Japanese camellia flower care at home. Care and cultivation of camellia. Ambient temperature

Camellia japonica is not in vain considered the real queen of the flower world - it is endowed not only with a luxurious appearance, but also with a rather demanding character. One of her hybrids, bred in the USA, received the appropriate name (Empress variety), which very accurately expresses the unique chic of this exotic plant.

Today, Japanese camellia hybrids camellia williamsii, no less delightful than the bush empress, are very popular in the gardens of European countries. Also, like Chinese or tea, Japanese belongs to a respectable family of teas, whose representatives have not only rare beauty, but also unique beneficial properties.

In addition to Japan itself, China and Korea are also considered to be the birthplace of the Japanese camellia plant (or "Japonica"). In Japanese, camellias are called tsubaki or carp, depending on the variety. Varieties of the first type are distinguished by the fact that their withered flowers fall off entirely, while varieties of the second type, withering, simply drop their petals.

Tree-like culture can often be found in the photo of not only Japanese-Chinese, but also English, French gardens. It looks amazing in the form of individual shrubs and entire hedges, as a charming tree in a tub or a mysterious bonsai.

No less than sakura, you can see the camellia on a work of Japanese art - all thanks to the amazing beauty and ancient symbolism of this flower. Since ancient times, a beautiful plant has symbolized a vibrant life filled with glory, but in the modern world, this flower is a frequent guest at a Japanese holiday. It is used in wedding ceremonies, tea ceremonies are decorated with it. Today, the flower in Japanese interpretation is a symbol of devotion, success, happiness and prosperity.

In height, this plant can reach several meters, depending on the variety. Japanese camellia flowers are especially decorative - some of them resemble lush roses, others - peonies or carnations. Their color can be white, scarlet, pink, yellow, beige, coral. Cups of flowers are terry or simple and reach a diameter of fifteen centimeters. The leaves of the plant are also decorative: they are distinguished by a shiny leathery surface and a rich dark green hue. In length, they can reach eight centimeters.

Care and reproduction at home

This plant is best grown in winter gardens or greenhouses. At home, you need to take care of it especially carefully, given the characteristics of an exotic flower.

• suitable soil composition;
• moderate temperature in the region of ten to fifteen degrees Celsius;
• sufficient lighting, protection from direct rays;
• moderate air humidity;
• soft water for irrigation (the plant does not tolerate lime water).

In room conditions, you need to carefully monitor the climate - the plant loves coolness and moderate humidity. Only in summer the temperature can reach twenty to twenty-five degrees, as the camellia during this period is working on the creation of new flower buds.

When the buds ripen, the temperature must be maintained at fifteen degrees, and the rest of the time - no higher than twelve. This plant is cold-resistant, it feels good in a cool climate down to minus ten degrees Celsius.

For irrigation, it is better to take rainwater, melted water, or settled for three days. The plant loves loose soil, quite acidic. In spring and in the first half of summer, when shoots form, the flower needs to be fed - it needs to be fertilized with mineral and organic substances.

As in the garden, indoor culture blooms in winter. At this time, you can transplant a plant that is already flowering. Transplanting into a larger pot is enough to do every two or three years.

The best way to propagate this species is cuttings. It is recommended to carry it out in July, using light green apical cuttings. They should be rooted in a mixture of peat and sand at a temperature of twenty to twenty-five degrees. Two months later, when the roots appear, you can start planting the plant in a flowerpot.

Camellia can also be propagated by seeds, however, at home this method is more complicated and painstaking. In addition, it makes sense to use only fresh seeds for propagation, since their germination capacity is lost too quickly.

Diseases and pests

Beneficial features

From the leaves and buds, plants prepare teas that can improve metabolism and promote weight loss. The healing properties of camellia are used to strengthen blood vessels, stabilize the nervous system, treat diseases such as diarrhea and hemorrhoids, as well as to prevent many other diseases. The plant is used for the manufacture of cosmetic products such as shampoos, creams, lotions. For example, the Organic Shop brand presents a whole series of caring cosmetics based on Japanese camellia.

Camellia is a unique flowering and ornamental plant native to Japan. Belongs to the tea family, widely distributed in the subtropical zone of East and Southeast Asia, the Philippine Islands, Japan and Korea.

In the wild, it grows as a tree or shrub, the height ranges from 1.5 to 11 meters. As a houseplant, it does not exceed two meters in height.

The most common flower colors are white, pink, and shades of red. The flowers are decorative, large, have 5 petals, a corolla and a bunch of stamens gathered together. The leaves are leathery, glossy, green, oval, grow mostly singly.

Flowers of unusual beauty are very popular, both in home flower beds and in the design and landscaping of parks and gardens.

Camelliamountain. The height of the bush reaches up to 4 meters, on thin branches there are bright red flowers, leaves of an oblong-oval shape, 4-6 cm long, up to 3 cm wide. Flowers 2-3 pieces, up to 7 cm in diameter. Flowering period November-January.

CamelliaChinese. Native to the tropical mountain forests of Indochina. The height of the shrub is about 10 meters. The leaves are 5-7 cm long, about 3 cm wide, dark green above and light green below. The calyx has 5-7 rounded sepals, the corolla is 3 cm in diameter, which falls off after flowering. Flowering period August - November.

Camelliaoilseed. It grows on the banks of the rivers of China at elevations from 500 to 1300 meters. It is an evergreen tree, reaching a height of up to 10 meters. Flowers large white, grow in September.

Home Care

The plant is whimsical and requires careful care and attention. To avoid unplanned fall of leaves and shedding of flowers, you need to create the most comfortable conditions for the plant.

Choice of location. Camellia is a light-loving plant, it will feel as comfortable as possible in a winter garden, or on a warmed loggia. If there are no such premises, a spacious and bright room will do.

A flower needs at least 12 hours of daylight per day. During flowering, the Japanese plant does not like to be moved from place to place, and also does not accept the pot being turned.

Temperature

In the warm season, it feels good at moderate temperatures. At this time of the year, it is important to take the flower to the balcony or garden, but not to expose it to direct sunlight and wind.

At the end of autumn, an important period for camellia occurs - the laying of flower buds. The optimum temperature during this period is + 5 + 7 degrees.

After the first flowers appear, the plant is transferred to a room with a temperature of up to 12 degrees. Remember, the plant does not tolerate a sharp change in temperature conditions.

Watering and feeding

He likes abundant watering in the summer, but does not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the soil, as this leads to rotting of the roots. Dry soil is also destructive.

In winter, the amount of watering is reduced. Water for irrigation should be soft, settled, it is recommended to add a little lemon juice to the water.

At the stage of bud formation, the flower needs regular feeding. For these purposes, you can purchase complex fertilizer for azaleas in the store, apply 1 time in 14 days, in winter 1 time in 30 days.

Transfer

Young plants are transplanted annually, adult specimens are transferred to a new pot once every three to four years. Transplantation must be carried out before growth is activated. For camellia, this is a stressful procedure, therefore, in order not to injure the plant once again, only the layer of the top soil is changed.

Important: for such a capricious plant, the acidity of the soil should be 3.0-5.0 units. If the soil contains a different level of acidity, this factor will not be reflected in a favorable way on flowering.

reproduction

Camellia is bred with the help of non-lignified cuttings, with one to four developed buds, about seven centimeters long. Suitable months: January, July.

The cuttings are cut at an oblique angle, the leaf near the kidney is removed, after which they are planted in a container at the bottom, a layer of drainage is laid.

Pre-caught soil is poured on top (a mixture of peat, coniferous soil, and sand) in the following ratio of 1: 1: 0.5, then we fill it with fresh sand by 3-4 cm.

The planting depth of the cuttings is 1.5-2.5 cm. For a successful rooting process, it needs high air humidity (about 80%) and a room temperature of +22 degrees. After 2-3 months, the cuttings take root, they are transplanted into pots with a diameter of 7-9 cm.

Reproduction by seeds.

This process is very long and laborious, mainly used to breed new plant varieties. The most important thing you need is patience.

The plant obtained from seeds grows very slowly, and will be able to please with the first flowers no earlier than in five years. A necessary condition for the seeds to sprout: they must be planted immediately after harvest. Then their germination is up to 90%.

Reproduction by grafting. This method is used by experienced flower growers in relation to those species that are poorly rooted. Vaccination is carried out by copulation in butt or rotation.

Pests and diseases

cucumber mosaic. The leaves turn pale, and the veins acquire a yellow tint. The plant is treated with insecticide treatment.

Camellia is susceptible to fungal diseases, brown or black spots can be seen on the leaves. Method of struggle: treatment with fungicides. Frequent difficulties fall buds and leaves.

Reasons: all are associated with improper temperature conditions, air humidity and drying out of the soil. Yellower and falling foliage - high.

Camellia sheds flowers - they changed their position during the formation of buds. A plant of extraordinary beauty, will delight with its luxurious flowers, the one who will make every effort to create comfortable conditions for the beauty.

An amateur who has managed to “tame” this plant may consider that he has passed the exam for entering the “major league” of floriculture, and henceforth call himself a professional. It is not easy to find a houseplant that is more demanding, more finicky than the beauty called camellia. Camellia domestic - a serious flower, and even legendary. By the beauty of the bush, by the sophistication of flowers, it can compete with rose and gardenia.

No wonder Dumas son dedicated his work “The Lady with the Camellia” to her, and the Japanese even named part of the island of Kyushu after her. Camellia managed to fall in love with both the East and the West, thus refuting the famous statement of Rudyard Kipling that these parts of the world cannot get along with each other.

Appearance of the beautiful camellia

This botanical plant belongs to the huge tea family, and it comes, like many other domestic flowers, from east Asia. For the first time, an unusual bush was brought to Europe by a Czech naturalist from Brno, Georg Kamel. Subsequently, the indefatigable Carl Linnaeus, who gave the name to almost half of the world's plants, christened this flower the name of the Czech.

Camellia is an evergreen shrub that, when properly formed, can look like a small tree. Of the variety of species of camellias, only three have taken root as a houseplant: K. mountain, K. Chinese, and K. Japanese.

The first two species are extremely rare in apartments, they are usually grown as garden plants. Camellia sinensis, by the way, is a well-known tea, it is from its leaves that this, perhaps the most common drink in the world, is made.

But on the basis of Japanese camellia, those varieties and hybrids that are mastered by our home collections have been created. Therefore, in the future, speaking about the cultivation of camellia, we will talk about Japanese camellia.

Camellia has beautiful, dense, dark green leaves. They are small in size, elegant, sitting on dense, short petioles. Exquisite flowers can have different colors, but shades of white and red predominate.

Interesting! Initially, the wild Japanese camellia had only scarlet flowers, and white-colored species appeared only in the 6th century, surprising the Japanese emperor himself.

People also worked a lot on the shape of the flower, at first it was simple. Now there are a variety of its forms: simple, terry and semi-double, even asymmetrical.

Camellia flowers can be from 2 to 12 cm in diameter, they grow singly. Fading, they form a fruit - a brown capsule in which the seeds are hidden.

In room conditions, a camellia bush rarely grows more than one meter, most often a little less.

Conditions she needs

Japanese homemade camellia is demanding on everything: humidity, soil quality, watering, etc. But still, it seems that the main difficulty that the grower will face when buying this flower is to provide him with the proper temperature regime.

Temperature

The fact is that an ordinary apartment is not suitable for keeping a camellia. The owner will be required to have either a cold balcony, a loggia, or a separate winter garden. In spring and summer, the plant needs a temperature of about + 20ºС, it does not like heat.

But the most interesting begins in early autumn, when the camellia lays flower buds. During this period, the temperature must be reduced, and significantly, to + 15 ° C, or even + 12 ° C. This is how the kidneys will successfully form. If during this period there is no decrease in temperature, there will be very few flower buds, they will fall off at the beginning of development.

By the end of autumn, the beginning of winter, the temperature should drop to five degrees. In principle, it should remain this way all winter, then the flowers will keep on the plant for a long time. And even if the temperature drops to slight minuses from time to time, this will not harm the camellia if it has already faded by that time.

Humidity

Being at home, the camellia flower remains demanding on air humidity. This is especially true in summer when temperatures are quite high. The tree should be often sprayed, taken out to the balcony, and even better - dug in the garden, in a shady place, watering daily. If low temperatures are provided in winter, you can not care about the humidity of the air: with such indicators, the humidity cannot be low.

Lighting

Camellia does not like direct sunlight, at the same time, it needs intense but diffused light.

Important! In autumn, during the formation of buds, the plant needs to provide daylight hours, approximately equal to 12 hours. In practice, this means that at the end of August, and in the first half of September, it must be closed from the light in the evening, arranging an artificial deep shadow.

In winter, on the contrary, camellia is often illuminated, especially if it blooms at that time. When supplementing lighting, make sure that the duration of light and dark time is approximately the same.

Location

Choose based on the above features. For example, a flower should not be left near heating batteries. Make sure that in winter the draft does not blow on the camellia, and in the summer the sun does not overheat. It is very important not to touch the camellia during the formation of flower buds: do not rearrange to a new place and do not turn!

The soil

Should always remain moist, while being extremely loose and light. The substrate for camellias must be acidic, as for azaleas or gardenias. In winter, when the temperature drops, a slight drying of the earthen clod is allowed (and even welcomed).

Subtleties of care

Thus, caring for camellia at home is a troublesome business that requires special effort and attention. Some of the subtleties have already been said, we can summarize and clarify them:

• pay attention to the temperature, gradually lowering it from the beginning of autumn to the middle of winter. Avoid summer heat;
• make sure that during the formation of kidneys the duration of day and night is approximately equal;
• all the time and in all possible ways to increase the humidity of the air around the plant. An exception may be the months when the camellia is in the cold;
• water the plant regularly, making sure that the substrate does not dry out even from above. At the same time, avoid stagnant water in the pot. Use soft, settled water, in winter it is useful to resort to the help of melt water.

They feed the beauty in spring and summer, 2-3 times a month, with special fertilizers, or ordinary complex ones, but in half concentration. By August, top dressing should be stopped, so more flower buds will be laid.

Constantly make sure that the soil remains acidic! To do this, from time to time add citric acid or vinegar to the irrigation water in small quantities.

Transfer

In this component, caring for home camellia is also not easy in its own way, there are features that are rare.

Most importantly, the camellia, unlike most flowers, is transplanted during the dormant period, and even flowering: usually this is the second half of autumn and winter. Transplanted during active growth, it will recover for a long time.

The second most important requirement is that the root neck of the plant should in no case be covered with earth, go under the surface of the soil! If there is any doubt, it is better not to add a little earth when transplanting, and then, after a few days, when it thickens, add the missing layer (leaving the root neck too open is also not worth it).

Well, remember that the soil should be loose, retain moisture, have an acidity of pH 4.0–5.5 units. It is better to buy such soil in a specialized flower shop (it is sometimes sold under the name "substrate for azaleas").

You can take the risk of making the soil yourself, having some experience. The basis of such a mixture can be high-moor peat, sand, crushed tree bark, vermiculite and leafy soil, taken in equal proportions. Be sure to arrange a good layer of drainage in the pot!

Experts recommend replanting adult camellias once every 2-3 years, and it should be, rather, a neat transshipment into a larger pot. Young plants should be transplanted annually.

crown formation

Camellia is difficult to tolerate pruning, but it is necessary to form its crown. It is advisable to do this by pinching young shoots in winter and early spring. Also during this period, old, too elongated branches are removed, treating the cuts with garden pitch.

An important element of the formation is the removal of excess buds. If the plant lives in comfortable conditions, it tends to produce too many flower buds, which subsequently turn into small, sometimes underdeveloped flowers. To avoid this, extra buds should be plucked, then the flowering will be more magnificent.

Reproduction of camellias

Camellias at home are propagated in three ways: seeds, cuttings and air layering.

The seed method is quite simple, even, probably, the simplest. There is only one BUT in it: you need your camellia to bloom successfully, and a capsule with full-fledged seeds ripens in place of the flower.

Important! Seeds must be sown soon after harvest, otherwise they will quickly lose their viability!

Sow in a wet greenhouse filled with a sand-peat mixture. Make sure that the temperature of the substrate does not fall below + 20ºС, but rather a couple of degrees warmer. Seed germination is good. The plants are transplanted into separate pots when two true leaves appear.

Camellia is propagated by cuttings in winter, after flowering, or in the second half of summer. The peculiarity of the plant is that the cuttings take root for a long time, about two months, provided that they were kept in a warm, humid greenhouse. Cuttings should be cut semi-woody, from the tops of the branches.

Camellia takes root well if you manage to bend its thin, side branches to the ground. By pinning them to the surface, and sprinkled with a damp substrate, you can expect them to take on additional roots. If this happens, they are separated from the main plant and planted in another container.

Diseases and pests

Speaking of problems, it is worth noting that the main ones are yellowing of the leaves, their fall, lack of flowering or loss of buds by the plant. If this happens, you need to carefully analyze whether all the necessary conditions discussed in the article are met.

It often happens that a plant suddenly begins to massively fall leaves. The reason is most likely root rot, stagnant water in the pot. In this case, you should check the earthen ball, improve drainage, partially or completely change the substrate, making it looser.

Harmful insects, fortunately, do not often visit home camellia flowers. If they do appear, it is usually a scale insect, aphid or spider mite. Against the first two, you need to apply treatment with popular insecticides, for example, "Aktara" or "Aktellik".

Actellik is also good for fighting ticks, and also Apollo, Sunmite, and other substances from the acaricide group.

The tenderness itself was carried by the Czech pharmacist Georg Josef Kamel to Europe from the distant Philippines. Refined and whimsical, with no fragrance and only two colors (red and white), they enchanted Old Europe. Wanting to preserve the unfading beauty of a delicate, like a wax flower, women tried to grow a mysterious plant from a distant and unknown country in their boudoirs. But in cold Europe, home care did not perceive the camellia flower (the photo of which is placed nearby) and constantly died. It is difficult to grow a camellia, although it is possible if certain requirements are met.

Camellia blooms in winter when living quarters are heated. Not wanting to change his habits, he practically does not survive in ordinary rooms. Placement in greenhouses, winter and apothecary gardens is more suitable for normal development. An ornamental plant gives visitors a long, from 2 to 4 months, flowering.

Mysterious flower, where are you from?

Camellia is a true southerner. In a subtropical climate, it is represented by evergreen shrubs and trees. In the tea family, it is classified in the genus Camellia. It belongs to flowering and decorative leafy groups.

• Cultivated in India, China, Japan and other countries.
• In Russia, it grows in the Caucasus, in Sochi. In the Krasnodar Territory, the culture is cultivated as tea.

Botanical description of camellia

The genus Camellia is very numerous. Represented by about 80-250 species of evergreen perennials from 2 to 15-20 m. The amazing decorativeness of the bushes is due to the unforgettable elegance of flowers.

camelia, flower

In varietal species, a bouquet of 2-3 flowers sometimes develops. Usually the flowers are solitary, large 1-12 cm in diameter. The color scheme of simple and double flowers includes colors of white, pale pink with a transition to rich raspberry. There are cultivars with variegated corolla petals. Depending on the variety, flowering can begin in April and end in December. The duration of flowering of the variety, cultivar is 1-4 months. The duration of flowering of an individual flower is up to 1 month.

Camellia japonica. bud and leaves

Leaves simple, 3-17 cm, glossy, leathery, dark green in color. In shape, elongated-elliptical and other forms, short-petiolate, arranged in 2-3 or single leaves

Fetus- dry capsule with 5 compartments containing 5-8 seeds.

Camellia: seeds

According to their purpose, the species are divided into tea and ornamental (garden) crops.

Tea plants are grown on farms to collect tea leaves. But most cultivars are ornamental crops. They are used in home cultivation, for interiors, office space rest areas, in greenhouses. Under suitable climatic conditions, they are planted in open ground, decorating garden and park landscapes in the form of solitary or group plantings.

What type of camellia to choose for home growing

Most often among flower collectors and exotic lovers there are 3 types of camellias:

Japanese

Mesh

Mountain

Camellia mountain "Daydream"

Distinctive features of camellia japonica

Varieties are distinguished by large simple, double and semi-double single flowers, which literally strew the bush. The color scheme is dominated by a white-red line of shades. There are cultivars with variegated corollas. Bloom from October to April. They prefer partial shade. Used indoors as a tub plant. It can be grown in greenhouses and winter gardens as a soil.

• Buttermint;
• Coquettii;
• donation;
• winterrose;
• fimbriata.

Distinctive features of camellia net

Camellia reticulata is so named for the rather noticeable mesh on the corolla petals. Varieties and hybrids of camellia net differ in the shape of flower petals. In shape they can be even or wavy, in color from white to dark pink and deep red, sometimes a variegated mixture of several shades. The flowers are fragrant. The aroma is subtle, pleasant, barely perceptible. The number and arrangement of petals (more than 10) of the corolla in terry forms resembles a small rose.

In some cultivars, the middle of the flower is decorated with long yellow stamens resembling a fringe. Garden varieties form unusually large flowers up to 23 cm in diameter. Potted plant, does not tolerate direct sunlight and greenhouse climate.

Of the mesh camellias, the most famous varieties are:

• Captain Rose;
• Yuletide;
• MaryWilliams and others

Distinctive features of mountain camellia

Camellia mountain is called real or carp (translated from Latin into Russian Camellia sasanqua).

Represented by cultivars and a group of frost-resistant hybrids. Shrubs 2-5 m with thin perennial branches. Young shoots are pubescent. A distinctive feature is hairy pubescence along the vein on the underside of the leaf blade. The flowers are simple, solitary, but can be collected in bunches of 2-3 flowers. Flowering is plentiful, lasts from November to December. The color of the petals of the corolla varies in a white-pink-red line.

• Chansonette;
• Bonanza;
• daydream;
• Cleopatra;
• whitedouble;
• Enishi.

How to grow camellia: home care

The main difficulty in growing is the high requirements of plants to the provision of the necessary conditions:

• constancy of the environment - a temperate climate in summer and cool in winter;
• all year round fresh air without drafts;
• humidity of air and soil within the required;
• nutritious soil without stagnant water.

When providing the required conditions, you need to take care of the culture as you would for ordinary house plants.

Location in the apartment

Camellia is best placed on the east or west windows. On the south, shading is necessary. The room temperature should be moderate. In summer, in regions with warm summers, it is advisable to place a camellia on a balcony or loggia, plant it in a garden in a pot or in open ground. On the northern windows of the camellia, the climate is not suitable. The shoots will stretch, the foliage will be crushed, it will become pale in color.

Light intensity requirements

Meeting the requirements for light intensity is very important for bud set and flowering. Camellia blooms in winter. To move to budding and flowering, it needs lighting for 12-14 hours. Additional illumination is provided by phyto- or LED lamps. It is possible with lamps of a different type. Shade in summer.

Ambient temperature

• From March to July, the ambient temperature is maintained at +25°C.
• With the onset of autumn, the flower is placed in conditions of lower temperatures + 12 .. + 15 ° С (covered terrace, loggia). Buds are being laid.
• Their flowering will begin in winter at low temperatures. Therefore, with the advent of winter, camellias need a cold regime (from November to the end of December, for some varieties until February) with temperatures within +5..+6°С, not higher than +8..+10°С.
• For some varieties, short sub-zero temperatures within the range of -5 ..-6 ° С are acceptable.
• Since January, the temperature can be raised and maintained within +10..+15°C. Frost-resistant varieties easily tolerate lower temperatures.

Be careful! Camellia blooms at +10°C. If the temperature regime is not observed in winter, flowering will not occur, and with the advent of spring, the growth of vegetative shoots and leaf mass will not begin. During budding, you can not change the location of the camellia and turn it axially towards the sunny side.

If you can provide such conditions for camellias, feel free to purchase a seedling of a variety or cultivar chosen from the catalog and place it in the allotted place.

Rules for planting a camellia flower

• In order not to be deceived by dishonest sellers, it is better to buy seedlings in specialized stores that have the appropriate license.
• When purchasing a plant, in a pot or other container, be sure to ask if the camellia is planted in a substrate for a permanent or if it needs to be transplanted at home.
• If you need a transplant, you need to prepare a container and soil mixture.

Preparing the Container and Soil Mix

• The transplant capacity should be larger than the root system so that the camellia can grow for at least a year without a transplant.
• The container must be disinfected.
• There must be drainage holes at the bottom of the container.

Small crushed stone, expanded clay or other material is poured into the bottom of the container. The soil mixture can be bought ready-made (for azaleas) or prepared independently from the following components:

• turf soil 1 part;
• peat 2 parts;
• leaf substrate or mature humus 2 parts;
• sand, but perlite is better, agrovermiculite 1 part.

Finely chopped pine bark, rotted needles of conifers (preferably pine) are added to the soil mixture to increase acidity and breathability. If it is needed, the soil is acidified with citric acid to pH = 4.5-5.0. Acidity can be checked with a litmus strip.

Planting a camellia

• The soil mixture is poured onto the drainage and the seedling, along with the soil, is transferred from the old pot into a new container.
• Fill all voids with new soil.
• The root neck should be above the soil level. If it is buried, then it is opened when the soil is wet.
• The transplanted plant is watered.
• The water is drained from the pan.

Young camellias need an annual transplant. Adult specimens after filling the entire capacity of the pot or container with the root system. Camellias are transplanted in late autumn, sometimes in winter. Transplanting / transshipment in winter does not adversely affect the budding and flowering of plants. The first time after transplantation, the plant is sprayed daily with warm distilled water.

Camellia care at home

Watering

• Plants do not tolerate overflow and overdrying of the soil.
• The main condition is uniform watering during the growing season.
• 2-3 drops of natural lemon juice are added monthly to the irrigation water to acidify the soil.
• The soil is kept moist (not wet).
• In adult camellias, regular watering is prescribed when the top layer of the soil mixture dries to the depth of the finger phalanx.
• The intensity of watering during the dormant period is reduced to 1 time in 8-12 days by small norms. Spraying is stopped.
• In July, when laying buds, watering is also reduced, but do not allow the soil to dry out. Otherwise, the bush will drop the buds, the roots will begin to die.
• At the end of August, watering rates are increased. The water must be warm.
• When watering with cold water, the flower gets sick.
• In winter, during flowering, watering is carried out to moisten the soil. Excess water is removed. The next watering is prescribed when the upper part of the substrate in the pot is dried.

Camellia leaves need constant spraying, if possible, it is carried out 2 times a day.

• When spraying, protect the flowers from water.
• If the flowering is intense, the flowers cover the entire bush, it is better to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
• Humidify the air around the plants.
• Place humidifiers nearby.
• Water for irrigation is soft, settled, warm.

top dressing

• With the beginning of active vegetation, they begin to feed.
• For top dressing, flower fertilizers for azaleas or rhododendrons are used, diluting the recommended dose by 2 times.
• You can feed the plants with a solution of organic matter (not manure), alternating with mineral top dressing.
• The main top dressing is carried out during the period of increasing the leaf mass.
• Until the end of July - the first decade of August, top dressing is carried out every 10 days. Then the feeding is stopped.

crown formation

• Sanitary and formative pruning is carried out.
• During sanitary pruning, diseased, shriveled branches and shoots growing inside the crown are removed.
• The formation of the crown is carried out in the phase of the end of flowering. During this period, new buds do not form.
• Depending on the species, pruning is performed up to 1⁄2 - 1/3 of the length of the branches. The mountain camellia is cut as much as possible, and the mesh is very delicate.
• The places of cuts must be disinfected and treated with garden pitch or other compounds.
• Plucking is carried out during transplantation in order to better branch the plant. Pinch the tops throughout the plant or at the discretion of the owner.
• In addition to plucking vegetative shoots, plucking of buds is carried out. This technique adjusts the number of flowers on the bush. With abundant flowering, the period of opened corollas is sharply reduced. They fade faster. The flowers are shrinking.
• If you do not carry out formative pruning and plucking, the plant takes on the sloppy appearance of an overgrown bush.

Video about caring for camellia at home

camellia japonica- this is an exotic tree, the flowering of which is able to conquer any heart. However, seeing luxurious flowers at home is not so easy - you need to work hard. To cope with this task and tame the Japanese guest, it does not hurt to learn the secrets and subtleties of plant care.

Japanese camellia - obstinate beauty

camellia japonica, Camellia japonica, belongs to the family Teahouses and is the brightest representative of the Camellia genus. The homeland of the plant is the south of Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea.

In the wild, it grows as a tall shrub or a tree reaching from 1.5 to 11 meters in height.

In the latitudes of the former CIS, Japanese camellia is most often grown as an indoor or greenhouse plant, which reaches no more than 2 meters in height.

The dark green leaves of the plant are very decorative. They have a dense structure and cast a soft glossy sheen. But most of all, the Japanese beauty is valued for flowers that look like delicate roses, densely showering a tall bush during the flowering period.

The most common flower colors are white, pink and red. Camellia blooms winter, starting in December and ending in April.

camellia japonica is the ancestor of more than a thousand varieties. Tireless breeders have created many plant varieties, among which you can find simple, double and semi-double forms of flowers from 5 to 15 cm in diameter.

The most popular indoor camellia varieties:

• pink perfection- Spectacular densely double flowers of pale pink color.
• Chandlers Red- dark red variety.
• Linda Rosazza- snow-white semi-double "roses".
• Margaret Davis- semi-double white flowers with a raspberry border and the same patches.
• Tricolor- white petals with red splashes and long yellow stamens.
• Desire- semi-double "roses" with transitions from snow-white to pink.
• double white- terry snow-white variety.
• Guilio Nuccio- bright crimson flowers.

Features of care

If she doesn't like something, she immediately shows her temper - refuses to bloom, sheds buds and even leaves. Lighting, air humidity, temperature and soil composition are the most important components of camellia health.

Choice of location and temperature

Ideal accommodation option camellia japonica- This is a winter garden with diffused light. If there is none, a warmed loggia or the brightest room is quite suitable.

The plant needs at least 12 hours of daylight per day.

in winter Camellia will need additional lighting, without which it will refuse to bloom. When placing a camellia on the windowsill, it should be shaded from direct sunlight.

Summer it is very desirable to take the camellia out onto the balcony or into the garden, in a place that is calm and sheltered from the active sun. During flowering, the beauty does not like to be moved from place to place or turned the pot. Also, the plant does not tolerate temperature changes and drafts.

spring and summer Camellia japonica thrives in moderate temperatures. At the end of autumn, it is necessary to place the plant in a room with a temperature of +5 to 6 ° C - at this time it lays flower buds. After the appearance of the first "roses", the camellia should be transferred to a warmer room with a temperature not higher than +12 ° C. It is these conditions that provide the plant with abundant and long flowering.

Watering and humidity

Summer watering camellia japonica should be plentiful, waiting for the top layer of soil to dry and avoiding drought in the pot. In winter, the plant is watered less frequently, taking into account the fact that at low temperatures the moisture evaporates slowly and the soil remains moist for a long time. Waterlogging is very dangerous for camellia roots.

Water for irrigation should be well-settled, soft, room temperature and without lime. It is useful to add a little citric acid to the water.

Camellia in dire need of high humidity. It is necessary to spray it regularly, and it is advisable to put the pot on a pallet with wet expanded clay or moss.

In hot weather, you can arrange Japanese beauty water procedures in the form of a shower, tightly covering the soil in a pot with polyethylene.

Transfer

Young camellias need spring water every year. transfer. An adult plant is transplanted every two or three years. This is done in the spring after flowering is completed and before new shoots begin to grow actively.

Transplant camellia is necessary by the method of transshipment, which will allow it to be relocated to a new place in a gentle way. When transplanting, it is important to ensure that the root neck is not buried. A large tub plant does not need to be transplanted.

Enough renew the top layer of earth in the tub, trying to remove the old soil right down to the roots. Make sure there is sufficient drainage at the bottom of the container.

For camellias requires acidic soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5. Ready-made soil is well suited for azaleas or hydrangeas. Can cook earth mixture independently from:

• 2 parts of peat land;
• 1 part of sod land;
• 2 pieces of leaf ground;
• 1 part coarse sand.

top dressing

Shouldn't get carried away top dressing camellia- it is enough to apply liquid fertilizer for azaleas once a month into the soil. During budding, you can feed the plant two or three times a month.

reproduction

cuttings. At the end of summer, cuttings about 8 cm in size are cut from semi-lignified annual shoots of an adult plant, treated with Kornevin and rooted in a peat-sand mixture in a "greenhouse".

First roots it is worth waiting after 3 months, and the first flowers - after 2 years. Unfortunately, sometimes this method fails, so you need to root several cuttings at once.

seeds. This method does not preserve varietal characteristics, so it is very rarely used. In addition, the seeds must be fresh, as they lose their germination capacity very quickly. Flowering occurs after 5 or 6 years.

Pests

Enemies camellia japonica: , tea moth, . Insect control involves treating the plant with insecticides. Increased humidity air will help to avoid the attack of pests.

Diseases

camellia japonica very sensitive to all kinds of diseases. Chlorosis- the leaves turn yellow, but the veins remain green. Cause- lack of iron. Treatment: treatment with "Iron Chelate" or "Ferrovit" twice a year.

cucumber mosaic- the leaves turn pale in spots along with the veins. Treatment: treatment of the plant with "Aktara" or "Aktellik".

fungal diseases- brown, black or gray spots appear on the leaves. Solution: treatment of camellia with fungicides.

Frequent problems

Falling buds and leaves- high room temperature, dry air, waterlogging or overdrying of the soil, chlorosis.
turns yellow and leaves fall- increased acidity of the soil.
Camellia refuses to bloom- insufficient lighting, violation of the temperature regime during the laying of flower buds.
The plant sheds flowers- change of place during budding.

Needless to say, the luxurious Japanese camellia has a capricious character. Only those who put in a lot of effort can achieve its flowering. But one has only to provide the beauty with cool conditions and give her care and attention - and she will thank you with a bouquet of delightful flowers.

And for the curious, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video about Japanese camellia