Camellia (Camellia) is an evergreen plant belonging to the family of Tea. This amazing flower was named after Jesuit monk Kamelius Georg Josef, who first introduced it to the territory of Europe. In the wild, the plant grows in the tropical, subtropical zones in countries such as Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, China, on the islands of Java, Sulawesi.

For sure the description of the flower Camellia will interest many florists. This beautiful plant is a shade-tolerant bush or tree, the height of which can vary from 2 to 20 m. Dull or pointed leaves have a simple, elliptical, broad or oblong-ovate shape, leathery structure, glossy surface, short petioles. They are single, sequential. The length of the sheet plate is about 3 - 17 cm.

To get an answer to the question of how a plant flower looks, it is imperative. A lot of single buds form in camellia. The diameter of blooming flowers with numerous stamens can vary in the range: 1 - 12 cm. At the base of the petals are fused. Their color is pink, red, white, variegated.

Popular types of camellia

Modern breeders have deduced numerous varieties, hybrids of camellia, based on various plant varieties. The following are the most popular types.

Japanese camellia

This variety is considered the most famous, often used in breeding activities with the aim of breeding indoor plants. In the Land of the Rising Sun, this plant is revered along with the iconic sakura. The magnificent flower Japanese camellia (Camellia japonicaa) is cultivated as indoor, greenhouse, garden. It is often used as interior decoration for making bouquets.

Under natural conditions, the plant can have a height of 1.5 - 11 m. Carrying out home care for Japanese camellia, you can expect to receive a tree-like shrub with stems up to 1 m in length, blooming in November - January. Semi-double, double spherical flowers may have a white, pink, red color. In hybrid specimens, the petals often have a spotted or striped color. The flowers form in the sinuses and cover the entire crown.

Camellia Chinese

This variety has another name - tea bush. The leaves of the plant are used to produce green, black, long leaf tea. Dried flowers are components of various aromatic additives.

If you are interested in the question of where camellia chinese grows (Camellia sinensis), you can find out that industrial cultivation of the plant is conducted by many countries: China, India, Kenya, Japan, Georgia, etc. Our state is also engaged in the cultivation of tea camellia (Krasnodar region). It is rarely cultivated in the premises.

Mountain camellia

Mountain camellia (Camellia sasanqua) grows in nature on the islands of Kyushu, Okinawa (Japan). In a cool room, its flowering is fashionable to observe in the period November-February. The view is often taken as the basis for the breeding of indoor, garden varieties. At a plant single buds or rosettes with 2 - 3 flowers are formed. The red camellia flower looks very impressive, also, the petals can be white or pink.

Camelia Saluyon

This species is actively used in the breeding of cold-resistant varieties suitable for garden and greenhouse cultivation. A weakly branched shrub reaches a height of 1.5 m. Large flowers (8 cm in diameter) gradually bloom on it, the color of which can be snow-white, pink, dark red, burgundy. Saluena camellia (Camellia saluenensis) is considered the most unpretentious of the garden plants of its family.


Camellia oilseed

The cultivation of this evergreen tree with a height of about 10 m is practiced in the Chinese mountain areas. Large seeds of the camellia flower (Camellia oleifera) are formed in a large fruit box. For single bisexual or paired axillary flowers, white is characteristic.

Camellia: Cultivation and reproduction

As practice shows, care at home for a camellia flower, which is quite capricious, will be very successful if you follow a number of rules. To master the skills of growing such a plant is quite under the power of any grower.

Requirements for location, lighting

In order for the domestic content of the camellia to cause problems, initially it will be necessary to determine the most suitable place for planting a pot with a plant.

To this end, it is necessary to give preference to windows oriented to the west or east. Camellia also feels great in the winter garden, greenhouse, on the glazed loggia.

An inexperienced florist who cares for and propagates a camellia flower should take note that the plant (especially in the first year after planting) does not like moving, turns the pot, stays under direct sunlight, and drafts.

A new flower purchased or presented must be kept for 2 weeks in a shaded cool room, and then transferred to a permanent sunny place, where it will be maintained at a temperature not exceeding + 16 ° C.

In summer, the plant may be exposed to fresh air with mandatory shading. A beautiful camellia flower in a pot will show good growth, the development of flower buds with diffuse lighting lasting 12-14 hours per day. In the cold period of the year, Camellia should be given additional illumination.

Temperature for the plant

During the laying of flower buds, the temperature should be maintained at + 5 ... + 6 ° C. The plant will show the best flowering at + 8 ... + 12 ° C. In the resting phase, the camellia tolerates temperatures of +20 ... + 25 ° C.

Organization of watering camellias

When deciding how to take care of a camellia flower, you will need to ensure its regular watering with distilled water. During budding, flowering, irrigation is performed immediately after the drying of the upper ground layer is detected. It is very important to prevent the stagnation of water, acidification of the earth. In the resting stage is to do with moderate watering.

To increase the humidity of the air on hot days, it is recommended to spray the bush twice a day. It is also well proven to pour water into the pan. The installation of a pot in a container filled with wet gravel, moss, sand or pebbles will be justified.

The plant liking water, acidified with lemon juice, vinegar.  With a lack of moisture, the bush is able to lose leaves. Excessive irrigation can provoke a situation when the leaves, stems of camellias become brown. Subsequently, the plant may fall flowers, buds. If you do not correct the situation, the flower will die.

The quality of the soil for culture

Camellia is very demanding on the quality of the soil. Best of all, she feels when planting in a sour soil with a pH level of between 3 and 5. The use of azalea soil substrate has recommended itself well. Independent preparation of soil mixture involves the use of turf (1 share), sand (1 share), peat (2 shares), leafy earth (2 shares).

Transplanted shoots are best placed in a pot filled with a substrate with the following composition: sand (0.5 shares), peat (1 share), coniferous soil (2 shares). At the bottom of the planting tank should provide for the presence of drainage.

Making dressings camellia

Camellia reacts positively to organic fertilizers. In the period of autumn - spring practiced monthly application of liquid fertilizing. During budding, flowering, this event takes place 2 times a month. For camellia, it is desirable to purchase ready-made fertilizers suitable for orchids, azaleas.


Pinching and pruning

In order to avoid chopping flowers, you should pinch the buds, leaving a maximum of 2 copies on the branch.

In autumn, the plant is pruned. He removed damaged, weak shoots. This activates the formation of axillary buds.

The procedure for transplanting to another pot

Camellia undergoes annual transplantation for the first 3 years, and an adult, well-flowering bush - every 2 years. A similar procedure is carried out after the flowers wither in the spring or in the summer while simultaneously pinching the top shoots.

Reproduction of camellia in different ways.

When breeding a camellia flower, it is desirable to give preference to the cutting method.

To get a quality planting material, you need to prune the apical shoots formed during the current season. The recommended length of the cuttings is 6 - 8 cm, they should have 4 - 5 leaflets. It is practiced to perform an oblique cut over the axillary bud.

The optimal months for vegetative cultivation of plants are January, July and August. The rooting of summer seedlings will take about 2 months, the winter will form the root system for a longer period.

Cuttings are planted in boxes filled with a mixture of peat (1 share), sand (1 share). Tanks must be installed in a bright room with a temperature of + 20 ... + 23 ° C, the implementation of wetting the soil by spraying. Sprouted specimens are determined in pots with a diameter of 7 - 8 cm.

Experienced growers practice growing camellia from seed to simultaneously produce a large number of young bushes. Within the framework of such a procedure, the sowing of each seed is carried out in a separate container. Appeared 2 true leaves are a signal of the need for picking plants in a larger container.

It is worth noting that often flower shops can offer for sale a mixture of seeds of various varieties. In order not to face the solution of the problem, how to care for the camellia mix, you will need to carefully read the information published on the package. Preferred is the choice of planting material of a certain variety, a hybrid.

Garden camellia: features of care

Experienced florists are confident that the content in the garden of the camellia flower is guaranteed to be not problematic for a person who has studied the appropriate methods of farming. A young plant is transplanted in the open field every two years, the adult culture is transferred to a new place at intervals of 5 - 7 years.

In landscape design, mainly camellia flower is curly garden. In regions with a harsh winter period, many under-growing varieties have been developed for growing in open ground. On the eve of frosts, they are transplanted into pots and transferred to a closed room.

Diseases, pests of culture

Unfortunately, camellia in the open field, as well as indoor flower, often becomes the object of attack of such pests as aphids, scale insects, whitefly, red bug, spider mites, thrips.

The appearance in the leaf sinuses, in the areas of the stems of white, dense plaque indicates the damage of the plant to the worm. To get rid of the pest, it must be removed with a cotton swab, toothpick, and then wipe the affected areas with a sponge dipped in a solution of laundry soap.

Because of aphids, scutes on the plant, black spots start to be seen - black camellia looks very unpresentable. Heavily damaged specimens must be processed using specialized fungicides, insecticides. Blackened leaves to be removed.

About fungal infection signal brown, gray spots on the sheets. Yellowed streaks on the leaf surface indicate a mosaic virus. Having identified the disease in time, it is urgent to start treating the plant, because otherwise the decorative properties of camellia will be lost for a long time, and sometimes the flower may even die.

Reward for patience and work

A beautiful, but soulless, camellia flower, by chance, has earned the reputation of being impatient with a cold heart. During flowering, it is perfect, but has no flavor, and its petals are as if made of wax. As a real sleeping beauty, she dismisses the buds, only falling into a state of rest, often demonstrates her character and not everyone lets herself be tamed.

But, as in life, an unapproachable appearance can be deceptive. Understanding the physiological characteristics of the plant, creating the right conditions, camellia is very easy to grow. And we will prove it, revealing the secrets of a capricious flower at first glance.

A flower praised in poetry as the ideal of exquisite and languid beauty

Subtropical plant that does not like the tropics

Warm ocean currents and wet monsoons determine the climate of Japan. On most islands, it is warm and humid, turning south toward subtropics and tropics. In winter, the temperature rarely drops below zero, the snow here is unusual.

The flora of Japan is represented by a large variety of evergreen trees and shrubs. Extensive forests consist of cypresses and magnolias, tree ferns and jagged oaks, and under their shade are thickets of rhododendrons and beautiful camellias that the Japanese adore and grow in special natural gardens, as can be seen in the photo below.

In addition to Japan, the plant is distributed in the subtropical zone of China, Korea, and Vietnam. There are mountain types of shrubs, characterized by greater endurance and feeling great in the open sun.

Camellia came to Europe about 200 years ago. She was brought by a Czech botanist Georg Kamel, engaged in missionary and medical activities in the Philippines. In his honor, and was named "Japanese rose." He, unfortunately, did not find out about this, since the said event occurred 30 years after his death.

What does it look like?

Camellia is a member of the Tea family. Yes, yes, one of the species of this plant is called tea plant, and its leaves are used as raw materials for making one of the most popular drinks.

In nature, it is an evergreen shrub or a small tree 10–15 m high. The leaves are on short petioles, alternate, elliptical in shape, serrate on the edge, like those of a rose. They are quite dense and so glossy that they reflect the sun's rays, blowing "bunnies". Due to the leathery dark green foliage bush looks very elegant, even without flowers.

Flowers are single, large, 12–15 cm in diameter. In nature, they are simple or semi-double, mostly red or white. The cultural assortment is represented by a large variety of terry shapes and shades. Among them are surprisingly elegant specimens, for example, Middlebury pink camellia, the petals of which resemble neatly laid tiles.


  On the photo - Middlebury camellia pink

Under natural conditions, camellia blooms from January to March, but for some modern hybrids this period extends to six months - from November to May.

Another unusual feature of the Japanese rose is the gradual withering of the flower, which falls off entirely, while maintaining bright colors. The bush always looks neat - no faded, withered flowers with showered petals.

Loves, dislikes - natural preferences of camellia

Camellia is a plant in its natural environment intended for open ground, and it is grown in indoor conditions due to our cold climate. And once the plant is subtropical, then the conditions are trying to create a greenhouse. This is the main mistake. To better understand the preferences of the flower, consider what environment he was used to, and how it affected his physiology.

  1. The plant loves the weather warm, but not hot, wet, without sharp seasonal fluctuations. In their natural habitat, evergreen shrubs overwinter in the temperature range of 7–10⁰ plus, if there is a cold snap, it is short-lived and not very strong.

    In our latitudes, camellia tolerates summer painlessly, but problems with winter. It is unacceptable on the street (the minimum temperature that she is able to withstand is 10⁰ frost), in a room at + 20–25⁰ C she is too hot.

  2. In nature, the shrub grows under a forest canopy, in a lacy shade of taller neighbors. Prefers diffused light, long light day. In the room, the windowsills of the eastern and northern windows will suit the flower.
  3. The monsoon climate of the homeland of the plant provides high humidity. Like orchids, camellia garden likes spraying, as well as sources of moisture evaporation nearby.
  4. Growth in the undergrowth with a large number of coniferous trees determines the composition of the soil. It is light, airy, with an acid reaction (pH 4.5-5.5). The cushion of coniferous leaf litter gets wet well, but does not retain water.

To summarize, the main preferences of a houseplant are a lot of diffused light, low positive temperatures during flowering, sour loose soil and good air humidity.

Accordingly, the culture is oppressed by the open sun, the content in the winter in a warm room, inadequate planting substrate, lack of moisture.

Features of the annual development cycle

We love flowers after school hours. Bulbs we "cheat", forcing to bloom in winter, but there is a whole group of plants for which this is a natural stage of the annual cycle. These include our heroine.

  • The period of growth in camellia garden begins with the general awakening of nature - in April-May. At this time, it increases the vegetative mass, strengthens the root system. Shoot growth continues until mid-summer.
  • Around August, the budding of flower buds begins.
  • In the middle of autumn, buds appear that will unfold only with the onset of a suitable temperature regime.
  • At the beginning of winter, the plant blooms, but all the other organs (shoots, leaves, roots) stop growing.

In fact, camellia is a flower that dissolves during sleep, which makes it difficult to care for it at home.


  In Abkhazia, Sochi, on the South Coast of Ukraine, a garden camellia can become a bright decoration of the winter garden

Camellia family

In European countries with mild winters, flowering shrubs and trees can be found right on the street. Moreover, American breeders have developed many frost-resistant varieties of crops that can withstand a significant decrease in temperature in minus. In the gardens and greenhouses the most common are its following types.

Japanese camellia

It is a strong-growing spreading shrub with strong branches and brilliant dark green leaves. In Japan, it is often grown in the form of a tree, and in room culture, bonsai trees are formed. In nature, buds, planted in autumn, dissolve in January-February. Flowers are large (ø 5–13 cm), with dense, like wax petals, without smell.

It is this type of camellia that served as the genetic basis for a variety of plant varieties and hybrids:

  • varieties with simple red flowers - Ashya, Christmas;
  • red terry camellias - Adolph Aduson, Clifford Parks, Royal Velveteen, Fred Sander, Coquetti;
  • hybrids with white terry flowers - Nobilissima, Duchess de Bari, Alba Simplex;
  • pink varieties - Dr. Tinsley, Pink Perfeshion, Otom Tsubaki.

The last “peep of fashion” in camellia breeding is breeding varieties with variegated petals.


  In the photo - Alba Simplex grade
  Japanese camellia with variegated flowers

We have this species better known as the tea plant. An evergreen shrub with a thick spreading crown grows to a height of 10 m. The leaves are slightly elongated, leathery, dark green on the front side and slightly lighter on the back side. In mid-autumn, the bush is covered with simple white flowers with a yellow core, consisting of many anthers. In contrast to the odorless Japanese Camellia presented in the photo above, this is a view with a light tea aroma.


  In the photo - blooming tea bush

Sasankva (mountain view)

Sasankva, growing on the mountain wooded slopes of the Japanese islands, is a woody shrub with thin hanging branches, rarely exceeds 2.5–3 m in height. Its leaves are much smaller in comparison with other species, but the shape is glossy and leathery. Flowers are large, simple, on a short stem - it seems that they are literally stuck to the escape.

Sasankva is distinguished by its endurance to sub-zero temperatures and light-loving, therefore, with her participation, the varieties of camellia are found to be cold-resistant (in the photo below). Popular hybrids are Empress, Cleopatra, Chansonier. Although bush camellia is intended for open ground, it also feels good in room culture.


  Bush white and red camellia in the garden

Camellia reticulum (reticulated)

This type of camellia is often called tree, due to the fact that it grows a tree and is able to climb up to 20 m. In addition, it has the largest flowers - up to 20 cm in diameter. Reticulum is very loved by breeders, creating unique large-flowered hybrids with her participation. So when crossing the K. Japanese and netted, they got wonderful new varieties, selected as a separate group of Williams hybrids.
  Tree camellia in the garden of Shin-Edogawa (Tokyo)

Williams Hybrid Group

Williams' varieties and hybrids are in many ways superior to the starting material taken for crossing. Their flowering period lasts longer than that of K. Japanese, they are more hardy, they do not shed their petals, the flower completely fades on a bush. The assortment includes semi-double and terry hybrids, red, pink, white, variegated camellias. Plants are tall, in our climate they are best grown in tubs or greenhouses, greenhouses, winter gardens.


  Williams Hybrids - Spectacular and Viable Camellia Group

Subtleties of growing and care in room conditions

Camellia in temperate latitudes is cultivated in protected ground, so consider the characteristics of planting and caring for a plant in an urban apartment or a private house.

Way back home

Autumn is the beginning of winter - the peak of camellia sales. If you were given a flower, first look at it carefully.

  • In a healthy plant, the foliage is clean, dark green, the buds do not dry out, the flowers have dense elastic petals.
  • The root neck is flush with the soil.
  • The substrate should be wet, but crumble in the hands.

Even if something is wrong with the plant, do not rush to transplant, let it adapt to the new place, get used to the microclimate of the room.

But you need to create the right conditions from day one.

For the Japanese camellia, namely, its hybrids are sold more often than others, the light is needed diffused. In the cold season, fit the window sill, glazed balcony on the north or east side. With the onset of spring close to the glass plant will be uncomfortable, possible sunburn, so it is better to keep it at some distance from the window.

A common version of the summer content of the flower - in the garden. Pots with a plant are added in the lacy penumbra of trees, where there is a lot of ambient light. They are accustomed to open air gradually, first carrying them out for several hours. Return to the room with the onset of low, but positive! temperatures.

The second vital condition is temperature. The main enemy of the blooming camellia is urban heating; so that she does not hurt, she needs a temperature in the range of 10–12 10 C in winter. Therefore, feel free to purchase a delightful flower if you have a glazed loggia, a cool veranda or a winter garden.

In the summer, the plant feels comfortable at a temperature of 20–25 ,С, and with hot air will withstand more hot days. Gradually lower the temperature should be around mid-autumn - this has a beneficial effect on the tab of flower buds.

The third condition is high humidity. The ideal mode (90%) can be created in the greenhouse, in the room this figure is somewhat lower. Achieve it with a special humidifier. If there is none, carry out spraying, put a vessel with water next to the pot so that evaporation takes place.


  Balcony - one of the most suitable places for winter-flowering room culture.

Watering

Camellia is fastidious to watering - this is the element of care, the subtleties of which you need to know both in the indoor environment, and when growing crops in the garden. Here are the basic rules.

  1. For irrigation, it is recommended to use warm and soft water (rain, thawed, purified).
  2. Watering is always moderate, avoiding excessive drying and over-wetting of the coma. Marker - wet substrate crumbles.
  3. The plant requires more frequent watering during the growing season (spring-summer), less - during the rest (flowering) period - the end of autumn, winter.
  4. After watering, excess water from the pan is removed.

Top dressing

Flowering depletes the plant. With its end begin feeding. It is best to use professional fertilizers for camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons, in which the complex of nutritional components is already balanced for needs. The frequency of fertilizing - 1 time in two weeks, all the time while there is a growth of shoots. Since August, feeding is stopped - this is a signal for laying generative buds and forcing the buds.

Transplant, choice of soil mixture

The camellia flower is usually transplanted once every 2–3 years. The approach to the choice of planting container is the same as for other indoor plants - 1 cm more in diameter than the previous one. Good hold moisture plastic pots.

Soil mixture is better to buy ready-made, intended for camellias, azaleas. Its main property is acid reaction. Composition:

  • riding (sour) peat;
  • coniferous garbage;
  • leaf earth;
  • perlite;
  • large river sand.

Before transplanting, the flower is freed from the old substrate, the roots are slightly “combed”, removing the rotted parts. A shard is placed on the drainage hole, drainage is poured (clay, stones), spilled with a layer of coarse sand, and then it directly lands. Substrate pre-moisturize, after planting watered, so that it better enveloped the roots.

The most suitable time for transplantation - the end of flowering.


  In the photo - Camellia transplant

Do I need pruning?

If you do not form a bonsai, pruning plants need a minimum. What and when cut?

  • Shoots that spoil the look of the crown.
  • Sprigs growing inwards and disturbing others.
  • The top of the shoot if necessary to stimulate its branching.

Pruning is desirable to carry out before the start of vegetative growth, ie, in the spring. You can not combine transplanting and pruning a flower, it will complicate its recovery.

Camellia Reproduction

Camellia is propagated by cuttings and grown from seeds.

Cutting allows you to save the grade of culture. Cut cuttings from green (lumbering) apical shoots. This can be done at any time of the year, but better in the summer. The stalk length is 6–8 cm with 3-5 leaves, which are cut in half to reduce the evaporation area.

For rooting, a wet mixture is prepared from coarse sand and peat (in half), the cutting is processed with a root or other stimulator, planted at an angle of 45⁰. Cookware with cuttings on top is covered with a transparent cap under which they will stay until the roots appear - and this is 3-4 months. The mini-greenhouse regularly airs, moisturizes, maintains a temperature of 20–25⁰ C.

The second option is to grow camellia from seeds at home. But we must remember that with this method is saved from 80% of the signs of the mother plant.

Seeds are sown in the same mixture as for grafting. Seeds are placed at a distance of 5–7 cm, sprinkled with a substrate, moistened and sent under a transparent cap for germination. Shoots with two true leaves dive into small pots already with a full primer.

Camellia seeds contain many oils, therefore they germinate while fresh. It is better to sow them immediately after aging, in the spring and summer months. If there is a need to save the seeds, they are placed in peat, perlite, put in a fridge or lowered in a basement - the temperature is not higher than 10 C.


  In the photo - rooted cuttings of camellia

Japanese rose in the garden

With the advent of frost-resistant varieties of camellia bush there is a temptation to grow it in the garden, in this case, planting and care have their own nuances.

It is encouraging that individual hybrids can withstand up to 20⁰ of frost. But do not forget that this is a winter-flowering plant. Yes, the roots will withstand a minus temperature, perhaps even part of the shoots will remain, but the shrub will not bloom in the cold. First of all, we are talking about a short-term decrease in temperature, and second, in order for the bush to blossom, positive temperatures should be established by the end of January. So, anyway, and we can grow camellia in our garden only in the south

Requirements for planting similar room - penumbra, acidic soil, abundant watering. But since the plant remains to winter in the ground, it is recommended to warm the root zone with mulching materials - foliage, sawdust, crushed bark. If during flowering there is a threat of frost, the camel crown is recommended to wrap with lutrasil for the night.

We tried to present all the nuances of growing a flower culture. If they are remembered and observed, the camellia will subdue you with refined grace, and will not be capricious at all.

Tips for growing camellia japanese:

The ornamental plant camellia belongs to the evergreen shrubs that grow in nature in China, Vietnam and Japan. Its dark green shiny leaves adorn the plant year round. However, during the flowering period comes the most charming period of life of a camellia. At this time, the bushes are covered with exquisite flowers, which are very similar to roses. In regions with a warm climate, the plant can be grown in gardens. With proper care, camellia also grows well and blossoms at home.

Description, types and photos of Camellia

Depending on the type of shrub plant in height can reach from 3 to 12 meters. The glossy leaves of the plant are oval-shaped. At the ends they are blunt or sharp. Large single flowers of camellia in diameter can reach from 5 to 15 cm. They consist of five petals and many stamens. The color of the petals can be red, pink, white. There are also two-color petals with different divorces, spots, dots or specks. Each flower plant blooms within a month.

When grown at home, the most three types of plants are popular:

Peculiarities of growing camellia at home

Room camellia requires certain growing conditions and proper care.

Air temperature and humidity

Camellia refers to short day plants. Just a 12-hour daylight hours will be enough for the bookmark and development of flower buds. However, at this time it is required to monitor the room temperature:

  1. Temperature should be within 18С-20С. At lower temperatures, camellia will not bloom.
  2. If the light day lasts less than 12 hours, then in order to bookmark the kidneys the temperature will need to be lowered to 8C-10C.
  3. Camellia blooms in winter from December to February. During this period of time it must be maintained at an air temperature of 8 ° C to 10 ° C.

If the room is too warm, then the buds will begin to fall from the bushes, flowering may occur prematurely, the quality of the flowers will deteriorate.

When caring for camellia at home, it is necessary to ensure that the room has high humidity.

Plant requires regular spraying. Water for this must be separated and kept at room temperature. If there is no separated water, then it can be boiled and cooled. Carefully spray the plant during flowering. Water should not fall on the flowers.

To increase the humidity of the air pot with a flower can be put on a pallet with wet peat or expanded clay. Good effect on the development of plants and specially acquired humidifier.

Lighting

Camellias need a bright spot:

To grow the crown on the plant equally from all sides, and the bush was smooth, from time to time it must be turned on different sides to the light. In this case, in no case can not change the position of the bush during budding and flowering. A disturbed plant can fold buds.

In the warm period of time camellia can be put on the balcony, loggia or garden in the open air. At the same time the plant should be protected from direct sunlight.

Watering and fertilizer

In the case of overdrying of the substrate, the plant will begin to lose leaves. In winter, camellia is watered very carefully. If the substrate turns sour, the buds will begin to fall off, and the leaves will turn brown.

Throughout the year, camellia needs to be fed once every three weeks. special mineral fertilizers. It is necessary to plant them at the rate of 1 gram of fertilizer on 1 liter of water.

Transplant and soil for camellia

When caring for young bushes, they need to be transplanted annually. Older plants that bloom every year are transplanted once every two years. To better grow bushes, after transplanting the tips of the shoots are recommended to pinch.

Transplant is made in the spring. The soil must be acidic.. Its composition may be as follows:

  • two parts of leaf or heather land;
  • two parts of peat;
  • one piece of turf land;
  • one piece of sand.

At the bottom of the pot must be poured drainage.

Pests and diseases

  The most serious disease of a plant can be root rotformed as a result of too low temperatures or too wet soil. In this case, the camellia should be urgently transplanted into the air-permeable soil. By reducing the watering the plant can be saved very rarely.

Brown spots on the leaves are signs of phyllossticosis. The disease occurs due to high humidity. The treatment is carried out by treating the leaves with copper sulfate. Humidity in the room decreases, the affected leaves are removed.

A spider mite, plant louse, or shieldweed may start on a room camellia. When they are detected, the plant should be urgently treated with summer oil emulsions, soap solution or chemical means.

The plant propagates in three ways:

  1. Cuttings.
  2. Seeds.
  3. Inoculation

Reproduction by cuttings

In January and July, the decorative varieties of Camellia can be propagated by the still untouched apical cuttings. For this, cuttings with 3-5 leaves 6-8 cm long are cut off, and soaked in a heteroauxin solution. Planting material is planted in boxes filled with peat and sand (1: 1). The temperature for rooting should be within 20C-23C.

Caring for cuttings is their regular spraying and watering the soil. In about two months, the roots will sprout, and cuttings will be possible seated in separate containers, whose diameter should be about 7 cm. At first, young plants water abundantly, and after rooting - as needed.

Sowing seeds

When growing camellia from seed, signs of varieties can be lost. However, seeds sold in specialized stores retain such attributes.

Seeds are sown in boxes at a distance of 5-7 cm. Seed containers covered with glass or film should be placed in a bright warm place. Once on the seedlings there are two true leaves, they will need to pick out in separate pots.

Reproduction by vaccination

  Some varieties of camellia are poorly rooted when cutting. In this case, they can in January to multiply by vaccinations, choosing for this the upper part of the shoot with well-developed buds.

A year later, the bushes are transplanted into separate containers with a diameter of 9 cm. In the third year, pots with a diameter of 11-14 cm are prepared for plants. The soil should consist of heather and leaf earth, turf, peat and sand (2: 2: 2: 2: 1). Best young bushes transplant using transshipment. In this case, the roots will not be damaged and the plant will quickly take root.

Camellia is famous not only for its beautiful flowers, but also for its use in pharmacology and medicine. Essential oils that have an antiseptic, anesthetic and tonic effect are extracted from its leaves. And the flowers of Chinese camellia can be brewed and you can drink delicious tea.







Foreword

Camelia is a beautiful flower that can bring freshness and originality to your apartment. But so that the camellia room flower, which is rather simple to care for, does not wilt and perish, follow a few important rules. This will allow you to grow a real garden at home.

Required Tools

Sand Expanded clay

Competent planting plants for rapid development

The first thing to do is to choose the right soil for planting. The best land for azaleas and rhododendrons, which consists of perlite, soil, peat, sand and ground bark of trees. You can either buy it or make it yourself. To do this, take 1 part of coniferous soil, part of peat and sheet, and 0.5 sand. Before landing, be sure to dig up the ground in a quality manner in order to saturate the soil with air.

Choose the right pot, because it should be wide enough, but not deep. At the bottom lay out the drainage, then pour out the earth and plant a plant. When disembarking, be careful, watch the root neck (the place between the trunk and the roots), because it can not be covered with earth. All work is desirable to carry out in the fall or at the beginning of winter, when the plant is at rest. Young need to be transplanted every year, after - once every two years. Simultaneously with the transfer of the top you need to pinch for better branching of the plants.

Camellia flower room: care, watering and lighting

Very much depends directly on how you feed the plant, especially in the winter season, when the flowers lack the essential elements and vitamins. Also, do not forget that in the fall, when the camellia is in a dormant stage, no preparations can be used - because of this, young shoots will form that simply cannot survive the winter.

Best of all, fertilizers for acidic soil or preparations containing potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron and manganese will be suitable as top dressing.

When buying fertilizer, carefully read the label, so as not to purchase fertilizer with magnesium and calcium. And all because these substances are sufficient in ordinary tap water, and their overabundance can lead to the death of flowers. If you are going to plant fertilizer in water, reduce its concentration several times, and remember - you should not feed camellia too often, this can cause the death of the plant.

It is necessary to carefully approach the process of watering, because it is important to maintain a balance here so as not to overwet the ground, and not to cause it to dry out. The water should be soft and warm, not cold, for which you can boil it and cool it a little. But in the winter to water the flower is not necessary, it is better to simply spray the leaves. To create the moisture that is necessary for flower development, in the winter, put a pot with camellia on a tray with expanded clay.

Much attention is paid to lighting. An important condition for the normal development and growth of camellias is a well-ventilated and cool room. Optimum temperature for a flower:

  • In the winter - +8 ° С - +10 ° С;
  • In the summer - +18 ° С - +20 ° С;
  • During the flowering period - about +15 ° С.

Camellia need scattered and bright lighting, but places with direct sunlight should be avoided, it can harm the flower.

Breeding camellias or how to grow your garden from plants?

So that you don’t have to constantly buy camellia flowers that even a novice gardener can take care of, you can grow them at home. There is a great variety of opportunities for the method of reproduction, including the use of seeds, cuttings, grafts. Which one to choose depends on your skill and desire. The most well-known method is attributed cuttings, it is the simplest and requires minimal investment, as well as.

Walking past a well-groomed garden you can not catch a glimpse of some bright flower. And as a rule, an idea arises, or maybe it is worth planting flowers at home? Plants are a convenient addition to the interior. If the morning went with good feelings, then the day passes more fun. Gardening for many is a favorite activity that gives positive feelings not only to loved ones but also to all passersby.

Growing conditions and care for camellia

Camellia and home care ... We have a common opinion that when camellia blooms, it cannot be rearranged from place to place and rotated, otherwise the buds will fall off. In the West, they consider the opposite: when camellias are in bloom, various operations can be performed with them - transplant, trim too overgrown roots, transport, etc. In this case, the camellia will calmly continue to bloom.

Probably, the plant drops buds due to improper keeping them in room conditions. Central heating batteries dry the soil in an abnormal winter for Camellia. These errors can be avoided if you know the needs of plants.

In general, camellia is considered capricious and fastidious to light, temperature and humidity. Lovers will need a lot of patience and caring attitude. The lighting should be bright, bright, but camellia must be protected from direct sunlight. Water in the spring and in the summer plentifully, settled with soft water of room temperature, in the winter watering is reduced. Room camellia for good growth needs high humidity. During a hot wintering, the humidity is increased by regularly sprinkling the plant.

After the purchase, you need to put a camellia flower in a cool partial shade, and after two weeks to transfer to a warmer, but the temperature should not exceed 16 degrees. For successful cultivation of camellias, it is necessary to provide them with a cool wintering. In the summer they are kept at room temperature, and in the winter at around 10-15 degrees.

In the summer, during relative rest, Camellia is better to prikopat together with a pot in the garden in a partial shade. If this is not possible, then in the room she needs to create a favorable condition: regular airing, high humidity. It is useful to carry out spraying until the camellia houseplant picks up the buds. After budding watering is reduced.

In order that the plant does not become exhausted, and camellia flowers are larger, the weakest buds are removed by pinching, leaving 1-2 buds on the branch. When flowering is over and young shoots appear, it is necessary to feed with mineral fertilizers for indoor flowering plants in half the concentration indicated on the package until the next season when the plant enters the budding stage.

Fertilizing camellias is one of the worst mistakes. Camellias should be fertilized in spring, during the first outbreak of active growth in April. They should not be fertilized in the fall, especially if you decide to grow frost-resistant varieties in cold climates. Fertilizers can provoke late growth of camellias, from which their green, underexposed shoots can be seriously damaged in the winter - along with everything that is not “asleep” as a plant.

To give the plant a more attractive look, it is cut off, removing the weak bare shoots. But to do this only when absolutely necessary, as camellia painfully tolerates pruning.

Many camellian owners make the mistakes of a deep landing and the wrong mixture of earth. The neck of a camellia (the point between the roots and the trunk) should never be covered with earth. Planting a camellia even 3 centimeters deeper is a sure way to kill a plant. Transplanting camellias during the period of active growth is a mistake, as they can stop growing and come to a bad state.

Young camellia plants are transplanted annually, preferably in summer, and adults 2-3 years later. The soil should be well-fertilized, medium acid. For room camellia better to buy ready-made mixture. There are special mixtures for plants of acidic soil (camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons), which are made from high-moor peat, perlite, vermiculite, sand, ground bark and similar ingredients. In such a mixture, the camellia roots will always be evenly moistened, the water will not stand and the roots will be able to breathe air.

Some varieties of camellias withstand -10 degrees of frost. Therefore, if you have a ventilated glazed balcony, where the temperature in winter is from 0 to +15 degrees (ideally from +5 to +10 degrees) and never falls below -10 ° C, then camellia is for you.

Camellia is adapted to slight frosts in their natural environment. In winter, the bushes are protected by snow. As soon as the snow comes down, the camellia simply explodes in the fire of numerous flowers. In France and England, camellias can grow in the open field. Apparently, this can be done in the southern regions of Russia.

Camellia is propagated in August by top cuttings of the current year growth. Root in the sand, preferably under glass or film at a temperature of 20-25 degrees, more reliable in mini-greenhouses with underheating. For successful rooting apply growth promoters.

If camellia is sick

This can happen for a variety of reasons. Too warm place in the house, too frequent or rare watering leads to the fact that the plant buds fall. On too wet soil in a pot, the camellia reacts with cortical growths on the leaves. A white felt patina on the stems and in the leaf axils is a symptom of damage to mealybugs. They suck out juices and release substances that poison the plant. Remove pests with a toothpick or a cosmetic stick dipped in soapy water. If black spots appear on the plant that look like soot plaque, it means that it is damaged by soot fungi that appear on aphids, flakes and mealybugs. Wash black bloom with room temperature water. If the leaves are affected by soot fungi to a great extent, they are best cut off.

Houseplants

How to care for camellia at home?

From blood and dry ice,

From petals and leaves of wax,

In the garden, camellia bloomed,

Odorless and glossy drops.

Yes, this is how a camellia looks: a meter high, solemnly proud, luxurious, royally cold flower, a native of Southeast Asia. Amazing are his shiny, laurel-like, shiny leaves. But even more striking pink, red or variegated flowers, the diameter of which reaches 14 cm. No wonder camellia is called the princess of the East. It adorns the flower beds and flower beds of many Black Sea cities, and in more northern regions it can be seen only in greenhouses. If you love this amazing flower gardener, you can grow it at home, if you show maximum patience and care for the plant.

Camellia grown indoors is able to bloom even in the winter months. And it blooms for an unusually long time, it happens that it pleases for several months, and cut flowers are able to preserve freshness for two or three weeks.

Instructions for the care of camellia

Many gardeners lose ground at the very beginning, having learned that not everyone can grow Camellia. Yes, this is true, but, as a rule, the reason for the failure is insufficient air humidity or the wrong composition of the soil. These errors will not be, if you carefully read the instructions for the care of camellia.

Camellia loves bright and diffused light. This can be achieved by placing the plant on the west or east window. If there are no such people in the apartment, you can use the window on the south side, but, if possible, protect it from direct sunlight. The north side is not at all suitable for a camellia, who is very fond of sunlight. Be sure to periodically change the position of the flower so that all its sides are illuminated. If this is not done, the crown will be developed unevenly. However, during flowering this rule does not work: the plant should be left alone so that flowers and leaves do not crumble.

The most optimal is from 20 to 25 degrees. But when flower buds are tied, the temperature can be lowered. The plant begins to bloom in February. At this time, the thermometer should reach approximately 12 degrees. If it is hot in the room, some of the buds will fall off, and those that do bloom will not impress with their beauty and pomp.

Camellia needs fresh air. Therefore, in the summer, from time to time it is necessary to place the plant on the loggia for a while. But it is necessary to ensure that the flower was protected from direct sunlight.

In the summer months it should be abundant and uniform. Watering should be after the top layer of soil becomes completely dry. In winter, the higher the temperature in the room, the more often the plant needs watering. If the room is cool enough, frequent watering will cause acidification of the soil, which will cause the buds to fall. You can not water the plant with water, just recruited from the tap. It should stand, become soft, free from excessive calcium. A flowering plant should be watered with extreme care so that water does not fall on the petals.

Camellia re-bloom

It can be achieved in the second year. For this you need to comply with several conditions.

  1. Periodically feed the plant with special mixtures that are intended for azaleas and camellias. By July, such dressings need to do at least two.
  2. From July until spring, fertilizing is not recommended. To bloom was lush and lush, at the end of the summer camellia is treated with special means.
  3. From October and until the camellia stops flowering, you need to take care of good illumination so that the plant does not shed its buds.
  4. After flowering, watering is gradually reduced, but the soil should always be wet.

As for pruning a camellia, this is done at the discretion of the gardener himself. Camellia has a self-forming property. But she also tolerates pruning well, with no signs of wilting.

Thus, anyone who dreams that his apartment will decorate with its royal flowering camellia can achieve this if it takes care of the plant with joy and patience.

Camellia - how to care for a luxurious flower in your home (photos, video)

Among the houseplants camellia stands out for its extraordinarily beautiful flowers. Graceful buds are shaded by dark green glossy leaves. The flower looks very impressive. The popularity of the plant provided and the fact that the camellia at home feels great. She has enough simple care to please her flowering at any time of the year.

Camellia is an evergreen plant belonging to the tea family. Its difference is the dense, brilliant crown of leaves. Camellia can be grown at home or in the open field. She is able to decorate the window with bright buds or give the garden charm.

Proper plant care

Like any other indoor plant, camellia needs attention. Leaving is not burdensome. The main thing is to follow these rules:

  1. Provide diffused light to the plant. At home, camellia is recommended to be placed on windows with a west or east direction. To exclude one-sided growth, it is necessary to rotate the pot.
  2. You can not disturb the flower during the formation of buds.
  3. The optimum summer temperature is + 25˚С, winter - 20˚С.
  4. Dry air is harmful to camellia. To prevent the death of the plant due to overdried air, it is necessary to put it in a pan with expanded clay. Periodically can be sprayed from the spray.
  5. Do not allow direct sunlight.

Competent care for camellia includes optimal watering. When budding and flowering occurs, the plant needs a lot of moisture. When drying the top layer of earth in a pot, the flower should be watered. In winter, watering is reduced to prevent acidification of the soil.

Watering and spraying perform settled water. It must be remembered that the flowers do not need top watering.

Special care is required when the plant buds appear on it. It is better to move it to a room where the temperature is maintained no more than 12 degrees. If this is not done, the flowers will have a dull color and will quickly fall off. The photo shows how pale such buds look.

Features of Camellia Transplant

Landing at home can not be called particularly difficult, but in this case there are subtleties.

It should be poured into the pot oxidized soil, diluted with humus. Then it is well moisturized. It is necessary to worry about the moisture permeability of the soil so that watering does not cause root rot.

If transplantation is performed, then you should not place the flower too deep in the ground. The root system should be located at soil level. Home-grown flower cultivation will not succeed if lime soil or salt marshes are used. Land can be purchased at a flower shop or dial in the coniferous forest.

If at home the plant constantly drops buds, then the soil is saturated with calcium. Correct the position of a transplant in good soil and competent care.

With increased acidity of the soil, the leaves begin to turn yellow. In this case, replacing the earth mixture also helps.

How to perform the reproduction of camellias?

Reproduction is carried out in two main ways:

  • grafting;
  • planting seeds.

The first method of breeding at home allows in two years to acquire adult plants capable of flowering. Breeding is performed using semi-woody shoots. Such an operation should be carried out in late spring - early summer.

When the shoot turns brown, it is suitable for cutting. Growth bud should be well developed. In order not to be mistaken with the choice of escape, you can consider photos of planting material.

Rooting usually occurs quickly (no longer than 4 months). Fertilizing soil should be fertilized. It is necessary to ensure the optimum temperature of air and soil - 23 degrees.

If this indicator is exceeded, the growth of the kidneys will begin, and the root system will not have time to form.

If the reproduction is done by seeds, then the flowers will appear only after 5-8 years. The seeds ripen by mid-autumn. They are collected and planted. In order for the germination process to be more successful, it is necessary to provide partial blackout. The composition of the soil should include peat and sand. Reproduction is carried out at a temperature of 22 degrees. Growing camellias from seeds is more complicated than through cuttings, but this makes it possible to obtain strong, healthy seedlings.

If the reproduction is carried out for the first time, then it is better to study the details of this process on a special video from experienced florists.

How to prevent and cure diseases of camellia?

Room camellia, as well as garden, is subject to various diseases. Often, their appearance leads to improper care. Symptoms of various diseases can be seen in the photo.

Fungal diseases are easily recognized. They are manifested in the occurrence of gray and black spots on the leaves. The flower is covered with brownish spots. If the defeat is massive, then the foliage can fall completely. Such diseases are treated with special fungicidal drugs.

In order to prevent the spread of infection to other flowers grown in the home, it is better to part with the sick camellia.

Camellia can get oidium. The photo shows that the leaves of such a plant are covered with unsightly gray spots. Treatment consists of treating leaf plates with soapy water.

Japanese camellia is susceptible to cucumber mosaic. Symptoms of the disease - yellowing leaf veins. In order for the plant to recover, careful treatment with insecticides is necessary.

Japanese camellia is a magnificent ornamental plant with a long flowering period. It perfectly complements any home interior. To admire the flower with delicate pink buds, you need to properly care for it. You can decorate the window with a real rose garden, as the cultivation of these plants is not particularly difficult.

  care camellias.

If you bought a blooming camellia. It is recommended to place it closer to the window, from where a sufficient amount of light penetrates, the ideal option for a room for it is a cool greenhouse or just a glazed balcony of an ordinary city apartment. By the constant movement from place to place the flower is negative, you should not also turn it.

Camellia Lighting

Camellia is a short day plant. In the warm season (in particular, at the end of summer - early autumn), flower growers artificially shorten the light day to 12-13 hours, creating a shade for the plant. This contributes to the fact that the camellia can successfully plant and begin to develop flower buds.

Temperature

Observance of a certain temperature regime is also important for the good development and flowering of camellias. during the period when her buds are laid, and during flowering the most suitable temperature is 13-17 ° С, with the onset of cold weather and in winter (from November to December-January) it is recommended to lower this temperature to 6-8 ° С. It should be remembered that a decrease in temperature must be accompanied by a decrease in watering (while avoiding overdrying of the ground) - otherwise buds may fall off at camellia.

Watering camellias

  Water camellia should be soft water at room temperature, abundantly and regularly, not allowing the soil to dry. At the end of July, plant buds are tied to the plant - from this period watering should be somewhat reduced. To increase the humidity of the air, you can spray a flower every day; for the same purpose, the pot is often placed in a pan with water on a layer of gravel or pebbles: this allows you to maintain a moisture balance and not damage the flowers during flowering. By the way, this is where you will come to the aid of granular ceramis. it not only contributes to a more healthy water-air regime of the roots, but also increases humidity and ensures its uniformity. And in order not to flood the plant, use the humidity indicator Ceramis. This is very important, because if the plant is watered unevenly and excessively, the leaves of camellia can turn brown and the buds fall off - this is due to a violation of aeration and acidification of the soil.

Fertilizer

for camellia fertilizer, we note the following. From the period of resumption of growth and until the end of July, it is recommended to feed the plant weekly, including using special fertilizers for roses (following the instructions on the package). When the camellia has blossomed and its growth has resumed, it is possible to apply highly diluted fertilizer for flowers, and in the period when the buds are laid and poured, the feeding must be stopped. In addition, we must remember that the concentration of fertilizer solution for camellia should be below the average dose: 1 gram per liter instead of 3-5 grams for the same amount of water.

If we talk about fertilizers brand Ceramis. which can be used for fertilizing camellias, we recommend paying attention to the package with a red cap: this is a complex nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer for flowering plants with trace elements (including iron, manganese, zinc and copper chelates).

Camellia Transplant

Camellia is transplanted 1 time in two years, but in a certain period: you can only transplant after flowering, when the plant starts producing new shoots, but not later than the end of July.

Breeding

Camellias are used for reproduction in January or in July: cuttings are cut together with developed leaves (3-5). Cache pots with cuttings should be placed in a light (but not in the sun) and a warm place, usually cuttings take root in two months.

Saramis, a grower Tatiana, shares her experience with growing camellias in the ground: “I have no problems with camellias now. Yes, I lost the very first camellia, for the reason that there was very little information in the literature, but now we have I made friends and it blooms with me. Now, not terry pink is fading, but terry is still picking up buds. They are standing in my kitchen, windows (double-glazed windows) are open all the time in microwinding, if it's -3 I fold the sash completely, a piece of polyethylene is on the window sill that goes down to ol - so the temperature around the window is about 10-12 degrees, at night it is a little lower. I do not spray them, but there are vessels with water around. I water only with warm water. In the first year after transplantation I didn’t feed them at all, in the 2nd year 2 times in total. In April, I start bringing it out onto the balcony and bringing it in October, this year I brought it in November (it was very warm). That's all the wisdom. I really want to buy a different color, but I haven’t seen it anywhere yet. repot and then try. "