Many luxurious flowers growing in all corners of the globe are successfully cultivated by amateur and professional flower growers on the windowsills of Russian apartments. In fact, with due desire, even rather capricious plants can be grown, requiring special growing conditions. Just such cultures include camellia - a luxurious flower that looks like a rose. Let's clarify what the Japanese camellia is in a little more detail, what care she needs at home, we will give real reviews of flower growers about such a plant and its photo of flowers.
Camellias bloom in winter, and their luxurious flowers attract the eye. But growing such a houseplant is far from easy. Although, knowing the secrets of its cultivation, you can achieve excellent growth and development, as well as annual flowering. The main feature of camellia is the need for cold wintering. Such cultures are unable to live in conditions of high temperature of heated premises.
On the photo camellia japonica
Features of caring for camellia at home
Lighting Requirements
Camellias are very photophilous cultures. With a lack of light, they cannot grow and bloom normally, and significantly lose their decorative effect. It is extremely important to shade Japanese camellias from direct rays of the sun so that their leaves do not suffer from burns.
Features of the temperature regime
As we have already said, Japanese camellia simply cannot grow in heated rooms at home. Such pets feel great on glazed and insulated loggias, where the temperature in the winter season does not rise above twelve degrees. At the same time, it is extremely important that the thermometer does not fall below ten degrees.
As for the maintenance of such a pet in the summer, at this life stage, camellias actively lay flower buds. At this time of the year, it is best to keep them at a temperature of twenty to twenty-five degrees, and during the ripening of the buds - at fifteen degrees.
Readers of "Popular about Health" who live in their own home will find it a little easier to grow camellias. These plants may well grow in tubs located in the garden or patio. Only in the cold winter months should they be placed in a cool winter garden, you can also place a flower in a greenhouse or just on a glazed veranda.
Optimal Humidity
Camellias thrive in rooms with fairly humid air. To increase this indicator, you can use a humidifier - an affordable electrical appliance. Spraying will also be useful for such plants, but during the flowering period they should not be carried out, since water can harm the flowers.
Watering Requirements
In the hot season, flower care includes abundant watering. With a cool wintering, moisture should be more rare. In this case, it is necessary to focus on the characteristics of the soil. It should not dry out or become excessively wet. If you choose the right substrate for growing, its friability will avoid unnecessary water retention in the pot. During irrigation, you should not use lime water; only soft water at room temperature is suitable for camellias. A wonderful choice would be rain or melt water, or water that has been defended for three days.
top dressing
Starting from spring, when the camellia forms new shoots, and ending at the end of July, it is necessary to feed the camellia with mineral and organic fertilizers. But in August they need to be stopped, this helps to start the process of laying flower buds.
Transplants
Camellia is not very similar to other indoor plants - it does not need to be replanted in the spring, as it has a very active growth period at this time. The best period for transshipment of a pet in a slightly larger container is winter. In this case, it is necessary to transplant flowering plants. Such procedures are carried out quite rarely - once every couple of years. It is extremely important that during transplantation the root neck is flush with the ground.
As for the soil that is optimal for camellias, it should be quite loose with an acidity index of 4.5-5.5 pH (approximately the same as for azaleas). Flower growers can purchase a mixture for azalea or prepare the soil on their own by combining two parts of leafy and coniferous soil, perlite, as well as high-moor peat and one part of sand. You can also add a little bark of coniferous trees to this mixture.
Features of flowering
In the event that quite a lot of buds form on the camellia, it is worth leaving no more than one or two of the strongest buds at the tip of each shoot. The rest must be eliminated. Flowers in this case will be much larger. And with an excess of buds, the plant may simply not have enough strength to develop all of them, because of which the buds will simply fall off and flowering will never occur.
With the development of buds, it is extremely important to maintain sufficient soil moisture for the camellia - the soil should neither dry out nor become damp.
A special place among ornamental plants is occupied by striking in its beauty camellia japonica. It is very popular with flower growers, due to the ability to grow it both in the garden and at home. The plant belongs to the tea family.
Its homeland is the countries of Southeast Asia: Japan, Taiwan, mountainous regions of China, India.
It got its name in honor of the explorer and priest G. Kamelius, who at the beginning of the 18th century brought the plant from the Philippines to Europe.
Description
Under natural conditions, the plant is a tall shrub or tree, which, when favorable conditions and depending on the variety can reach a height of 5-6 meters.
Shoots are rarely located, in natural conditions the crown is shapeless.
The leaves on the shoots are alternate, lanceolate or simple oval in shape, painted in rich dark green above and lighter in the lower part. The surface of the leaf plate is dense, leathery. The edges are smooth or with small notches.
The flowering period of camellia lasts from early December to mid-April. At this time, the shrub is abundantly covered with large beautiful flowers that look like roses, peonies or carnations. Flowers are arranged singly or in pairs.
Flowers no flower stalks. The formation of buds occurs in the axils of the leaves. The color of the flowers is varied: white, pink, yellow, beige, bright red. Flowers can be single, double or semi-double. Depending on the variety, the diameter of one flower can reach 10-15 centimeters.
In early autumn, round-shaped fruits are formed on the shrub, in which large-sized seeds ripen.
Variety of species
Currently, breeders have bred a large number of camellia varieties, shrubs of different sizes, color and flower shape. Each variety is beautiful in its own way, and the appearance of the camellia flower is in no way inferior in beauty to a garden rose.
In addition to Japanese camellia, gardeners breed other equally popular varieties of camellia.
- camellia sinensis. Under natural conditions, the plant grows in the mountainous regions of China and India. The plant is a tree or shrub, the height of which can reach 10 meters. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate, painted dark green, have an oblong elliptical shape, located on short petioles, narrowed towards the base. The flowers are single, the petals are painted in pinkish-golden color.
- Camellia oleifera. This variety grows along the banks of water bodies in China and is an evergreen tree-like shrub. The leaves are dense, with a leathery surface, arranged alternately and have an oval shape. Flowers simple, white.
- "Lady Vansittart Pink". This variety outwardly resembles a garden rose bush and is distinguished by delicate, graceful, semi-double flowers.
Special properties of the plant
Camellia, like sakura, is a symbol of Japan, which is found in many works of art. In Japan, the camellia symbolizes a beautiful bright life, success, happiness, prosperity. She decorates wedding dresses and tea ceremonies.
In Southeast Asia, the healing properties of camellia have long been used. Infusions and decoctions from the leaves and flowers of this plant strengthen blood vessels, treat diseases of the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.
Camellia is used in the perfume industry for the manufacture of creams, shampoos, lotions and decorative cosmetics.
Camellia care at home
The shrub is undemanding in care when grown at home and in growing conditions in open ground. In room maintenance with the cultivation of camellia, gardeners will require certain knowledge and patience.
Camellia does not forgive mistakes and with insufficient care, it can reset the formed buds. If the conditions for keeping the plant are not met, the camellia begins to fall off the leaves.
Falling leaves and buds can be avoided if favorable conditions are created for the flower.
The most suitable place for growing camellia japonica is a greenhouse or winter garden, where it is possible to create conditions close to natural and maintain lighting for a long period of time.
At home, not all lovers of indoor plants can cope with the cultivation of camellia, which very hard to adapt to the conditions of the room.
- Lighting and location
After purchase, the plant should be immediately placed in a permanent place. Camellia does not tolerate permutations and movements.
Do not touch the plant, turn or move the pot when buds are forming on it. This can cause the flower to drop buds.
Camellia japonica is a photophilous plant that requires diffused light. It will be optimal to place a flower pot on the western or eastern windows.
Plant does not tolerate direct sunlight. In hot weather, the shrub should be shaded.
Direct sunlight or insufficient lighting can cause the flower to stop blooming or the flowers to be few in number.
Temperature
Camellia can't grow indoors with dry air. At home, it can be placed on an insulated loggia. The plant feels comfortable at a temperature of 12-15 degrees. It is very important not to allow the temperature to drop below 10 degrees.
Camellia responds well to ventilation. In warm weather, it can be kept outdoors, but care should be taken to protect the shrub from drafts and wind.
- Plant watering and humidity
When watering a flower, care should be taken. Soil waterlogging should not be allowed. Since at low temperatures moisture from the surface of the earth evaporates very slowly, as a result of the accumulation of excess water, rotting of the root system and the death of the plant can occur.
Watering the flower should be moderate. The soil should not be very dry or waterlogged.
For irrigation use warm, settled for several days or filtered water, which does not contain chlorine and other impurities that can cause brown spots on the leaves, drying of the leaves and rotting of the roots.
- Plant transplant and soil
If under natural conditions the camellia is a tall shrub or tree, then under home conditions, the plant needs to be transplanted as the root system grows or the topsoil is regularly updated.
When planting, the soil is completely replaced with a new one. For a flower, a ready-made soil mixture for rhododendrons is suitable. You can also prepare the soil composition yourself by mixing leafy soil, coarse sand or perlite, peat and humus.
The soil for Japanese camellia should be loose, fertile, well pass moisture and air.
One third of the volume of the pot should be occupied by the drainage layer for which expanded clay, small gravel, pebbles, broken shards or crushed brick.
Young plants are transplanted once a year, adult plants - after 2-3 years. Camellia transplantation is carried out in autumn or winter. transshipment can be carried out even during the flowering period, since the plant does not shed blooming flowers.
reproduction
Reproduction of the flower is carried out during the period of active growth. The simplest method of propagation is cuttings.
For propagation of camellia, cuttings taken from the top of an adult plant are used. Cuttings carefully cut with a sharp knife. The length of the handle should be at least 10-15 centimeters. Shoots of smaller length take root for a very long time.
Further, the shoots are dried and planted in small containers filled with nutrient soil. After planting, the container is covered with a glass jar or a plastic bag to maintain air temperature and humidity. Containers are placed in a warm, well-lit place, remembering to periodically open them for ventilation.
The first roots appear in 10-14 days. After 3 weeks, young plants can be planted in small pots. Shoots are cared for as for adult plants.
Plant nutrition
The application of mineral fertilizers begins in the spring with the beginning of the period of active plant growth. Complex fertilizers for flowering plants are well suited for top dressing.
Apply fertilizer follows once every 15 days from early spring to late autumn. In autumn, the frequency of feeding is gradually reduced. For plant growth, mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus should be used.
Diseases and pests
Many diseases of Japanese camellia are associated with improper flower care.
Most often, the plant has bud drop, which is associated with a frequent change in the location of the flower or improper transplantation. Bud drop can be caused by lack of light, high room temperature, or drafts.
Excessive soil moisture can cause rotting of the root system and the development of fungal diseases.
Camellia japonica can be affected by insect pests : aphids, spider mites, scale insects. If signs of damage are found, pests should be collected from the surface of the leaves with a damp cotton swab and the plant should be treated with insecticidal preparations or a solution of laundry soap.
Camellia (Camellia) is a genus of evergreen shrubs and trees of the Tea family (Theaceae). In nature, these plants are common in the tropics and subtropics. But knowing how to care for camellia, you can try to grow a marvelous flower at home. If everything is done correctly, it will be possible to admire its magnificent view and luxurious flowering from year to year. After all, camellia is deservedly considered one of the most beautiful and elegant plants.
Camellia flowers are very similar to roses, for which the plant received its second name - Japanese rose.
Camellia is native to Japan, Korea, the island of Java and the Philippine Islands, the Indochina peninsula, the center and southeast of Asia. The plant was brought to Europe in the 17th century by the naturalist monk Camellus (the plant is named after him). Now the Asian beauty can be found not only in Asia, but also in the south of the USA, the Caucasus, the Black Sea coast.
Camellia is bred in many greenhouses and winter gardens, used to decorate closed interiors, and in regions with a mild, humid climate, the plant has become an indispensable element of landscape design.
Most species are shrubs, but tall trees are also found. The dark green leaf plates of plants from 3 to 17 cm long are oval in shape, pointed or semicircular at the ends.
Large elegant flowers that complement rich greens can be delicate white, cream, pink or bright red. Two-tone double or variegated camellia flowers look no less impressive. Delicate flower petals seem to be made of wax, which gives the buds a special appeal.
Varieties
Camellia leaves are a raw material for obtaining essential oils, a decoction of flowers has an antiseptic and analgesic, tonic effect, and in Chinese medicine, Japanese camellia is used as an anticancer agent.
More than 200 species belong to the genus, the most famous of which are Chinese and mountain camellia. And in indoor floriculture, the Japanese variety is more often grown.
- Chinese (otherwise bohei). It grows on mountain slopes and in wooded areas of China. Tall bush has elongated fleshy glossy leaves of rich green color. White axillary flowers on short peduncles are arranged singly or in 2-3 buds.
- Mountain (otherwise miyagi, tegmentosis). Shrub with pubescent young shoots of a reddish hue and thin branches in nature reaches a height of 3-5 meters. At the same time, the dimensions of the dark green elongated leaves of the mountain camellia are quite modest: about 7 cm in length and up to 3 cm in width. In November, large (about 7 cm) flowers of white, pink or red color bloom on the shrub. Flowering lasts until January.
- Japanese. The most popular variety among flower growers, which gave rise to many hybrids, including alba simplex, adolf adduson, tammia and others. All varieties have dense, oval, dark green leaves, and from December to April they delight with large single, simple or double, white, pink or red flowers.
- Williams. The species is winter-hardy, the least demanding of environmental conditions. A distinctive feature of the variety is that the plant sheds the wilted buds, while in other species they remain on the stem.
Care by the rules
Camellia is a moody flower that can be considered one of the most demanding and difficult to grow. But if the camellia is cared for according to the rules, the plant will quickly develop and grow, bloom profusely.
Illumination and watering
The indoor camellia flower is light-loving, it develops well on windows from the east and west. When choosing a place for growing, you need to take into account the characteristics of a particular variety: Japanese camellia does not tolerate direct sun (it needs to be shaded), and mountain camellia feels great under the scorching sun. It is impossible to place a plant on the north side - there will be little light.
To achieve uniform crown formation, the flower pot needs to be rotated around the axis from time to time. But it is forbidden to disturb the flower during the budding phase, otherwise you will not be able to admire the beautiful flowering.
Moisten the plant evenly. The Japanese rose does not respond well to both excess moisture and drying out of the soil. In the summer, when flower buds are laid, the plant should be watered only when the top layer of the earth dries out. In winter, watering camellias should also be moderate - this will help to avoid root rot. Water for irrigation is taken settled, at room temperature.
Temperature and Humidity
The room in which camellia grows should be well ventilated. In summer, the temperature of the content should be within 18–20 ° C, in spring - from 13 to 17 ° C. In winter, it is better to take the flower to a glazed balcony or loggia, where the temperature is kept within 8–12 ° C. In rooms with working heating devices, the plant feels bad: withers, starts to hurt, does not bloom.
Indoor camellia does not respond well to drafts and temperature changes.
The air in the room where the plant is kept must be humid. In summer, the required humidity can be maintained by spraying the plant twice a day. In winter, additional moisture will be provided by placing a container of water next to the plant. You can also place a flower pot in a tray with wet small pebbles or expanded clay, moss.
The soil
Japanese rose grows best in acidic soil. An alkaline soil substrate can be acidified with a few drops of lemon juice or special fertilizers.
The soil for camellia should be light, well-permeable to air and moisture, since the roots of the plant quickly rot in heavy soil.
As a rule, an indoor flower is planted in ready-made purchased land intended for growing azaleas, camellias, and rhododendrons. The composition of such soil in equal quantities includes:
- crushed bark;
- vermiculite;
- perlite;
- riding peat;
- sand.
To ensure good drainage, a large layer of expanded clay is laid out at the bottom of a wide pot.
The soil mixture can be prepared independently. At the same time, it is important that the soil has an acid reaction of the environment, well passes moisture and air. Can be mixed:
- sheet mixture (2 parts);
- peat soil (2 parts);
- turf (2 parts);
- coniferous substrate (2 parts);
- sand (1 part).
top dressing
Fertilizers begin to be applied in the spring, when the first young shoots appear. Frequent top dressing of camellia is not required, it is enough to apply fertilizer once every 3-4 weeks. At the end of summer, when the formation of flower buds begins, top dressing is completely stopped.
Fertilize the flower with organic or complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants containing nitrogen, potassium, sulfur and phosphorus, trace elements (copper and zinc, manganese, iron, boron and molybdenum). Do not use complexes containing calcium and magnesium. Their source is ordinary tap water, which is used for irrigation. And an excess of these elements can cause the death of the plant.
When diluting fertilizers, it is better to halve the concentration indicated in the instructions, since an excess of nutrients does not benefit the camellia, but harm it. From organic fertilizers, you can use chicken manure in a low concentration.
Planting, transplanting and pruning
Camellia at home is transplanted in February - immediately after the end of flowering, before the start of active growth. Transplantation of young camellias is carried out annually, and it is enough to transplant an adult houseplant once every 3-4 years. It is better to take wide pots for transplanting. You can not plant a bush deep, and the root neck, located between the roots and the stem, is strictly forbidden to sprinkle with earth.
The plant must be transplanted very carefully, trying not to damage the roots.
Home care for camellia also includes regular pruning of shoots. The procedure is best carried out between the beginning of October and the end of November.
It is important to remember that camellia is poisonous, and all transplanting and pruning procedures must be carried out with gloves.
Bloom
A characteristic feature of the camellia is that it blooms in the dormant phase - from mid-autumn to the end of winter. During this period, it is important to provide the plant with a temperature in the range of 12–15 ° C. In hotter conditions, the plant may drop buds. Flowering time - from 1 to 3 months. In spring, flowering ends, the plant wakes up, vegetative growth is activated.
Growing problems
When growing camellias, difficulties associated with care errors, pest attacks, or damage to a susceptible flower by one or another disease are not ruled out.
- Fungal diseases. They appear as black-gray spots on the leaf plates, and brown on the petals. For treatment, fungicidal preparations are used.
- Oidium. The leaves of the affected plant are covered with grayish spots. You can cure a flower with soapy water, sulfur, and other fungicides.
- Cucumber mosaic virus. The disease is accompanied by yellowing of the leaf blades along the veins. Insecticides are used for treatment.
- Aphids, worms, spider mites. To control pests, the plant is wiped with a cotton pad moistened with alcohol (if there are not many pests) or treated with insecticides (if necessary, the treatment is repeated several times).
- Beaver solitary (kind of weevils). One of the most common camellia pests. Its larvae infect the roots, and adult insects infect the root collar. Insect control is carried out with insecticides.
reproduction
To grow a houseplant, camellia is propagated:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- vaccinations.
seeds
Camellia grown from seeds blooms for 2-3 years.
As Camellia seeds are stored, their germination capacity decreases. Therefore, sowing is carried out immediately after the collection of planting material in a container with a previously prepared soil mixture of high-moor peat, perlite and a small amount of sand. Containers with crops are kept at a temperature of 18 to 22 ° C until germination. When 2 leaves appear on the shoots, they are planted in separate pots.
cuttings
For propagation, semi-lignified cuttings about 8 cm long with well-developed growth buds are cut off in late spring or early summer. Cut points are treated with rooting agents and growth stimulants. Then the cuttings are placed in wet sand, vermiculite or a mixture of sand and peat (taken in equal amounts), covered with a film or a glass jar, and the bottom heating of the soil is provided (temperature is about 25 ° C). Under these conditions, the rooting process lasts about 2 months.
If the cuttings are simply placed in a glass of water, they will not root.
Vaccinations
Grafting is the most time-consuming method of reproduction. However, with the correct procedure, the plant blooms the next year.
Vaccination is carried out in August or January. Semi-lignified apical shoots about 10 cm long are used as cuttings. There must be 3-4 elongated swollen buds (future leaves) on the handle. The side shoots of the mother plant are cut off, and the places of the cut are sprinkled with powdered charcoal. Pruning of the central trunk is carried out horizontally at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground level. Vertical cuts are made on the cut of the trunk, grafting cuttings are inserted into them. The cuttings are pressed tightly against the trunk, fixed with electrical tape.
Only lignified cuttings are suitable for propagation, and young green shoots are not suitable for cuttings.
It takes about 2 months for the grafts to germinate if kept at 20°C. Young plants need to be regularly sprayed, watered, and protected from direct sun. In the second year, the plant can be transplanted into a pot.
As young plants develop, it is important to cut off the side shoots of the mother bush that form below the graft. This will ensure the flow of nutrients to the grafted cuttings.
Purchase Features
You can buy camellia in a specialized flower shop or greenhouse. And it is best to buy a flowering plant that is in a dormant phase. The cost of camellia is determined by its variety and size, is:
- 450 rubles - Japanese camellia 15 cm high;
- 1500 rubles - a bush 35 cm high;
- 2600 rubles - a plant 55 cm high.
The main difficulty in growing camellias is to ensure a suitable temperature regime. In an apartment environment, this is quite difficult to do. If there is no glazed loggia or balcony where you can maintain a low positive temperature in winter, it makes no sense to grow an Asian beauty - in a heated apartment the plant will get sick and will not bloom. But if it is possible to create comfortable conditions and provide full-fledged care for the camellia, at home it will be possible to grow an unusually beautiful, exquisite, luxuriously flowering bush.
Camellia ornamental plant refers to evergreen shrubs that naturally grow in China, Vietnam and Japan. Its dark green shiny leaves adorn the plant all year round. However, during the flowering period, the most charming period of the camellia's life begins. At this time, the bushes are covered with exquisite flowers that are very reminiscent of roses. In regions with a warm climate, the plant can be grown in gardens. With proper care, camellia grows and blooms well 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 in shape. At the ends they are blunt or sharp. Large single camellia flowers 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 bicolor petals with various stains, spots, dots or specks. Each flower of the plant blooms for a month.
When grown at home, the most three types of plants are popular:
Features of growing camellias at home
Room camellia requires certain growing conditions and proper care.
Temperature and humidity
Camellia refers to plants of a short day. Only 12-hour daylight hours will be enough for the laying and development of flower buds. However, at this time it is required to monitor the temperature in the room:
- The temperature should be within 18C-20C. At lower temperatures, the camellia will not bloom.
- If daylight hours last less than 12 hours, then the temperature will need to be lowered to 8C-10C to lay the kidneys.
- Camellia blooms in winter from December to February. During this period of time, it must be kept at an air temperature of 8C to 10C.
If the room is too warm, then the buds will begin to fall off the bushes, flowering may come ahead of time, and 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 should be settled and at room temperature. If there is no settled water, then it can be boiled and cooled. During flowering, spray the plant carefully. Water should not fall on the flowers.
To increase the humidity of the air, a flower pot can be placed on a pallet with wet peat or expanded clay. A specially purchased air humidifier will also have a good effect on the development of the plant.
Lighting
Camellias need a bright place:
In order for the crown on the plant to grow equally from all sides, and the bush to turn out even, from time to time it needs to be turned in different directions to the light. In this case, in no case should you change the position of the bush during budding and flowering. A disturbed plant may drop buds.
In the warm period, camellia can be put on the balcony, loggia or in the front garden in the open air. In this case, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight.
Watering and fertilizing
If the substrate dries out, the plant will begin to lose leaves. In winter, camellia is watered very carefully. If the substrate turns sour, then the buds will begin to fall off, and the leaves will turn brown.
Throughout the year, camellia needs to be fed every three weeks. special mineral fertilizers. They need to be diluted at the rate of 1 gram of fertilizer per 1 liter of water.
Transplant and soil for camellia
When caring for young bushes, they need to be replanted annually. Older plants that bloom every year are transplanted every two years. In order for the bushes to grow better, it is recommended to pinch the tops of the shoots after transplanting.
Transplantation is done in the spring. The soil must be acidic. Its composition may be as follows:
- two parts of leafy or heather land;
- two parts of peat;
- one part of sod land;
- one part sand.
Drainage must be poured at the bottom of the pot.
Pests and diseases
The most serious plant disease can be root rot formed as a result of too low temperatures or waterlogging of the soil. In this case, the camellia must be urgently transplanted into breathable soil. By reducing watering, the plant can be saved very rarely.
Brown spots on the leaves are signs of phyllosticosis. The disease appears due to high humidity. Treatment is carried out by treating the leaves with copper sulphate. The humidity in the room decreases, the affected leaves are removed.
On a room camellia, a spider mite, aphid or scale insect can start. When they are found, the plant should be urgently treated with summer oil emulsions, soap solution or chemicals.
The plant reproduces in three ways:
- cuttings.
- Seeds.
- Inoculation.
Reproduction by cuttings
In January and July, decorative camellia varieties can be propagated by apical cuttings that have not yet become stiff. To do this, cuttings are cut with 3-5 leaves 6-8 cm long, 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 between 20C-23C.
Caring for the cuttings consists in regularly spraying them and watering the soil. After about two months, the roots will sprout, and the cuttings can be plant in separate containers, the diameter of which should be about 7 cm. At first, young plants are watered abundantly, and after rooting - as needed.
Sowing seeds
When growing camellias from seeds, varieties may be lost. However, seeds sold in specialized stores retain such characteristics.
Seeds are sown in boxes at a distance of 5-7 cm. Seedling containers covered with glass or film should be placed in a bright, warm place. After two true leaves appear on the seedlings, they will need to be picked into separate pots.
Reproduction by grafting
Some varieties of camellia do not root well when cutting. In this case, they can propagate by grafting in January, choosing for this the upper parts 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 leafy soil, sod, peat and sand (2:2:2:2:1). Best young bushes transplant with 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 are extracted from its leaves, which have an antiseptic, anesthetic and tonic effect. And the flowers of the Chinese camellia can be brewed and drink delicious tea.
An amateur who has managed to “tame” this plant can 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 home - 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 in 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 collar 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 transplanting 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.
