Japanese Camellia-Camellia japonicais an evergreen shrub with beautiful flowers, depending on the variety of single, semi-double or full flowers, white, pink or red. Camellias come from the mountainous regions of Japan, northern China and Korea, where they grow in the undergrowth. Due to insufficient frost resistance, in our climate they are grown only as potted plants. Here's whatcamellia care should look likeso that these plants will please us with their beauty for many years.
Japanese camellia 'Somersby'
Interest in camellias usually grows in winter, when these shrubs appear in flower shops in full bloom. There are hybrid varieties for sale, derived fromJapanese camellia-Camellia japonica . They come in the form of low (up to 50 cm high), well-dense shrubs or miniature trees. Ultimately, plants can grow up to over 2 m in height, but they grow quite slowly.
The flowers may have a diameter of a few to even a dozen or so cm. They can be single flowers with clearly visible, long stamens, semi-double or full flowers with petals arranged in a semi-circle or flat. The flowers can be red, pink, white in subtle shades or two-tone. After flowering, the plants are decorated with dark green, leathery all-year-round leaves, usually slightly curling up from the tops and edges.
Japanese camellia - care and cultivation
Many people who have decided to buy beautifully flowering camellia, unfortunately experience disappointment, because these undoubtedly beautiful potted flowers blooming in winter, however, require quite specific growing conditions. As it turns outcamellia careis not easy at all. So if we want to enjoy the beautifully bloomingJapanese camelliafor many years, it is worth getting to know the requirements of this species.
Warning - the most common mistake! Camellias are sold in winter when they bloom beautifully. However, this is not a good time to buy these plants at all. Even a temporary overcooling can harm them. Therefore, before buying, make sure that the plant is properly packed in the flower shop. Avoid shopping on frosty and windy days.
Before buying, let's check if the plant shows no signs of disease infestation or the presence of pests. Let's choose a specimen with a lot of flower buds still developing. Place of cultivation
In the plant's apartment, a bright place should be provided, but not directly exposed to sunlight. We avoid strong sun especially in summer. In winter, however, it is worth placing the plant as close to the window as possible and not rearranging it, as it reacts with the shedding of flower buds when it changes place.
Temperature
Japanese Camelliarequires quite a low temperature. Flowering specimens should be kept in the temperature of 10 - 16 ° C. When it is too warm, the flowers will unfortunately fall off quickly. After flowering, the temperature of the cultivation should be raised to about 20 ° C and the plant can stay at this temperature all summer until autumn. In summer, it is worth putting outside, in the garden or on the terrace, which will provoke the shrub to form new flower buds. From autumn onwards, the temperature must be gradually lowered. From October to November, the plant should be kept in a room with a temperature of about 15 ° C, and in the period from December, to provoke flowering, the temperature should drop to 5 - 10 ° C.
Japanese Camellia 'Chandlers Elegance'
Moisturizing and watering
As you can see, it is difficult to provide camellias with the right growing conditions in an apartment.Japanese camelliais a plant rather for people with a bright porch, orangery or a winter garden. An additional problem is not only too warm but also too dry air in heated apartments. Therefore, in winter, plants should be sprinkled regularly and placed on trays or trays filled with small pebbles and a thin layer of water. Water evaporating from such coasters will provide camellias with the minimum necessary moisture in the air. You can also turn on the air humidifier, if you have one.Fertilization
Proper watering is also extremely important.Camellia japonicashould be watered abundantly in spring and autumn. On the other hand, in the summer, when flower buds are set, watering should be slightly limited, but should not be allowed to dry out.Watering should be reduced again in winter, along with lowering the cultivation temperature, in order to provoke the plant to flower. When it blooms, water more abundantly.
It gives fertilizers during periods of active growth, usually in spring, from April to May, and in autumn, from September to mid-October. We give liquid fertilizer for acidophilic plants approximately every 2 weeks. Fertilizers for azaleas and rhododendrons are perfect.
Transplanting camellia
If we decide that the pot is already too small, the camellia must be repotted. This is done just after flowering is over. At the bottom of the pot you need to pour a layer of drainage made of small pebbles or expanded clay. The soil should be fertile and well-drained, necessarily acidic. As with fertilizers, soil for azaleas will also work well. We can also prepare the substrate ourselves, mixing compost soil with sand (for loosening) and non-acidified peat (to acidify the substrate).
Trimming camellia
It is also worth pruning the bush once every few years. Like transplanting,pruning camelliais also done right after flowering. Young shoots are shortened to lignified fragments.
Japanese camellia - diseases and pests
Camellias can be attacked by diseases and pests. The most common problem incultivating camelliais shedding flower buds and flowers. It can occur as a result of cultivation errors - too high temperature in the apartment, dry soil, too high pH of the substrate or moving the plant to another place (the flowering plant must not be moved or even rotated in relation to the direction of sunlight).
Shrubs can be attacked by aphids and scarlet pests (e.g. scales). In pot cultivation with aphids, you can fight with the Agrocover preparation, based on natural ingredients. We fight June with the help of tablets of soil sticks magnifiers, e.g.BR shield or Ultra shield.See also:
