Such a plant, exotic and beautiful, will attract attention and make you admire it for a long time. Of course, growing this beauty in our latitudes is not so easy, but camellia is worth all your efforts when planting and caring for it.
In this article we will take a closer look at the features of camellia and talk about the most basic types and varieties of this plant. We will also note everything important nuances agricultural techniques for growing camellia in open ground and at home.
Features and description of camellia
Camellia is an ornamental evergreen shrub or small tree that can decorate any area with its glossy leaves and incredible beautiful flowers. Garden camellia belongs to the Tea family and the Camellia genus, which makes this flower close to the well-known tea. The natural habitat of camellia is considered to be tropical or subtropical territories of Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Java, and the Philippines.
The first mention of camellia dates back to 1725 BC. It was at this time that one of the Chinese emperors liked to drink an infusion of camellia leaves. He even recognized this drink as his favorite. Nowadays, this drink is called tea, which is loved by millions of people around the world. This wonderful flower appeared in Europe in the 18th century, where it was brought by the Jesuit monk Joseph Camellus, after whom the botanist Carl Linnaeus named this exotic plant.
Description of Camellia:
- Camellia is tropical plant and on our territory it is possible to grow it in winter gardens. However, in recent years, more and more frost-resistant varieties of this flower have been developed that can be grown in open ground.
- The main unusual feature of camellia is its flowering during the dormant period - from autumn to spring. It is during this period that the flower can be taken into a room with a cool temperature.
- Growing camellias is also possible at home, but here you may encounter problems. After all, camellia requires quite low temperatures for the formation of buds - the optimal temperature is 12 degrees Celsius.
- Currently exists large number garden camellia hybrids that have excellent winter hardiness and flowering duration.
- Camellia grows in the form of a bush or small tree. It can reach 2 meters in height.
- The entire camellia bush is densely covered with glossy, leathery leaves, which can grow up to 3-17 cm in length.
- The leaves can also be different in shape - oblong, ovoid, elliptical.
- Camellia flowers are quite large, reaching 5-12 cm in diameter.
- The flowers are axillary and consist of five petals with a corolla. They grow singly.
- There are six forms of camellia flowers, from simple to very double.
- The shades of flowers can also be different: white camellia, pink camellia, red, lilac camellia.
- Camellia flowering begins in autumn and lasts approximately 2-3 months. Optimal flowering occurs in February, when camellia flowers bloom at their maximum. Then the entire bush is densely strewn with bright flowers.
- Valued for its decorative leaves and flowers. It is used to create bright interiors of apartments and to decorate parks. Blooming camellias are ideal for winter gardens and verandas.
- Today there are more than 10,000 various varieties camellias.
Variety of camellia species and varieties
Thanks to the enormous work of breeders, a large number of camellia varieties have been bred, which differ different levels frost resistance, duration of flowering, as well as size and color of flowers. Let's take a closer look at the main types of this flower and their varieties.
Camellia montana
- There are several synonyms for this type of camellia: mountain tea, camellia miyagi, sazanka.
- The natural habitat of mountain camellia is considered to be the territory of Japan, namely the islands of Okinawa and Kyushu. This flower prefers to grow in mountain forests.
- The Japanese often call this flower “Flower winter sun».
- This type of camellia blooms from November to February.
- The shrub of the plant itself can reach 3-4 m in height.
- The leaves are small, oblong, up to 7 cm long. The surface is glossy, dark green.
- Flowers grow singly or collected in inflorescences of 2-3 pieces.
- In culture you can find garden varieties camellias are great for growing in cool rooms.
Popular varieties:
- Camellia "Chansonette". Mountain camellia with beautiful pink flowers.
- Camellia "Daydream". This plant pleases with simple white flowers with a pinkish border around the edge of the petals.
Camellia sinensis
- The Chinese camellia has another name - Camellia bohea.
- It is this type of camellia that is used to produce black and green tea.
- Used on a production scale.
- It grows naturally in Japan and China. Prefers mountain slopes, various gorges and undergrowth.
- Shrubs of this species are quite tall and can reach 15 m in nature.
- The leaves are glossy, oblong, up to 10 cm in length.
- Flowers grow singly or in groups on short stalks.
- The flowers have a predominantly white tint.
- Mainly grown in subtropical humid climates. Chinese camellia has a small distribution in the garden.
Camellia japonica
- One of the most popular and used types of camellia. used for breeding new varieties of garden and indoor camellias.
- The natural habitat of Japanese camellia is considered to be the territory of Japan, China and Korea.
- In Japan, this plant is very popular and is revered in the same way as the famous sakura.
- This type of camellia can grow as shrubs and small trees. This plant can reach 15 m in height.
- The leaves are ovate up to 10 cm in length with a glossy dark green surface.
- The flowers are small, up to 4 cm in diameter, but in cultivation you can find garden hybrids with flowers up to 12 cm in diameter.
- Flowers grow singly or several times in small inflorescences.
- Flowers can be different in shape: simple, semi-double, double.
- The shades of Japanese camellia flowers are also pleasing: white, pink, red, variegated.
- Widely used for growing in tubs, containers and open ground.
Popular varieties of Japanese camellia:
- Camellia "Adolf Adusson". The plant of this variety blooms with bright semi-double red flowers.
- Camellia "Alba Simplex". Different simple structure flowers. Their hue during flowering is white.
- Camellia "Betty Sheffield". Beautiful double white flowers with a large number pink strokes.
- Camellia "Tammia". The flower of this camellia variety looks like a white star with an unusual pink border along the edge of the petals.
Hybrid Camellia Williams
- This type of camellia consists of a large number of hybrid varieties that are perfectly adapted to European frosts and cold weather.
- Most often it takes the form of small trees up to 5 m in height.
- A peculiarity of the flowers of hybrid camellias is that after flowering the plant sheds its wilted flowers.
In addition to these types of camellia, there are also golden camellia, reticulate camellia, and saluen camellia.
Camellia propagation methods
Camellias can be grown quite easily on your own. Several methods are suitable for their reproduction: seed propagation, cuttings, propagation by layering and grafting. Let's take a closer look at the features of each method.
Camellia seed propagation
- Camellia seeds are very poorly stored and quickly lose their viability, so you need to sow fresh seeds immediately after collection.
- When using this method, it is necessary to remember that the future plant will lose all its varietal characteristics.
- Before sowing seeds, it is necessary to prepare special containers with a nutritious soil mixture.
- For active growth of seedlings, the soil mixture must consist of peat and sand in equal proportions.
- After sowing the seeds, the box should be stored at a temperature of 20-22 degrees Celsius.
- Camellia is different long period seedling emergence. This process can take you from several weeks to a year.
- Next, when 2 strong leaves appear on the seedlings, the camellia needs to be planted in separate pots.
- This method is preferable, since plants grown from seeds take root better and adapt to natural climatic conditions.
- Young plants grown from seeds will bloom only after 5-8 years, although there are varieties whose flowering can be seen after 2-3 years.
Propagation by cuttings
- This propagation method is used to breed hybrid camellia varieties.
- It is best to prepare semi-lignified cuttings in mid-summer.
- To do this, you need to use not young shoots, but semi-lignified ones. They are usually olive in color.
- The length of one cutting should be about 7 cm. At the same time, make sure that each has 2-3 nodes, as well as axillary and apical buds, and 3-5 strong leaves.
- The lower part of the cuttings should be cut at an oblique angle and the leaves should be torn off.
- Then all planting material place in root former solution for a while. For example, Kornevin will do.
- Next, prepare containers for rooting cuttings and soil mixture. Usually a mixture of sand, peat soil and leaf soil is used.
- Plant the prepared cuttings in boxes and place them in a greenhouse with a temperature of at least 22 degrees Celsius. It is also important to ensure bottom heating of the containers.
- Usually rooting occurs within 2-3 months, which is quite a long time.
- Camellias grown from cuttings may bloom within a couple of years.
Reproduction by layering
- This method is less labor-intensive and costly.
- To grow camellia using layering, you need to select the lower shoot on a healthy and strong bush and bend it to the ground.
- At a certain point, the shoot is sprinkled with soil mixture.
- Using this method of propagation, you will get an adult and flowering plant within a year.
Reproduction by vaccinations
- Another way to grow camellias yourself. Grafting from cuttings is most often used.
- Vaccination should be carried out three weeks before the start of the growing season.
- You need to make a split near the ground and place the cutting there.
- Next, the grafting site should be sprinkled with soil and the entire plant should be covered with a glass cap.
- Using this method, the plant will bloom faster.
Stages of preparation for planting camellia
Growing camellia is a very complex and labor-intensive process, especially in our climate. Therefore, to obtain a beautiful, and most importantly flowering, plant, you must carefully prepare. It is important to choose the right camellia varieties and healthy seedlings. The main thing in proper cultivation of camellia is the planting location and soil preparation.
Stage 1. Selection of camellia seedlings
The main rule for successfully growing an exotic plant is choosing the right variety for your climatic conditions. Today, a large number of frost-resistant varieties have been developed that feel great in our cold weather. For the winter, such plants can be moved without problems to cool rooms with a temperature no higher than 15 degrees.
It's best to choose hybrid varieties, which best adapt to climate conditions. It is also necessary to buy camellia in a blooming state. Since this is an evergreen plant, it gains strength precisely during flowering.
Buy camellia seedlings only from specialized nurseries or agricultural companies that professionally engage in cultivation and breeding exotic plants. Before purchasing, carefully inspect the plant; there should be no damage or signs of disease.
Stage 2. Selecting a landing site
Many novice gardeners have a question about where camellia grows. This is a very important point in growing this bright flower. Camellia is a plant of subtropics and tropics, so it needs to choose an appropriate place. For the formation of buds and buds, the daylight hours must be at least 13 hours. It is important to find a place in light partial shade that long time During the day it will be illuminated by the sun's rays. It should also be remembered that the selected area must be closed from winds and drafts.
Camellias feel great next to garden trees various buildings that provide the plant with the necessary shade. Camellia can be grown in oak tubs, which are taken out in the summer open air, and in winter they are placed in cool rooms.
Stage 3. Preparing the soil for planting
It is important to choose nutritious, loose and slightly acidic soil for planting camellias. It is in such conditions that you will get a strong and healthy plant. Before planting, be sure to thoroughly dig the soil and add compost. The soil should also be sufficiently moist and well permeable to air and moisture. The soil in the selected area should consist of humus, coniferous soil, peat and sand. You can also use soil mixture for rhododendrons for planting camellias, which is sold in specialized stores.
Technology for planting camellias in open ground
- It is best to plant camellias in open ground during the dormant period, since in spring these plants have the most active growth. And they simply cannot tolerate any transplant. You can plant camellia in open ground around November.
- To plant in the selected area, you need to prepare planting holes.
- The size of the pits should be larger earthen coma on the camellia root system. Experienced gardeners recommend making the hole much deeper so that the plant takes root faster.
- Since camellia prefers a special soil mixture, in case poor-quality soil gets into the planting hole, the bottom can be covered with a special film for a pond in a small hole.
- A layer of drainage must be placed at the bottom of each hole to prevent prolonged stagnation of water at the roots of the plant. You can use fine gravel or expanded clay as drainage.
- Next, it is important to prepare the soil, which should consist of humus, sand, peat and coniferous soil. You can add a little chopped spruce or pine bark to this soil mixture.
- If you are planting camellias in pots, be sure to choose a fairly wide pot so that the plant’s root system has enough space. You also need to place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot.
- Next, spill the camellia seedling with water and carefully remove it from the container. It is important to do this very carefully, as the plant's root system is fragile and can be damaged.
- Place the seedlings in the prepared holes and carefully sprinkle them with soil, lightly tamping them with your hands.
- When planting, you need to remember not to bury root collar camellia, it should be flush with the ground surface.
- The soil around the plant can be mulched with peat or fallen leaves.
Agricultural technology for growing camellias: secrets and nuances of caring for an exotic flower
It is important not only to plant the camellia correctly, but also to provide it with further regular and attentive care. Only then will your exotic beauty please you with a lush and incredibly beautiful flowering. Camellia care consists of regular watering, fertilizing and pest control.
Watering camellias
Camellia loves to grow in moist soil, but without excessive stagnation of moisture. In spring and summer, the plant must be watered only with soft water, abundantly and regularly. Can also be used lightly warm water. Camellias respond well to spraying, although this is not necessary. You also need to spray with soft water. Also remember that you can spray the plant before the flowers appear. In winter, all watering is stopped.
Temperature and lighting
For active growth and flowering of camellia, a large amount of light is important, but the plant should not be exposed to open sunlight. If you are growing camellia at home, then find a place for it on the west or east side.
Temperature is also very important for the normal growth of camellias. The formation of buds and buds occurs at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. And for normal flowering the temperature should be 8-10 degrees.
Loosening and mulching
Periodically, the soil around the camellia needs to be loosened, as this plant prefers soil that easily allows air and moisture to pass through. Loosening is most often carried out after watering. You can also add mulch during the weeding process, which will protect the plant from excessive evaporation of moisture. Dry peat or tree bark can be used as mulch. When mulching, make sure that the root collar remains open.
Feeding camellias
Camellia responds well to fertilization. Fertilizers that are usually applied to plants that love acidic soils are suitable for this plant. Best time for feeding camellia early spring when the plant is fully awake. At this time, you can use complex mineral fertilizers, which include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur. Avoid fertilizing during dormancy in winter and autumn.
Camellia pruning
With proper care, camellia does not need pruning. This plant is distinguished by its dense and beautiful crown, which has the correct shape. However, sanitary pruning can be carried out periodically, during which damaged shoots should be removed. At the same time after flowering, you can also carry out formative pruning, removing the tops of the branches bud by bud.
Transplanting camellias
Camellias need to be replanted only during the dormant period, namely from November to February. It is in this case that your plant will take root and grow into a strong shrub. Young plants are replanted once every 2 years, and adults can grow in one place for quite a long time - up to 8 years. After which it is better to transplant them to another area.
Disease and pest control
- Root rot. This disease most often affects camellia. It may appear due to improper care of the plant, irregular or excessive watering, or the wrong location. The root system of plants begins to rot, causing buds and leaves to wither and fall off. In this case, the plant must be dug up and burned.
Pests:
- Aphid. To combat this pest, you can use a soap solution.
- Spider mite. It can be easily dealt with using an emulsion based on various oils.
Camellia in winter
Camellia can withstand frosts in open ground down to minus 20 degrees. If you grow this flower in a milder climate, then no special care Camellia is not needed. You can shelter it a little from bright sunlight and mulch the soil around it with fallen leaves. If climatic conditions If your area is more severe, it is best to plant camellias in tubs and pots, and with the onset of winter, take the beauties to a cool room with a temperature no higher than 15 degrees.
The use of camellia in landscape design
Camellia is a very bright and unusual flower that will certainly decorate your area.
- Climbing varieties of camellias are often used to decorate gazebos and fences.
- These plants also look beautiful in single plantings.
- Designers use camellia to create original garden compositions.
- Camellias are a valuable decoration for winter gardens.
- These bright flowers can be grown in tubs, which look original on the site in the summer.
Photo of camellia in landscape design
You can more clearly see all the examples and features of using this unusual plant in site design in the photos below.
Single planting of camellias
Using camellias to entwine gazebos and house walls
Using camellia to create garden compositions
Camellia is a very beautiful and unusual plant that can turn your area into a bright one. Japanese garden. And don’t be afraid of the difficulties and hassle associated with growing this beauty. As a result, you will get a real work of art.
Camellia is a large shrub or tree, if it grows in open ground, endowed with a porous crown reaching more than 2 meters. Not all gardeners will be able to grow a flower at home, since it blooms in winter period bush, does not take root very readily in room conditions.
Nevertheless, the wayward charmer is very popular thanks to her flowers. exotic looking and the presence of useful qualities that are applicable both decorative elements interiors, and practical and useful.
blooming camellia
Belongs to evergreen, ornamental flowering shrubs from the Theaceae family. IN natural environment Most of the varieties are found in regions where tropical and subtropical climates prevail. So you can find blooming camellia in Southeast and Central Asia, Indochina, Japan, the Philippine Islands and the island of Java.
Nowadays, there are about 250 species of this amazing tree. One of the most famous varieties is the Chinese camellia or tea bush, thanks to the foliage of which the original variety of tea is produced. Some of the varieties are grown only indoors or for decorating certain areas.
It is very popular as it blooms for a long time in winter.
Characteristics and description of Camellia
Camellia is a flower that can be either a shrub or a tree. The height reaches from 2 to 20 meters. Endowed with simple elliptical or broadly ovate and oblong-ovate leathery leaves.
camellia bonsai
The glossy leaves, located in several pieces on short petioles, can be either pointed or blunt. Their length, depending on the variety, varies from 3 to 17 cm.
In their circumference, single flowers vary from 1 to 10 cm. The petals fused at the base are colored pink, red, white or variegated, and are also decorated with many stamens. The tree begins to bloom with the onset of cold weather, if the air temperature does not exceed +12 degrees.
You can enjoy bright colors for 1 to 3 months. After they wither, fruits are formed, which are a dry box with five compartments, in which no more than 8 seedlings are formed.
Some of the varieties are valued by gardeners due to their evergreen crown and flowers that bloom with cold weather. They decorate rooms and parks, giving them rich green shades.
Using the foliage of the hybrid Japanese-Chinese eugenolic camellia, an essential oil is created, which contains 97% eugenol.
What types of flowers are found?
Only a few species of cameli are grown at home. Among them:
Mountain Camellia sasanqua - Camellia sasanqua
Sazanka variety
The Japanese call this species very beautifully and poetically - the flower of the winter sun, as it grows on the mountain slopes of the islands of Kushu and Okinawa, which are perfectly illuminated by the sun's rays.
The height of the bush varies from 3 to 5 meters. Richly green ovoid or elliptical leaves, upper part which are shiny and the lower ones are pubescent, grow from 3 to 7 cm.
A circle of red, pink and snow-white simple flowers can reach up to 7 cm. They can bloom on the bush either as single flowers or in groups of several flowers. Abundant flowering on personal plots starts in November and lasts until February.
The most mega popular decorative varieties:
- Bicolor
- Bonanza
- Cleopatra
- White double
- Enishi
Chinese camellia - Camellia sinensis
This variety is also commonly called tea bush or Camellia bohea. But the most popular “name” is tea tree, since its leaves produce black and green tea. Young bai-kho greenery is used to make bai-kho tea.
The bush contains lovely fragrant inflorescences, which are excellent aromatic additives with an exotic taste for teas. They originate in the tropical and subtropical forests of Indochina. On the territory of Russia you can find this species in Krasnodar region. It is grown quite rarely indoors.
On a small evergreen tree, no more than 10 meters high, fragrant single buds bloom, which can also be combined into inflorescences of 2-4 pieces. White flowers consist of petals, sometimes with yellow pink tint, the number of which can vary from 5 to 9. Flowering begins in August and lasts until late autumn. The fruits are formed from October to December.
Japanese - Camellia japonica
IN folk medicine Chinese varieties of Camellia japonica are used as an anti-cancer medicine. The flowers tone the body and have astringent properties.
The Japanese camellia flower is grown quite often at home and is incredibly popular among professional gardeners.
indoor camellia
After all, it was on its basis that many indoor flower hybrids were bred. In Japan, the variety is no less famous than the magnificent sakura.
There are simple, double, semi-double, symmetrical and unevenly double inflorescences, in white, pink and bright red shades. In addition, there are hybrid varieties whose petals are decorated with specks, dashes or streaks.
The spherical flowers have a lot of similarities with a rose, peony or anemone, only the aroma emanating from them, of course, is absent. They are formed in the leaf axils and are located throughout the crown of the bush. All flowers do not fade for a whole month. You can enjoy the flowering from the beginning of November until the end of spring.
As a rule, this species is planted in pots, tubs and open ground. It feels great indoors, but the temperature where it grows should be no more than 12 degrees. Specimens grown in greenhouses form fruits.
Common indoor varieties:
- Hippolight Toby
- Japanese Tsubaki
- camellia japonica Nagasaki
- Lady Campbell
- Empress
Video of indoor camellia variety:
Except already known species, you can also find:
Saulenskaya - Camellia saluenensis
Thanks to this type, frost-resistant varieties, which can be grown in completely open ground or in a greenhouse. The free-branching shrub reaches up to 1.5 in height and the same in width. Flowering begins in the last months of winter and continues until spring.
The camellia color is snow-white or deep red, and sometimes you can find burgundy flower. The diameter in circumference reaches 8 cm. It is one of the unpretentious garden varieties. It differs from other representatives in that it independently drops flowers from the bush. Thanks to this ability, the shrub always looks neat and tidy.
Camellia oleifera - Camellia oleifera
Distributed in forests and on the river banks of China, at an altitude of 500 to 1200 meters above sea level. Often divorced in industrial scale because of the seeds, which are saturated with beneficial essential oil.
Camellia oil acts as:
- Antiseptic
- Tones
- Local anesthetic
The height of this evergreen shrub reaches about 10 meters. The circumference of the trunk reaches 20 cm and is decorated with bark brown. The regular, leathery, petiolate foliage is ovoid in shape with slightly pointed or blunt tips. Snow-white flowers can be either bisexual single or paired axillary. They form in September, and their flowering lasts until the second half of October. Fruits in large bolls in which many round seeds, the length of which is about 3 cm.
Reticulated - Camellia reticulata
The height of the tree reaches 20 m. In China, Buddhist monks decorate their gardens with rich red double flowers. It is characterized by rather large inflorescences, the circumference of which exceeds 20 cm.
The bush is strewn with an endless number of pink, white and red blossoming buds, in which all the colors are mixed together in bizarre transitions and unusually shimmering under the sun's rays. Thanks to this feature, gardeners call them chimeras.
Golden-flowered camellia - Camellia chrysantha
It differs from other varieties in its bright yellow opening buds, the number of which on one bush can reach up to 200 pieces. It is protected by law in China and is listed in the local Red Book.. It can be found in its natural environment in the hard-to-reach forests of Vietnam or China.
Camellia flower care and cultivation at home
how to care
Growing a plant indoors is quite difficult. The fact is that the camellia bush prefers to grow at temperatures not lower than +5 degrees and not higher than +10, and also practically does not hibernate. Maintaining such a temperature indoors is not easy, so growing it in an apartment causes a lot of trouble.
Important to remember! If you do not have a glazed loggia, balcony, winter garden or terraces, you are unlikely to be able to see flowering, since the shrub begins to bloom its buds with the onset of cold weather, and foliage forms only in the spring.
In order to enjoy flowering in your apartment, you have to create some special conditions for its successful growth.
Temperature regime for indoor camellia
The first thing to take care of is creating a suitable temperature. In order for the buds to emerge and actively develop, the camellia will need only 12 hours of exposure to the sun. But at this moment you should pay special attention to the temperature:
- Its limits should be about 8-15 degrees. If it falls a little lower, flowering will most likely not occur.
- If you provide the shrub with less than 12 hours of daylight, be sure to reduce the room temperature to 8-10 degrees.
- Flowering begins in December and lasts until February and during this time you should maintain the temperature in the room no higher than 10 degrees, but it should not drop below 8°C.
If the air in the room is too warm, the bush will begin to drop buds or they will open much earlier, which will affect the quality of the flowers.
Сamelia: what kind of lighting does it prefer?
What should the soil moisture be and how to water it correctly
At the moment of bud formation, as well as when camellia flowers bloom, it must be watered with well-settled water.
how to water camellia
As soon as you see that the top earthen ball has dried out, be sure to water the plant. But remember that under no circumstances should the water be allowed to stagnate. When the tree is dormant, it is necessary to water it moderately.
- Prefers to receive acidified with citric acid, fresh juice lemon and vinegar water.
- If the tree does not receive enough moisture, it will begin to shed its leaves.
- If you water the shrub too often, its foliage will turn brown and the buds will fall off.
To increase the humidity in summer period Spray 2 times a day, humidify the air by spraying the plant and adding water to the pan. You need to place the container with the bush in a moistened large river sand, gravel, pebbles or moss. During the flowering period, be especially careful when spraying, as water should not touch the flowers. If you want the tree to develop well, be sure to install a humidifier.
What fertilizer to use
At the moment of the growing season, which occurs in spring period you need to start fertilizing regularly. Feed the tree no more than 2-3 times a month, using mineral or organic fertilizers. They stop feeding it completely by the end of summer, which allows it to set buds and release buds.
What should the soil composition be?
Camellia care at home is not easy, because it needs special lighting and temperature regime. In addition, special attention should be paid to the soil in which you will plant the tree. In order to feel good in apartment conditions, it should be placed in a loose nutritious soil, easily permeable to water and oxygen. The acidity level should be equal to pH 4.0-5.5 units.
Juliet variety
It is possible to prepare the soil yourself using:
- 1 share of leaf soil
- 1 share of perlite
- 2 shares of coniferous land
- 2 shares of high peat
- 0.3 parts of conifer bark
- 0.3 shares of sand, which will make the soil loose
If you cannot prepare the soil, then purchase a suitable substrate from a specialized store, suitable, for example, for indoor azaleas.
First of all, a drainage layer is poured into the pot, which is covered with a thin layer of soil, on which the tree should be placed, straightening it root system. Fill the container with the rest of the substrate and lightly compact it with your hand.
Do not bury the root collar under any circumstances. This should also be monitored when mulching with sawdust, shavings or crushed bark.
How and when pruning and pinching is done
One of important procedures Something that should definitely be done is tree pruning. In addition to removing damaged, dried and weak branches from the shoot, it is imperative to shape its crown. If you do not do this, the shape will be lost, the bush will become too large, and you will no longer be able to grow it in the house.
This procedure is carried out when the flowers begin to fade one by one and new buds do not form on the bush. Based on the chosen camellia variety, its shoots are sometimes cut off by almost half. Large sections are processed using garden varnish.
Experienced gardeners, using pruning, manage to create small bonsai trees or standard specimens. Thanks to pinching and pruning, branching becomes more active, which allows the bush to bloom much more and more beautifully.
Follow this unusual plant It’s not easy, because camellia flower care at home, a photo showing all its beauty, requires special attention.
Important! Be sure to pinch the buds, leaving no more than 2 on each stem. This procedure will allow you to provide the bush with large flowers that will delight you for a long time.
How to transplant
When the bush is between 1 and 3 years old, it needs to be replanted annually. Adult specimens need to be replanted once every 2 years. The procedure is carried out in spring and summer, when flowering has already completed. At the same time, you need to pinch the top to allow the shape of a tree to form. It is constantly necessary to add soil to the tubs and pots, which is mixed in advance with complex fertilizers.
Reproduction methods
You already know that camellia garden planting and care, which is not easy to care for, is a rather capricious plant in terms of demands. Now you should find out how you can propagate this incredible tree.
There are several ways to propagate camellia:
Cuttings
It is the most common method of reproduction.
Typically, this method is practiced in January, July or August. To form a root system, summer cuttings need only a month, which cannot be said about January seedlings, since they will need more than one month for this process.
- To obtain cuttings, you need to take special care to cut off the top young shoots that have formed in the current season. Their length should be about 6-8 cm. Don't forget to leave about 5 leaves on them. Under the axillary bud, make an oblique cut.
- Seedlings must be planted in special boxes into which a mixture of peat and sand in a 1:1 ratio is poured in advance.
- The box is placed in a lighted room in which the temperature is maintained at least +20+23 degrees.
- Be sure to water and spray the cuttings.
- After the roots have fully formed, transplant the plant into a pot with a diameter of about 8 cm.
Seminal
This method is also often used by flower growers. You need to sow 1 seedling in small pots. As soon as two full leaves appear on the sprouted sprout, transplant it into a larger container. Camellia sinensis tea is grown from seeds in the same way as other varieties.
Graft
There are varieties that take root with difficulty. In such situations, they are grafted onto the apical bud. The rootstock in this case is tea tree or other slightly demanding varieties of indoor camellia. After grafting, the room temperature must be maintained at least +20 degrees. Excess shoots that form on the seedling should be trimmed. It is necessary to spray the grafted flower regularly and not allow the sun to burn immature leaves. After 2.5 years, the seedling is separated from the rootstock and transplanted into a separate container.
Garden care
Camellia indoors is grown in the southern part of Russia and in the garden in open ground and it will already be a shrub.
To do this, you must follow some rules, including:
- tested soil composition
- maintaining a certain temperature
- careful lighting
- humidity in the air
As a rule, all these points should meet almost all the care requirements, as for indoor plants.
To decorate gazebos, loggias and other facades, a special variety of climbing plant was bred.
What problems do you encounter when growing camellia shrubs?
- Improper watering and excess moisture will lead to rotting of the root system and the formation of a crust on the foliage of the tree.
- Dry air causes black spots to appear on the leaves. To cope with this problem, you need to get rid of the affected greenery. Wipe those leaves that have not become infected with a soft, damp sponge. Place the container in a cool room or near a window, thereby distancing it from other plants.
- If you bury the root collar when planting, this will most likely lead to the death of the plant. The cervix does not deepen under any circumstances.
- It can easily drop all buds and leaves if:
- change his usual potty position
- change the angle at which the light was illuminated
- soil acidity will be higher than normal
Red camellia, like other varieties, requires special care. If you do everything correctly, you will soon be able to enjoy a magnificent bright flowering an evergreen shrub that will delight you with its flowers throughout the winter.
Video secrets for caring for camellia at home:
March madness is exactly how the first calendar month of spring is perceived by those who grow seedlings of their favorite vegetables themselves. In March, they sow their favorite tomatoes and peppers, carry out the first sowings in the greenhouse, and even sow vegetables in the beds. Growing seedlings require not only timely planting, but also a lot of care. But the troubles are not limited to her. It is worth continuing to sow in greenhouses and on window sills, because fresh greens from the beds will not appear so soon.
As spring approaches indoor plants They gradually emerge from their dormant state and begin to grow. After all, already in February the days become noticeably longer, and the sun warms up like spring. How to help flowers wake up and prepare them for the growing season? What do you need to pay attention to and what measures should you take to keep your plants healthy, blooming, multiplying and making you happy? We’ll talk about what indoor plants expect from us in the spring in this article.
One of the most important rules for growing strong and healthy seedlings- presence of the “correct” soil mixture. Typically, gardeners use two options for growing seedlings: either a purchased soil mixture or one made independently from several components. In both cases, the fertility of the soil for seedlings is, to put it mildly, questionable. This means that the seedlings will require from you additional food. In this article we will talk about simple and effective fertilizers for seedlings.
After a decade of dominating the catalogs of the original motley and bright varieties tulip trends began to change. At exhibitions best designers world offer to remember the classics and pay homage to the charming white tulips. Sparkling under the warm rays of the spring sun, they look especially festive in the garden. Welcoming spring after a long wait, tulips seem to remind us that white is not only the color of snow, but also the joyful celebration of flowering.
Despite the fact that cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables, not all summer residents, especially beginners, can grow its seedlings. In apartment conditions they are hot and dark. In this case, it is impossible to obtain high-quality seedlings. And without strong, healthy seedlings it is difficult to count on a good harvest. Experienced gardeners know that it is better to sow cabbage seedlings in greenhouses or greenhouses. And some even grow cabbage by directly sowing seeds in the ground.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu rolls with béchamel sauce are an excellent dish for a festive table and a daily meal! It’s easy and quick to prepare, it turns out juicy, and the thick bechamel sauce is finger-licking good! With mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber and slice fresh bread It will make a hearty and tasty dinner. Choose the cheese for this recipe according to your taste, processed or blue mold. It is important that the cheese and ham are cut very thin, this is the secret of success!
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I think many will agree that we perceive the wind well only in a romantic aspect: we are sitting in a cozy, warm house, and the wind is raging outside the window... In fact, the wind blowing through our areas is a problem and there is nothing good about it. By creating windbreaks with plants, we break strong wind into several weak streams and significantly weaken its destructive power. How to protect a site from the wind will be discussed in this article.
Making a shrimp and avocado sandwich for breakfast or dinner couldn't be easier! This breakfast contains almost all the necessary products that will recharge you with energy so that you won’t want to eat until lunch, and no extra centimeters will appear on your waist. This is the most delicious and light sandwich, after, perhaps, the classic cucumber sandwich. This breakfast contains almost all the necessary products that will recharge you with energy so that you won’t want to eat until lunch.
Modern ferns are those rare plants antiquities, which, despite the passage of time and all kinds of cataclysms, not only survived, but were also largely able to preserve their former appearance. Of course, it is not possible to grow any of the fern representatives indoors, but some species have successfully adapted to life indoors. They look great as single plants or decorate a group of decorative foliage flowers.
Pilaf with pumpkin and meat is Azerbaijani pilaf, which differs in the method of preparation from traditional oriental pilaf. All ingredients for this recipe are prepared separately. Rice is boiled with ghee, saffron and turmeric. The meat is fried separately until golden brown, and pumpkin slices as well. Separately prepare the onions and carrots. Then everything is placed in layers in a cauldron or thick-walled pan, a little water or broth is poured in and simmered over low heat for about half an hour.
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Camellia is an evergreen shrub belonging to the Tea family. Tea is made from the leaves of the Chinese variety of this plant. You can find camellia in Vietnam, Japan and, of course, China. There are many garden and indoor varieties this decorative flower.
More about the flower
The popularity of camellia is due to the high attractiveness of both the shrub and the inflorescences. The plant decorates the room both in hot summer and cool winter. IN warm time During the year it pleases with its greenery, and in cold weather with beautiful and lush flowering.
Flower care
Lighting
Decorative flowering crops need to be provided with daylight for up to 12-14 hours. Camellia should not be placed on the south side without shading, since direct rays of the sun will leave burns on the plant.
The ideal option would be windows with western and eastern orientation, where there is no midday heat at noon. Northern placement does not provide the required amount of light, and the flower begins to shrink and stretch out.
Temperature
In spring and summer, camellia thrives at normal room temperature, but in the fall it should not be kept warm. It is best to take the flower pot to the terrace, glazed loggia, or any other place where it can be kept at a temperature ranging from 12 to 15 degrees.
The plant blooms even in frost. Optimal conditions are considered to be a temperature range from +8 to +12 degrees. The room in which the camellia is located must be periodically ventilated to ensure a natural flow of fresh air.
Humidity
The exotic plant does not tolerate dry air well. Indoor camellia needs to be provided high humidity. Especially in winter, when the flower is kept in a heated room. To create a comfortable microclimate, they resort to regular spraying, use humidifiers, and use a tray with moistened moss or expanded clay on which the pot is placed.
Watering
In summer, the soil in which indoor camellia grows is abundantly moistened, which is due to the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil. In winter, watering is sharply reduced even though the plant is blooming. Excessive stagnation of moisture in the soil leads to the appearance of pests and bacteria. To prevent this, water the plant when the earthen ball dries out.
Use boiled, settled or melt water. To maintain optimal acidity soil, sometimes vinegar or vinegar is added to the liquid citric acid. A high concentration of various impurities and calcium salts negatively affects the condition of the flower, which must be taken into account.
Priming
Camellia prefers acidic soil with a pH level of 4.5 to 5. The flower can grow even in very acidic soils Oh. Ready-made nutrient mixtures sold in stores are suitable substrates for azaleas and rhododendrons. You can prepare the soil yourself from leaf, coniferous, peat soil, taken in equal parts, with the addition of 0.5 parts of sand. The soil must be acidic, air- and water-permeable.
Circumcision
When camellia finishes flowering, it is necessary to remove weak shoots. Pruning not only stimulates the plant to grow new branches, but also allows you to give the flower a compact size and form a tree or bush. Shoots can be removed by half. If woody branches are removed, the sections are treated with garden varnish.
Top dressing
Decorative flowering crops require fertilizer during the period of growth of young shoots, which occurs in the spring months. Feed camellia one every 14-30 days, using complexes for azaleas. The concentration indicated in the instructions for the drug is reduced by half. You cannot take complexes with magnesium and calcium. An excess of the latter leads to the fall of the buds. From July until spring the flower is not fertilized.
Transfer
Young indoor camellias are replanted annually at the end of winter or autumn. Large bushes are transferred to a new container every two to three years, when the root system fills the old pot. Carefully ensure that the neck is above the level of the earthen clod, that is, it is open. If such a need arises, add fresh soil and mulch with sawdust to increase the acidity of the soil.
Reproduction
Camellia is often grown from seeds, which are large in size and covered with a durable shell. To make them germinate faster, they are doused with boiling water and then lightly pierced with a sharp knife. Plant the seeds in cups with a diameter of 7-10 cm, 2/3 filled with peat soil, sprinkle 0.5 cm of soil and 1 cm of perlite on top. You need to make sure that the part with the eye is at the bottom.
Picking is carried out after the formation of at least a pair of leaves. When space allows, sprouts can be immediately planted in separate pots. After 2 weeks of planting, they are fed with fertilizer that stimulates growth. Picked plants are transplanted into permanent containers when the cups are filled with the root system.
To preserve varietal characteristics, it is recommended to propagate camellia by cuttings. Saplings with a length of 6-8 cm and 2-5 leaves are cut from the upper green shoots. Sheet plates cut off in half, the planting material is placed in Kornevin, and then in pots with a substrate of peat and sand, taken in equal proportions. A month later, when the cuttings take root, they are transplanted into permanent pots.
Diseases and pests of camellia
Camellia rarely causes trouble for the gardener, but if the microclimate is disturbed, the plant weakens.
Diseases
The flower gets sick extremely rarely and is mostly vulnerable to:
![](https://i1.wp.com/florino.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/bolezni-kamelii.jpg)
When a plant is damaged by fungi, the petals turn brown, the leaves become spotted, and the inflorescences fall off. If treatment with fungicides does not improve the condition, the flower cannot be saved.
Pests
The main enemies of indoor camellia are:
- Mealyworm. The pest is removed with a cloth soaked soap solution. If only a few leaves are damaged, it is permissible to simply cut them off. Treatment with Karbofos (20 drops per 1 liter of water) is carried out in extreme cases.
- Aphid. Leads to yellowing and wrinkling of leaves. Adult aphids are removed mechanically every few days. Special aerosols facilitate this process.
- Spider mite. The most gentle and safe way To get rid of the pest is to spray with oil emulsions, which are sold in flower shops.
- Skosar. It prefers not the above-ground, but the underground part of the camellia. If you do not treat with insecticides in a timely manner, the plant will die.
- Shield. Leads to blackening and covering of leaves with brown tubercles. Pests are removed manually, but only insecticides can completely get rid of scale insects.
Camellia varieties for home cultivation
The following varieties of indoor camellia are most often chosen for indoor keeping:
![](https://i2.wp.com/florino.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/camellia_japonica.jpg)
Any indoor camellias can be used to form a compact bush or tree.
Distributed in the southern tropics from Japan to the Philippines, camellia rules the evergreen forests in the southern regions of Russia. Gorgeous and sophisticated, you can't help but like her. Its flowers, vaguely reminiscent of roses, amaze the imagination with their regal beauty. Camellia is a very demanding crop to grow. summer cottage Some knowledge will be required, but being responsive to care and feeding, the princess will reward you with a long festive fireworks of flowers. Giving a luxurious garden needs care and maintenance.
Evergreen camellia: description
The genus Camellia of the tea family has up to 80 species, which are either trees. The decoration of the shrub is leaves - glossy, leathery, oval, pointed, single or fused at the base, as well as flowers of all shades of white-pink-lilac. Many species are widespread due to their high decorative qualities. Bush garden camellia blooms in winter time when the thermometer readings do not exceed 12°C. The duration of flowering of the bush is also surprising. It ranges from 1 to 3 months. Each flower can not fade for about a month. This amazing plant appears at the ends of shoots in winter. Blooming camellia The garden, the photo of which is presented, is a festive and solemn spectacle. It is capable of radically changing any, even the most dull and unpromising area. That is why landscape designers place camellia on a high pedestal. These magnificent shrubs are invaluable in landscaping interiors and creating park and garden compositions. The most interesting object in the creation of landscape masterpieces is considered to be a garden - or shrub, reaching 10-15 m in height, common in the subtropical forests of Japan and China. Distinctive feature Japanese camellia is the presence of large red single flowers located in the axils and on the tops of the branches. Flowering is spectacular and long lasting. In culture there are up to 1000 different garden forms and varieties with a wide variety of double and semi-double flowers with a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. Japanese camellia It is photophilous, but tolerates slight shading.
Garden camellia: planting and care
The easiest way to propagate camellia is by seeds. Freshly harvested seeds are usually sown, the germination rate of which is 80-90%. They are not stored, as they quickly lose their ability to germinate. The ideal soil for sowing is a mixture of river sand and peat in equal proportions. To speed up seed germination, the air in the room where the seedlings are grown is heated to +22°C. Seedlings germinate and take root throughout the year. It should be remembered that the resulting young seedlings are characterized by a low level of resistance to adverse influences, however, with quality care they develop intensively, increasing the degree of winter hardiness that garden camellia is characterized by. Care and cultivation ends with flowering, which usually occurs in the fifth to seventh year, sometimes after 2-3 years.
Propagation by cuttings
The vegetative method is more suitable for propagating varietal camellias - apical cuttings, for which shoots of the current year with two or three internodes with developed axillary and apical buds are selected. The size of the cuttings is purely individual, ranging from 3 to 12 cm and depending on the camellia variety. They are cut in July or August. From the bottom of the cutting under the axillary bud, a maximally oblique cut is made, bottom sheet is also cut off. To increase the likelihood of rooting, the cuttings are placed in a solution of stimulants for 5 - 7 hours and planted in clean river sand, covered with glass or film. An important condition for rooting is maintaining constant temperature around 23-27°C. Rooting takes quite a long time - up to one and a half to two months. Treatment with a stimulant significantly increases the speed of rooting and forms a powerful root system of the plant.
Preparing the soil for planting in a permanent place
Garden bush camellia is a lover of acidic soils. Fertile and permeable soils are especially suitable for planting this shrub. When planting, it is important to remember: camellias should not be buried too deep; its root collar should be flush with the ground. Once a year the bush requires feeding. The best fertilizer for camellias it is considered organic. At the end of summer, when the plant begins to form buds for flowering next year, camellia is fertilized with humus and chicken droppings. There is no need to feed the bush later, as the buds may fall off. A necessary condition good development plants are mulched with leaf humus, grass, crushed bark or wood chips, i.e., everything that ensures the preservation of soil acidity and moisture at the roots. When mulching, it is necessary to leave the root collar open, otherwise the camellia may rot.
Watering
Good development, which is a consequence of proper cultivation, will be appreciated by camellia garden. Planting and care, as well as proper watering, contribute to
rapid plant growth. Regular watering should be provided in all seasons. In summer they water more generously, taking into account weather conditions and landing site. If the summer is hot and dry, it is necessary to spray the bushes. In cool winter, watering is more careful and infrequent.
Camellia care
Camellias grow well in humid and temperate climate. They are quite winter-hardy and can withstand frosts down to -20°C, prefer shade, and in areas with dry, hot summers - a shady location. Camellias especially like to be located next to a fence, wall or other taller crop, i.e., a support that protects from winds and bright sun. The flowering time of the plant is unusual: autumn - winter - early spring. These are biological features of this genus: for the formation of high-quality buds and flowering of the shrub, short daylight hours and coolness are required. Comfortable temperature air for laying flower buds 18-20°C, for flowering - 8-12°C. Camellias love diffused light, but not direct bright light. sun rays. Flowering representatives of the tea family are not afraid of night frosts, but when the flowers quickly thaw in the morning sun, they lose their appearance and die. Therefore, camellias are usually not planted on eastern slopes.
Trimming
The camellia crown is formed in the spring by pinching the tops of the shoots. This is done so that the garden camellia can branch better. Landing is not a complex operation. At the end of autumn, pruning of shoots is necessary to stimulate the growth of axillary buds. By repeating this operation annually, you can achieve excellent decorativeness and flowering of the bush.
Pests and diseases
Unfortunately, pests and diseases do not bypass camellias. It is often affected by fungi, aphids and scale insects. Fungal diseases are manifested by the appearance of gray and black spots on the leaves and brown spots on the flowers. A diseased plant cannot be restored, so it is better to remove it and burn it.
Garden camellia, which is amazing in its beauty and long-lasting flowering, gives incredible joy. Planting and caring for this crop is not as burdensome as it is written in many publications, but it is impossible to contain your emotions when looking at the regal decoration of a magnificent tree.