representatives in floriculture who can easily compete with her in beauty.
One of these is camellia, a tea tree with luxurious double flower buds. It is no worse than a rose, because it has the same beautiful flowers, and sometimes even more delightful. In it you will find nobility, elegance, tenderness and other positive characteristics. Camellia is good because it can be grown not only in the garden, but also in an apartment in the form of houseplant. We will talk about the principles of such cultivation in this article.
Description of camellia
Camellia, according to botanical taxonomy, belongs to the representatives of the Tea family. It grows in the subtropics and tropics of Asia. Representatives are actively found in Japan, China, Korea, Indochina, on the island of Java, the Philippine Islands. The name of the flower is dedicated to the famous clergyman G.I. Kamelius. He was engaged not only in spiritual affairs, but also studied nature. It was he who brought the camellia to Europe, where it began to be actively cultivated.
It has an evergreen crown, so it is ideal for indoor cultivation. Both tree-like and shrubby forms of camellia are cultivated, which can be bred to produce beautiful flowers or decorative leafy forms. The leaves of the plant with a leathery glossy surface are elliptical in shape with blunt or pointed ends. As a rule, they grow singly, but can be combined in 2-3.
The flowers are distinguished by a large number of stamens that surround scarlet, white or pink petals fused at the base. They bloom for a very long time - for a month or more each flower. In total, camellia pleases with its flowering for about 3 months, with which many ornamental plants cannot compete.
Camellia compares favorably with other plants also in that it has two growth periods, therefore it develops faster. First in the middle of winter indoor flower begins to actively grow foliage and young shoots. In the summer, the second phase of growth comes into force, when vegetative buds begin to form in most vegetative buds. Does camellia smell? - think immediately, seeing beautiful flower. Alas, it will not surprise you with a marvelous aroma: there is practically no smell.
In the genus Camellia, scientists have identified more than 80 species. But in decorative conditions only one variety is best known. And this is Camellia Bohea. In nature this exotic plant can be found high in the mountains, where the tree grows over 10 meters in height. This cameo has dark green, leathery, ovate leaves with a serrate margin. Blooms with pure white flowers. The plant is actively cultivated, because classic tea is obtained from its leaves. But nothing prevents you from growing it at home.
Growing camellia at home
Lighting
Successful cultivation of camellia is determined by the right lighting. They organize bright diffused light from the window, placing the flower on the western or eastern side.
In order for the crown to develop correctly and evenly from all sides, the beauty must gradually be turned in a circle so that all sides of the plant receive an even amount of sun. In summer, when the sun burns the foliage, the plant is slightly shaded: you can put the pot deep into the room - on a table or decorative stand.
Temperature regime
Camellia does not like heat. This means that in spring and summer it should be grown in conditions of + 20 + 25 ° C, not higher. When flowering, they achieve a decrease in temperature, ideally - up to + 8 + 12 ° С. A room with a growing camellia needs regular ventilation and a natural microclimate.
Air humidity
Camellia grows naturally in subtropical conditions. The miracle of the exotic is in dire need of constant replenishment of water and a high level of humidity. To achieve this goal, soft water is regularly defended and the bush is sprayed with it, and also watered. Make sure that liquid does not get on the petals.
How to transplant a camellia into a pot after buying, look at the video:
- It is very important for the plant to use a good drainage layer.
- Choose a pot on the bottom of which you can pour a lot of expanded clay, and where there are drainage holes.
- Then a soil mixture is poured, consisting of soddy and leafy soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 1:2:1:2. The pot is filled 2/3 and the camellia is placed, the soil is poured from the sides and top.
- Make sure that the root neck of the plant remains at the same level.
- At the time of buying ready ground choose substrates with an acidic environment.
- After planting, the camellia is watered, excess moisture is drained from the pan.
How to care for room camellia video
- Camellias grown at home need very frequent regular watering in warm weather and rare in winter.
- During budding and flowering, watering is reduced, otherwise the plant may lose color. When the camellia blooms, it is better to water it through a pebble pan to avoid waterlogging.
- It is necessary to ensure that the soil is not flooded with water, especially in winter - this is fatal for camellia.
- Moisten the substrate during the drying of the upper part of the soil, but do not wait for complete drying, so as not to cause wilting.
- Camellias are fed all the time, even in winter. A complete complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants is applied monthly when watering.
From June to September, camellias can be kept on the balcony or in a shady spot in the garden. Water moderately, not forgetting about top dressing.
From October to February, camellias are kept in a cool room, it is possible to have a corridor without heating, but so that there is a positive temperature of 7-13 ° C.
Camellia blooms from March to May. If you want to see large flowers, cut off half of the buds. So the plant will show itself in all its glory.
pruning
The second half of autumn is the time to prune excess camellia shoots. This is important for the plant to actively grow axillary buds and produce greenery. Branches can be cut at will, shortening them by one third and cutting out branches that give an unaesthetic appearance. The crown is formed to your taste. And cut apical shoots can be used for cuttings and obtaining new plants.
Transfer
Camellia transplantation is carried out annually, for now. Older specimens that bloom regularly need to be transplanted every other year, in the spring. During the implementation of this procedure, it is imperative to pinch the top of the shoots. They plant camellia in the same soil.
Transshipment of camellias in a larger pot video:
How to propagate camellia
Consider the breeding methods of camellia. In flower growers, two methods are used in practice - seed propagation and cuttings.
How to grow camellia from seeds
The substrate is suitable with an acidic environment, for example, peat soil. Camellia seeds are very large and have a strong shell resembling a walnut. To speed up germination and make it easier for the sprouts to germinate, the seeds are doused with boiling water and they try to gently break the shell with a sharp knife, making a crack. Seeds are planted in wide cups with a diameter of 7-10 cm.
To do this, the glass is filled by two-thirds, the soil mixture is lightly watered and laid out, covered with a substrate half a centimeter from above. The final layer is 1 cm of perlite, while the tops of the seeds are still slightly visible on the surface. Important! The seeds have a recess resembling a peephole, it must be placed below: from there the camellia roots will grow.
Camellia from seeds at home
When the sprouts break through, you need to wait for the appearance of two or three true leaves, and you can pick the plants into separate containers. If you have enough space on the windowsill, you can immediately plant the seeds one at a time to avoid picking.
10-14 days after transplanting, seedlings can be fed complex fertilizer for additional growth stimulation. into a permanent pot is performed when the roots of the plant completely fill the temporary cup.
How to propagate camellia cuttings
- Cuttings are used when it is necessary to preserve the varietal characteristics of the plant.
- To do this, take more green shoots at the tops and cut them off, harvesting seedlings 6-8 cm long with 2-5 leaves.
- Leaves can be cut in half to reduce moisture evaporation.
- Planting material is kept in a solution with root, placed in pots with a substrate consisting of peat and sand in equal proportions.
- The soil is taken warm - about 24 degrees.
A month is given to root the cuttings in the substrate, after which the young plants are planted in full-fledged pots.
Possible problems of growing camellia
Compliance with a strict watering regime is an extremely important condition for caring for a tea plant. It was mentioned in the growing requirements that waterlogging and overdrying are equally detrimental. The first problem leads to browning of the leaves and shoots and debudding, and the second leads to a complete loss of foliage.
Being under the scorching rays of the sun, camellia can become covered with brown burn spots - you need to react immediately and shade the plant.
High air temperature, lack of optimal humidity, poor lighting, alkaline or neutral soil are the worst enemies of camellia.
In nature, the homeland of camellia is the eastern countries of Japan, Vietnam, China. This evergreen shrub of the tea family is especially delightful when in bloom. Flowers resembling roses, against the background of dark green shiny foliage, look bewitching. In areas with mild climatic conditions, it feels great in open spaces. But also, with proper care, it takes root and blooms remarkably in an ordinary apartment. Indoor camellia, also known as decorative camellia, needs some cultivation features, which are worth dwelling on in more detail.
The specifics of the microclimate for the successful growth of decorative camellia
There are many varieties and varieties of this amazing and beautiful plant. The main competitor in terms of pomp and appearance of flowers can be considered, perhaps, only a rose. The variety of species will impress the most fastidious flower growers, they can be terry and ordinary, classic white (for example, white camellia), pink, red, pale blue flowers. The variety of colors is truly limitless. At home, three varieties are mainly grown: mesh, Japanese and mountain camellias. Many hybrids have already been bred from them, to the delight of flower growers, more adapted to home conditions. But successful cultivation this flower depends on the fulfillment of some criteria:
- Maintain a moderate temperature in summer and freshness in winter.
- It is useful to provide high humidity in a microclimate.
- Plant the plant in a highly nutritious substrate containing peat.
Provide protection from direct exposure to ultraviolet rays and drafts
In other words, regarding decorative look Camellia care and cultivation at home comes down to creating a microclimate close to the natural environment for the growth of this, of course, a beautiful plant. If all the recommendations were followed correctly, the flower will be comfortable, and it will surely please with colorful flowering for several months.
If you superficially look at the features of a flower camellia: frost resistance down to minus 5 degrees, flowering at +10 degrees, amazingly decorative, almost constant, it may be believed that the plant is unpretentious and special care does not require. But this is far from true. The problem lies in the difficult task of creating necessary conditions in an ordinary room. It is important to remember that the opening of the buds occurs in winter, the growth of leaves in the spring, and for this you need a well-lit room. A reasonable question arises: how to care for camellia at home?
Proper care of the camellia plant
Camellia needs light at least twelve hours a day, but negatively perceives direct exposure to the sun. Therefore, on windows facing south in summer, it is necessary to provide lightly dimmed lighting. Being on the north side will be completely unfavorable, and will manifest itself as strongly elongated branches, faded and small foliage. Western ones are the best., as well as eastern window openings for light. During the seasons when daylight hours decrease, additional specialized lighting is needed.
Camellia is demanding and temperature regime suitable for spring and summer room temperature, in autumn and winter it is better to move to a loggia or balcony with insulation on a thermometer, it should be +12 - +15 ° C. Surprising but true- then the camellia will begin flowering in winter, despite even small negative thermometer readings down to minus 10 degrees.
Proper watering and application of necessary fertilizers
As mentioned earlier, the successful cultivation of the camellia flower, home care should be reduced to reproducing close to natural conditions in its habitat. It grows in a humid climate zone and, naturally, is demanding on watering.
During the warm months, repeated generous watering will be required, vital for dynamic growth. developing plant. And also in warm weather, evaporation increases, creating the necessary microclimate. But it is necessary to water reasonably, without fanaticism, avoiding excessive moisture, leading to the appearance of root rot, pests and harmful bacteria.
In the cold season, despite flowering, the frequency and volume of watering should be reduced. The earth only needs to be slightly moistened as it dries..
Water for irrigation should be settled, boiled or thawed. Sometimes you can dissolve acetic acid in water or citric acid. This shrub loves acidic soil and does not tolerate a high content of alkalis and calcium salts.
Don't forget to create high humidity air in the habitat of the flower. This is achieved in the following way:
- Use a humidifier if possible.
- Spray the foliage of an indoor miracle from a spray bottle warm water keeping moisture out of the ground.
Now let's figure out how to properly and at what time you need to feed the plant. Fertilize the flower should be in the spring, this is due to the beginning active growth shrub. As a rule, this procedure is carried out two to three times a month until the end of July. It should be noted that top dressing is carried out with both organic and mineral fertilizers. Finishing the feeding process shrub in the second half of August, it was at this time that the camellia begins to form flower buds, then buds.
The influence of transplantation on the successful cultivation of camellia
Garden camellias are rather large plants, growing them indoors is a rather complicated and problematic task. In order for the plant to please you with its flowers, they should be replanted regularly as they grow. This requires moving the shrub into a larger pot and adding fresh soil. Young camellias can be transplanted every year, larger flowers no more than once every three years. It is worth noting that they are not afraid of moving to new conditions in autumn and even winter. During abundant flowering plant can be safely subjected to the transplantation procedure.
A flowering plant is quite capricious not only to air temperature, but also to its humidity. To make it easier to take care of the flower, the most suitable light soil is selected, which will allow the plant to get enough nutrients from the soil. It should be borne in mind that the acidity of the substrate should not exceed pH 5.5. The required soil can be made both independently and purchased ready-made land for azaleas. To the bottom of the pot lay drainage, then pour not a large number of substrate, on which a shrub with straightened roots is placed, it is undesirable for the soil to fall asleep on the root collar.
Coloring and trimming
Coloring is an important condition for good growth and abundant flowering for camellias growing indoors. To do this, it is necessary to remove not only diseased branches damaged by time, but also, possibly, to form a crown at the same time. After such care, the bush becomes more compact and fits well into room interior. They form the crown of the shrub, while the plant is already fading, and there is no appearance of new buds. Pruning of the bush is carried out based on plant variety. Sometimes it is necessary to remove shoots up to half their height. Fans of these plants, thanks to pruning and crown shaping, get beautiful trees from these shrubs.
Elimination of unnecessary shoots and tweezing contribute to tillering, hence it follows: after the above care, the camellia will bloom brighter and more abundantly than it will please the eye. But you need to evaluate the strength of the plant at the stage of conception of buds, and change the number of future flowers on the shoots. The shrub is unable to hold a large number of already opened corollas.
A timely and correct set of measures to care for a chic plant is the key to rapid flowering. Hat in red, blue, white and other bright colors will please the eye in the cold months of the year. - Looks exotic and sophisticated.
Many people know about such a plant as camellia, even if they are not carried away and do not distinguish between types of flowers. She is one of the most popular favorites among flower growers. Everyone dreams of such a beauty at home, but, alas, not everyone has access to it, even the greatest plant collectors. And the thing is that camellia is very demanding and capricious, like many women. It is very difficult to grow this plant at home and not destroy it. Some even think that it is impossible to do it. But nothing is impossible. It is possible to do this, but not easy. Those flower growers who manage to grow such a beautiful creature deserve the highest praise. True connoisseurs and lovers of camellia are not stopped by any difficulties.
Camellia japonica is grown as a houseplant. There is also camellia sinensis, but, as you know, it is a kind of tea. Therefore, we will focus on the Japanese, which is usually grown in greenhouses.
Location and lighting. The first is the question of location and proper lighting. Camellia, like almost all indoor flowers, requires bright light, but it should be diffused without direct sunlight. It is better to place it on the east or west windows. With special care, the southern one is also suitable. But the temperature is much higher there, as well as getting sunlight. But the north side does not fit at all. And all because the light there practically does not penetrate. In order for the crown of the bush to grow evenly, the plant must be periodically turned over. But those flower growers who grew lemons or the Decembrists know that it is impossible to turn the plant during flowering. In this case, both buds and flowering disappear.
Temperature. Another important criterion is maintaining the desired temperature. This task is considered one of the most difficult. In spring, the plant rests. The most suitable temperature for her at this time will be from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. Will an additional plus if the camellia is taken out into the fresh air in partial shade. The most difficult thing is to maintain the correct and comfortable temperature for her in the cold season. This is when budding and flowering begins. At this time, the plant needs a fairly low temperature, and it is not so easy to create it. Although the camellia is able to lay out buds at a higher temperature, they bloom only at +15.
Many flower growers, due to ignorance, leave the buds to ripen at normal temperatures, which are suitable for ordinary house plants. And the kidneys do ripen, but they turn out to be completely different from those at the right temperature. The flowers bloom much less and do not have a dazzling appearance, and sometimes, the buds completely fall off without even having time to open. And during flowering, the temperature should not exceed 12 degrees Celsius at all. It is considered ideal from 8 to 10. In ordinary apartments, creating such an atmosphere is very problematic, but real.
Watering, air humidity and top dressing. Each plant requires watering and top dressing, and camellia is no exception. In addition, you need to monitor the humidity of the air. All these details also require a particularly subtle approach. Many flower lovers do not follow watering measures, and often overwater the plant. Perhaps they do this out of pity, thinking that flowers quickly absorb moisture and again require water. But with such a pace, the flowers are immediately bent, perhaps not immediately, but after a month or two. This also applies to camellia. So, in the summer, this bush needs to be watered again only after the topsoil has dried. This means that there must be at least some professionalism and separation of temperature. In winter, determining the right amount of liquid is much more difficult. And all because overflows provoke soil freezing. Because of this, camellia buds disappear altogether, but the foliage acquires dirty brown shades. And even foliage disappears from overdrying.
The success of plant development depends on the humidity of the air. During flowering, wet moss can be placed in the pot tray. Spraying at this time is contraindicated, since moisture on the flowers is unfavorable. At other times, instead of using moss, you can simply use a sprayer.
Camellia requires feeding every three weeks. IN last resort, it must be carried out every month. Even ordinary mineral fertilizer is suitable as top dressing. There is no need to take breaks; fertilizer is carried out throughout the year.
Transfer. Young camellias need to be transplanted annually, and the old one every year. Bought such a plant in a store, most likely it has already bloomed at least once. And this means that it is no longer young. It can be considered as such only if the plant is grown at home with the help of seeds or cuttings. It is not recommended to transplant the plant during flowering; it is better to do this in the spring, when the camellia has already faded. It is best to purchase specially designed soil for this plant. If the choice falls on any other, then you should know that camellia prefers extremely acidic soil, the pH of which does not exceed 5. Usually everything is indicated on the package. More experienced flower growers they can mix the soil themselves. To do this, you will need one part of soddy land, two parts of acid peat, two parts of heather or coniferous land, one part of river sand, and high-quality drainage is required.
Very often, camellia is grown in greenhouses. In this case, the plant grows to a more impressive size than in a pot. And all because in such conditions the camellia gets natural care. Transplanting in this case is quite difficult, so you can get by with a simple replacement of the topsoil.
Trimmings and pinching. Pinching and pruning give the plant an updated and fresh look. In addition, these procedures stimulate the emergence of new shoots. Plucking and circumcision are carried out annually, but in absolutely different time. So the plant is plucked during transplantation, or at the time when this procedure was to be performed. As for pruning, it is carried out before the appearance of the kidneys. Usually this time is in October or November. This procedure well stimulates the appearance of the kidneys.
Reproduction. As mentioned above, camellia can be propagated and grown both with the help of seeds and cuttings. But it is better to refuse seeds immediately, this process is much more difficult. In addition to the fact that the seeds may not sprout, they often do not transmit maternal traits to the plant. And this threatens that expectations may not be met.
Propagation by cuttings justifies itself much better. But this process is very long and requires special skill and patience. But it can be slightly accelerated with the help of a stimulating solution applied to the cuttings. But practice shows that the process is accelerated very slightly, only for a couple of months, more often for one. You can additionally increase the growth rate by breeding cuttings in the winter season. As for the summer, at this time of the year everything goes as usual.
Reproduction of camellia and are very similar. For this process, the uppermost young cuttings are cut off, which have not yet had time to become sensitized. The length should reach 8 centimeters, and 3 to 5 leaves should be present on the branch. After that, the cutting is planted in a solution consisting of fluorine and sand. So that the plant can take root, you need to regulate the temperature of the soil. It should reach 18-20 degrees Celsius. After the roots appear, the camellia is transplanted into a small pot 7 centimeters high, with soil suitable for it. And as you grow, the dishes change. But reproduction is best done only by professionals who have more experience than beginners. In addition, not every species of this plant takes root using cuttings. Lovers distinguish them and for a successful effect use the methods of grafting varieties.
Pests. As for pests, you need to be wary spider mite. There is a lot of information on the web about how to deal with it.
As a result, we can say that camellia is quite complex and whimsical plant, But proper care, the choice of lighting, soil, temperature and watering will lead the grower to the desired goal.
