Among the representatives of the Theaceae family, the Japanese camellia or Camellia japonica occupies a special place due to its amazing decorative effect, the variety of existing varieties and the possibility of growing under open air, and at home.

The plant's homeland is the mountain forests of China, as well as the island of Taiwan, the southern regions of Japan and the Korean Peninsula. In nature, Japanese camellia looks like a medium-sized tree or shrub about 6 meters high.

In the plant:

• sparse, but quite voluminous crown;
• pointed elliptical leaves up to 11 cm long and about 6 cm wide, with a leathery glossy surface on which diverging veins are clearly visible;
• large single or paired flowers appearing from the leaf axils.

Today, natural varieties of Japanese camellia, as in the photo, have given flower growers thousands of original varieties, differing in flower color, size and shape.

Not unusual:

• spotted and striped corollas;
• semi-double forms with a fluffy yellow center;
• double flowers of Japanese camellia, indistinguishable from an elegant garden rose.

The flower remains colorful and juicy for almost a month, and then, after pollination, a fruit appears in its place, inside which several large seeds ripen.

Conditions for keeping indoor camellia japonica flower

If the camellia feels comfortable in the garden and is not too demanding to care for, then in room conditions a large flowering plant is a test of the knowledge and patience of the gardener.

With a lack of attention or poorly organized care, Japanese camellia at home can shed the buds that have already formed. And sometimes the plant even gets rid of its leaves.

The crop acclimatizes best in a winter garden or greenhouse, where it is given a place where the daylight hours will be at least 12–14 hours throughout the year. If a camellia does not have enough light, it refuses to bloom or does it very sparingly.

While buds are forming on the bush, do not touch, move or turn the pot. The capricious beauty may part with the buds, but when the Japanese camellia flowers open, you can safely:

• rearrange to the best place in the room;
• take it out into the open air, where the crown will not be exposed to direct sunlight;
• put it on a bright loggia.

In spring and summer, when the plant is actively growing, camellias are comfortable at normal home temperatures, but in the fall the conditions should change. The formation of buds takes place at 5–6 °C, and to achieve a long and lush flowering oriental beauty possible at 8–12 °C.

High air humidity is important for camellias; it can be maintained with the help of improvised means, household appliances and regular washing of the crown with warm boiled water.

Watering, fertilizing and other care for Japanese camellia

Care for camellia japonica consists of:

• from careful watering, the intensity and frequency of which depends on the season and condition of the plant;
• from in the spring-summer period;
• from pruning carried out in the second half of autumn and allowing the crop to maintain a compact crown at home;
• from transplanting an overgrown bush.

While the green pet is blooming, it requires increased attention. Water the plant very carefully, since in cold weather water from the surface of the soil evaporates slowly, and determining the soil moisture at the roots is not always easy.

If root system will remain in soil saturated with moisture for a long time, the appearance of rot and other infections will not be avoided.

Add a little to settled irrigation water lemon juice or vinegar, which improves the health of the Japanese camellia and, as in the photo, gives brightness to the flowers.

At the stage of bud formation, the shrub should receive regular support in the form. Fertilizing is carried out every 10–14 days, and in the summer you can fertilize the plant only once a month.

Transplanting camellia japonica

Young specimens of Japanese camellia are transferred to new pot annually, but the older the plant, the less often this procedure, unpleasant for the shrub, is required.

Transshipment of camellias must be carried out before growth is activated, otherwise the crop will take a long and painful time to acclimatize. If there is no urgent need for replanting, you can simplify the care of Japanese camellia by replacing only upper layer soil in a pot.

For indoor flower Camellia japonica needs an acidic substrate with a pH of about 3.0–5.0 units. If the soil is less or more acidic, this will affect the condition and flowering of the shrub.

The easiest way to plant a capricious plant is to purchase ready-made soil for azaleas, and then occasionally increase the acidity by adding citric or acetic acid to the irrigation water.

How to grow camellia - video

Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) is one of the most famous species of the genus belonging to the Tea family (Theaceae). In its natural habitat, it can be found in the mountainous forests of mainland China, Taiwan, South Korea and in southern Japan.

This is a tall shrub or small tree, in nature reaching 6 meters in height, but sometimes 11 meter specimens are found. The shoots are quite sparse, poorly covered with foliage and in the wild form a loose, shapeless crown. The leaves are leathery, glossy, short-petioled, up to 11 cm long and up to 6 cm wide, growing alternately on the branch. The leaf blade is simple, broadly lanceolate or elliptical in shape with a slightly elongated and pointed tip and a finely serrated edge. The upper side of the plate is dark green, the lower side is somewhat lighter.

During the flowering period, which can last from December to April, camellia is densely covered with large single or paired flowers, very similar in size and shape to roses, but without their scent. Peduncles are practically absent; large cones of buds are formed directly in the axils of the leaves. Each flower stays on the branch for almost a month. In September–October, a fruit is formed, which is a dry spherical capsule with 3–5 compartments containing large seed grains.

Varieties of Camellia japonica

The original species of Camellia japonica is the ancestor of more than 1000 diverse varieties, differing in simple, semi-double or double flower shape, their size (from 5 to 15 cm in diameter) and color, ranging from red to pink and white. Quite a few of the varieties have spotted or striped bicolor petals.

Among the most common ones grown at home are the following:

‘Vittorio Emanuele II’- semi-double variety with a slightly convex, slightly bent back shape of the petals. According to them white background, as if with a hard brush, a dense network of thin dark pink stripes was applied with occasional thick dark pink strokes.

‘Guilio Nuccio’– crimson flowers with two types of petals. A double or triple row of large rounded outer petals is replaced by a cap of small dense “curls” of inner petals.

'Double White'– heavily double snow-white flowers of a spherical shape with a clearly defined geometry of petal growth.

'Desire'– semi-double two-color flowers: from snow-white inner petals to pink outer petals, with a gradual change in color through the layers.

'Margaret Davis'– semi-double bicolor variety. The outer petals are large, wide, rounded, white, with a narrow torn crimson border. The inner ones are narrow, small, white, with a small splash of crimson.

‘Lady Vansittart Pink’– a two-color, slightly double variety with a very graceful flower shape. The petals have a strict shape and a clear growth geometry, and seem to be folded into small boats surrounding long yellow stamens. The petals have a clear pattern, similar to a highly branched rose bush on a white background.

'Lady Campbell'- red double flowers with small, barely noticeable white stripes in the center of the petals.

'Chandler's Red'- single-color, deep red flowers with wide petals, pointed in the center.

‘Asahi-No-Mai’- a non-double variety with wide red petals and a large thick cap of bright yellow stamens.

'Linda Rosazza'- snow-white semi-double flowers.

'Tricolor'– semi-double variety. The flower petals are white, with some ragged red stripes and red speckling, surrounding a thick “cluster” of long yellow stamens.

'Pink Perfection'- one of the most beautiful varieties. Densely double pale pink flowers with concentrically arranged wide petals of regular shape.

Caring for camellia japonica at home

In indoor culture, Camellia japonica is one of the most complex plants. At the slightest dissatisfaction environment it sheds buds and sometimes leaves. The most the best option there will be light for its contents winter Garden with rather low air temperatures in winter time. But even here it will need to create a number of additional conditions.

Lighting. House camellia prefers bright diffused light with an illumination level in the range of 3000 - 3900 lux for 12 - 14 hours a day. Therefore, in winter she needs phytolamps. In its absence, the plant will not bloom.

During the budding period, the camellia should not be turned relative to the light source, as there is a high probability that it will drop its buds. In summer, a non-flowering plant can be easily moved from place to place, taken out into the garden or onto the balcony; no negative consequences there won't be any for the tree. But when located on outdoors dark green leaves must be protected from direct sunlight, providing them with partial shade.

Temperature. In spring and summer, camellia japonica tolerates moderate temperatures quite well. middle zone Russia. But during the formation of flower buds (late autumn - early winter), the temperature should be reduced to 5 - 6 °C, and after the first flowers appear, slightly increased, to 8 - 12 °C. It is this temperature regime that promotes long and abundant flowering.

Watering. In winter, during the flowering period, you need to water your home camellia extremely carefully, since at low air temperatures the evaporation of moisture occurs rather slowly and the soil remains damp for a long time. Excessive watering during this period can quickly lead to acidification of the soil and the plant will die.

In summer, watering should be plentiful, but its need should be determined by the condition of the soil and watered only when the top layer dries out a little. It is extremely undesirable to overdry the soil; if there is a lack of moisture, the plant will shed its leaves.

Water the Japanese camellia with soft, well-settled water at room temperature. You can acidify it a little by adding a few grains citric acid or a few drops of vinegar. The plant does not tolerate lime water.

Humidity. House camellia prefers high humidity air, so it is recommended to regularly spray the crown of the plant with boiled water, and keep the pots on a tray with wet pebbles or expanded clay. In summer, you can have a warm shower by first covering the soil in the pot with cellophane.

Trimming. Although the plant is very painful to pruning, sometimes it becomes necessary. The shoots are pruned in October - November, stimulating the development of lateral branches and giving the crown a more neat appearance.

The soil. Camellia japonica prefers acidic soils with a pH of 3.0 - 5.0, so ordinary garden soil is completely unsuitable for it. To grow camellias, you can purchase ready-made soil in the store or prepare a soil mixture yourself by taking turf, peat, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 1:2:2:1. And it is imperative to create a good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot, preventing stagnation of water and acidification of the soil.

You shouldn’t make the soil mixture very acidic either, since the higher the acidity, the worse the plant absorbs iron. And its deficiency leads to chlorosis of the leaves and their falling off (along with the buds).

Top dressing. During the budding period, the plant is fed 2 - 3 times a month. liquid fertilizer for azaleas. In summer, fertilizing is reduced to 1 time per month.

Transfer. Young specimens are transplanted annually, in the spring, into a pot of larger diameter. Mature and actively flowering - once every 2 - 3 years, after flowering and always before the start of active growth, otherwise the camellia will hurt for a long time. Large tub plants are not replanted, as this procedure becomes quite difficult, but the top layer of soil is renewed annually, removing the old one down to the root system.

When replanting, it is necessary to ensure that the root collar is not immersed in the ground. Even its slight deepening can lead to the death of the plant.

Reproduction. At home, Japanese camellia is propagated by seeds, cuttings and grafting. Seed propagation suitable only for the original species form, since varietal characteristics are rarely transmitted with this method of propagation, or new plants acquire slightly different qualities.

To obtain the desired variety, cuttings are suitable. To do this, in July or January, small non-lignified branches 6–8 cm long with 3–5 well-developed leaves are cut from the mother plant. The prepared cuttings are planted in mini-greenhouses in a soil mixture of equal parts peat and sand. Root formation lasts for 2 – 3 months, but, unfortunately, does not always end in success.

If it is difficult to achieve rooting of cuttings, you can try to graft the cut apical bud onto another camellia tree. But this is not such a simple method of reproduction, and in order to avoid a number of mistakes and get a successful result, it is necessary to carefully study special literature.

Diseases and pests. One of the most common causes of non-infectious plant diseases is errors in care. Most often, gardeners try to grow Japanese camellia in unsuitable soil, create the wrong temperature or light conditions for it, flood the plant, or fail to provide it with a favorable humid climate.

House camellia is rarely affected by pests, but if an infection occurs, it is necessary to treat the foliage and shoots with appropriate chemicals.

Many luxurious flowers growing in all corners globe, are successfully cultivated by amateurs and professional flower growers on the windowsills of Russian apartments. In fact, with the right desire, you can grow even rather capricious plants that require special growing conditions. Camellia belongs to just such crops - luxury flower, similar to a rose. Let's clarify what Camellia japonica is in a little more detail, what care it needs at home, we will give real reviews flower growers about such a plant and photos of its flowers.

Camellias bloom in winter and their luxurious flowers are an eye-catcher. 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 cold wintering. Such crops are unable to live in conditions of high temperature in heated rooms.

Pictured is Camellia japonica

Features of caring for camellia at home

Lighting requirements

Camellias are very light-loving crops. With a lack of light, they cannot grow and bloom normally, and significantly lose their decorative properties. It is extremely important to shade Japanese camellias from direct sunlight so that their leaves do not suffer from burns.

Peculiarities 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 does not rise above twelve degrees. It is extremely important that the thermometer readings do not drop below ten degrees.

As for keeping such a pet in the summer, at this life stage camellias actively lay flower buds. At this time of year, it is best to keep them at a temperature of twenty to twenty-five degrees, and during the ripening period of the buds - at fifteen degrees.

For readers of Popular Health who live in their own home, growing camellias will be a little easier. These plants can easily grow in tubs located in the garden or patio. Only during the cold winter months should they be placed in a cool winter garden; you can also place the flower in a greenhouse or simply on a glassed-in veranda.

Optimal humidity

Camellias feel great in rooms with fairly humid air. To increase this indicator, you can use a humidifier - an affordable electrical appliance. Also, such plants will benefit from spraying, but they should not be carried out during the flowering period, since water can harm the flowers.

Watering requirements

In the hot season, caring for flowers includes abundant watering. During cool wintering, moisture should be less frequent. In this case, it is necessary to focus on the characteristics of the soil. It should not dry out or become excessively damp. If you choose the right growing substrate, its looseness will avoid unnecessary water retention in the pot. When watering, you should not use lime water; only soft water at room temperature is suitable for camellias. An excellent choice would be rain or melt water, or water that has been standing for three days.

Feeding

Starting in spring, when camellia forms new shoots, and ending with the end of July, it is necessary to feed camellia with minerals 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, since at this time it has a very active growth period. The best period for transshipment of a pet is a little large capacity- winter. In this case, it is necessary to replant flowering plants. Such procedures are carried out quite rarely - once every couple of years. It is extremely important that during replanting the root collar is level with the ground.

As for the soil that is optimal for camellias, it should be quite loose with an acidity level of 4.5-5.5 pH (approximately the same as for azaleas). Flower growers can purchase a mixture for azaleas or prepare the soil on their own by combining two parts of leaf and coniferous soil, perlite, as well as high-moor peat and one part of sand. You can also add a little bark to this mixture. coniferous trees.

Features of flowering

If quite a lot of buds are formed 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 need to be eliminated. In this case, the flowers will be much larger. And if there are an excess of buds, the plant may simply not have enough strength to develop all of them, which is why the buds will simply fall off and flowering will never occur.

When developing buds, it is extremely important to maintain sufficient moisture in the camellia soil - the soil should neither dry out nor become soggy.

Camellia japonica is evergreen shrub or a small tree of the Tea family. It is distributed in the subtropical and tropical zones of East and Southeast Asia, the Philippine Islands, Japan, Korea and the Indochina peninsulas.

Description

The leaves are ordinary, glossy, oval, leathery, blunt or sharp, growing in 1, sometimes 2-3 pieces. The flowers are quite decorative, individual, large, axillary with a corolla, consist of 5 petals, as well as a mass of stamens folded into a bunch. The palette of tones is limitless - from white to red, scarlet, pink with various transition colors. Flowers are often found in two colors, with all kinds of stripes, specks, streaks and spots.

Varieties of Camellia japonica

Many varieties of the flower have gained mass popularity as important ornamental, flowering and evergreen crops. They are freely used for landscaping interiors, creating displays in parks during the summer season, and even as tea. This is what Japanese camellia looks like, the photo of which is presented below.

Camellia montana

Its bush grows up to 3-4 m in height, with thin branches and bright red pubescent flowers. The leaves are elliptical or elongated oval in shape, 3-6 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide. Their tops are slightly sharp, the edges are finely toothed, the outside is dark green and glossy, with inside- hairy-pubescent with a vein.

The flowers are single or connected in 2-3 pieces, 6-7 cm in diameter, ordinary white, red or pink, with a scent. They bloom well in November-January. How gardeners propagate evergreen crops, as a rule, garden varieties. Camellia japonica (mountain) is also suitable for cold rooms.

Camellia sinensis

The homeland of this plant is the subtropical and tropical mountain forests of Indochina. It is a small tree or shrub up to 10 m tall with spaced shoots. The leaves are ordinary, oblong-oval, narrowed upward, short-petioled. They are dark green on the outside, light green underneath, 5-7 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. Young leaves are slightly pubescent. The pulp of the leaves contains spreading bearing sclereids.

The flowers are solitary, fragrant, or found in groups of 2-4 in the recesses of the leaves. Flower leaves and bracts are arranged along a curve. The calyx is fused-leaved, has 5-7 sepals round shape, persisting during the fetus. The corolla of the plant is 2.5-3 cm in diameter and falls off after flowering. Contains from 5 to 9 white petals with golden-pink color, connected to each other and to the calyx in the center. The stamens are located in two rings: the outer ones are fused with stamen filaments and attached to the petals, the lower ones are independent with small ovoid anthers. The gynoecium is syncarpous with columns connected to the core.

Camellia japonica (Chinese) has fruits in the form of flattened tricuspid woody boxes. Their seeds are rounded, dark chestnut in color, 10-13 mm in length, 1 mm in thickness. Blooms from early August until the end of autumn. Harvests in October-December.

Camellia oleifera

This variety of crop is found in forests and on the banks of rivers in China at elevations from 500 to 1300 m above the sea surface. The oil plant is evergreen tree up to 10 m in height. The trunk is covered with a brown crust, its diameter is up to 20 cm. The leaves are leathery, ordinary, petiolate, alternate, ovoid, pointed at the apex. The flowers are white, bisexual, paired, axillary or single, appearing in September. Their blooming time lasts until mid-October. Camellia japonica (oleiferous) is distinguished by its fruit in the form of a large capsule with many spherical seeds up to 3 cm long.

How to care for crops at home

Most gardeners consider the plant to be very demanding in terms of care and breeding conditions. This position was formed due to its periodic shedding of buds or leaves. To protect yourself from unpleasant shedding, you need to keep the flower in an environment suitable for it.

The culture will grow 100% at home if it is placed in a cool room. Camellias do not like it when they are turned around relative to the light source or moved to another place. The flower prefers spaces with fresh air, with the exception of drafts. In this case, he will develop various diseases.

Soil requirements

Camellia japonica, about which you can hear only good reviews, loves acidic soils. And that’s why for its flowering and development, special earthen mixtures made from well-sifted sand and peat are needed. Mixtures for rhododendrons are great because they can absolutely satisfy all the needs of the plant.

Separately prepared soil mixtures have a slightly acidic reaction. This means that they do not contain lime. In addition, when watering flowers, there should be no calcium salts in the water. Therefore, before irrigation, it is necessary to infuse water for half a day if it is not possible to use filtered water.

Suitable lighting

Camellia japonica (the photo of which is presented below) is considered a mountain crop, and therefore it requires light in large quantities to bloom. However, direct sunlight is harmful to it. On summer season The flower can be taken out into the fresh air, remembering to protect it from the sun.

In addition, to accumulate strength for the next full flowering, Japanese plants a period of rest is necessary. To ensure this, after flowering, reduce watering and stop feeding camellias. Only with such conscientious care will the crop again delight the household with its gorgeous blooms.

Watering

In the summer season, the flower is watered sufficiently and evenly after the outer layer of the substrate has dried, so that the Japanese camellia does not flood. Home care to avoid soil acidification involves reducing watering. Due to the deterioration of the soil, the leaves of the plant turn brown and the buds fall off. Due to prolonged drying out, the crop sheds its leaves. The flower does not withstand increased calcium content in running water, so it is necessary to water with soft, settled water. At the stage of development of flower ovaries (in August), it is necessary to dry the substrate a little, but not until it is completely dry.

Temperature

Camellia in spring and summer prefers an air temperature of at least 20-25 degrees. To set buds, you need a temperature of 18-20 degrees, and during the blooming period in December-February - 9-12 degrees. At increased temperatures, flowering begins earlier, but the quality of the flowers will be much worse, and there is a risk that the Japanese camellia will shed its buds. Caring for the plant in such a situation will no longer be appropriate.

Transplantation and propagation

The crop should be picked during dormancy (it remains there at the end of flowering), but no later than the end of July. Best time- this is when some buds are preserved on the plant, but the ovaries of the leaves have not yet opened.

Flowers are propagated by crown cuttings 6-8 cm long, which have not yet had time to become lignified. This is done in January and also in July. The most suitable for these requirements is an indoor greenhouse. When a root system is formed on the cuttings (this will happen after 2 months as a result of their planting), they can be planted in a permanent place. It is also necessary to take into account that the neck of the camellia, placed between the trunk and roots, should not be covered with soil, otherwise the plant may disappear.

Pests and diseases of camellias

Compared to other crops, such flowers practically do not get sick. On indoor plant Aphids may appear, which are usually sprayed with a mixture of oil emulsions and soap. This solution is much safer for people than chemicals. In addition to aphids, such emulsions neutralize scale insects and spider mite. But the most serious ailment of camellia is root rotting due to waterlogging, unsuitable soil and elevated temperature. With such a disease, the leaves of the flower begin to fall off. The only way to save the crop is by reducing watering.

Of course, many already know how beautiful and luxurious the Japanese camellia looks. Planting and caring for it will not be burdensome for anyone.

Camellia is an evergreen tree or shrub from the Tea family with inflorescences of various shapes and glossy leaves. But despite its grace and beauty, the culture is not a frequent inhabitant of apartments, which is associated with difficulties in cultivating a representative of tropical flora in an apartment environment.

The genus includes more than 80 species, some of which are grown at home and have become the basis for the development of many varietal camellias various forms and colors.

Varieties common in indoor floriculture:

• Camellia japonica is a tree or shrub reaching 10 m in height. Glossy ellipsoid or ovoid leaf plates perfectly set off the semi-double and double flowers of white, red or pink that bloom from December to April.
• Camellia montana is a shrub plant that reaches a height of 5 m in its natural environment. Branched, thin shoots are slightly pubescent with red fibers and covered with elliptical or ovoid shiny leaf plates with jagged edges. Celebrated from late autumn to mid-winter fragrant flowers white, red and pink colors.
• Camellia sinensis, also known as tea bush, - evergreen in the form of a bush up to 10 m in height. The oval or alternate leaf blades are dark green on top and light green on the bottom. Yellow-pink flowers, collected in 4 pieces in axillary inflorescences, emit a strong, pleasant aroma when blooming.

Conditions for growing camellia

The flowering of the crop is celebrated in the winter season, so camellia often ends up in a new home as a living bouquet, which not everyone can preserve. To make this possible, you should first study the nuances of the conditions of detention, and then ensure them, observing all the requirements.

Proper lighting for flowering

Camellias need to bloom a large number of bright diffused light, which will evenly fall on the shoots of the crop from all sides. Uniform lighting can be achieved by systematically rotating the pot around its axis. However, if buds have already formed on the bush, then it should not be disturbed: this can lead to their dropping.

Placing a flower in an apartment

To ensure the required lighting conditions, camellia should be placed on the windowsills of western or eastern windows. If there are windows only facing south, the flower must be shaded during solar activity. In the summer, it is better to move the pot outside to a shaded place where direct sunlight does not reach.

Temperature

Unlike orchids, the main difficulty of growing which is the correct selection of substrate, camellia is demanding on temperatures:

• Maintaining the temperature regime in the spring-summer period is not difficult, since the optimal temperature range is 22–25°C.
• To set buds during long daylight hours, the mercury column of the thermometer should not exceed 18°C.
• Ensuring winter temperature conditions in city apartments with central heating most difficult, since camellia blooms at this time at 8–12°C. More high temperatures can lead to the dropping of buds, loss of decorativeness by the plant and even death.

Humidity

A tropical plant requires moist air, to provide which the pot is placed on a tray with moistened pebbles and systematically sprayed with soft water. During the flowering phase, it is necessary to spray carefully so that the liquid does not fall on the petals of the inflorescences.

Care for camellia at home

In addition to providing the necessary conditions of detention, for successful cultivation Household camellias require proper care.

How to water a flower correctly?

The plant should be moistened abundantly, avoiding excess moisture. Between water treatments The top layer of the substrate must have time to dry. IN winter period When the flower is kept in a cool room, the volume and frequency of moisture is reduced to prevent the earthen clod from souring and the development of rot. However, drying out is also harmful to the crop and leads to the loss of leaves.

Important! For irrigation, as well as for spraying, only soft, settled water without chlorine is used.

Feeding and fertilizer

Since camellia does not have a pronounced dormant period, the plant is fed throughout the year. The optimal interval between feedings, which should include all macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), is 20 days.

Trimming and pinching technology

Camellia tolerates pruning quite painfully, so it is carried out in extreme cases and with extreme caution:

• To maintain decorativeness. When there are many weak and bare shoots, they are removed.
• To stimulate the development of axillary buds. In the second half of autumn, the shoots shorten.
• During the budding phase. To preserve the plant's strength and ensure beautiful flowering, the weakest buds are removed by pinching. This is done in such a way that no more than 2 buds remain on the shoot.

Transfer

Young plants are replanted every spring. With annual flowering, you can increase the interval to 2 years.

If camellia is grown in a tub, then it is necessary to annually update the top layer of the soil mixture while simultaneously applying fertilizer.

The transplant is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Drainage material is placed in the selected container to ensure soil throughput.
2. The drainage is sprinkled with an acidic substrate (pH 4.0–5.5) with a loose structure, which is prepared from turf, peat, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 2:2:2:1 or purchased at a flower shop (a soil mixture for azaleas is suitable).
3. The plant is transferred to a new container, which is filled with a special substrate.
4. In young plants, shoots are pinched to stimulate branching.

Propagation of camellia at home

Camellia is a flower that can be propagated at home by a vegetative method, allowing it to preserve all the varietal characteristics of the mother specimen. However, if desired, the gardener can propagate the plant by seeds.

Seed method

A labor-intensive method in which:

1. Individual cups with a diameter of 5 cm are prepared and filled with an acidic substrate.
2. One seed is placed in each container.
3. The containers are placed in a bright, warm place and covered with film, which is removed after germination.
4. After the seedlings have formed 1 pair of true leaves, they are planted in pots of larger diameter.

Cuttings

The procedure is carried out in mid-summer or mid-winter.

1. Non-lignified apical cuttings 8 cm long are cut.
2. Oblique cuts are treated with a growth stimulator.
3. The box is filled with a soil mixture of equal parts peat and sand.
4. The prepared cuttings are buried vertically into the substrate.
5. During the rooting period, the plantings are watered and sprayed, and the temperature in the holding room is maintained within 20–23°C.
6. Two to three months after the formation of roots, the plants are planted in separate pots with a diameter of 7 cm, filled with a substrate of peat, leaf, turf soil and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1.

Reproduction by grafting

There are varieties that are characterized by poor rooting. In such situations experienced flower growers resort to another vegetative method - grafting.

• Rooted cuttings or one- to two-year-old plants are taken.
• From the top of a shoot of a non-rooting variety, a bud with a small part of wood is cut off and inserted under the bark of the prepared plant.
• If the grafted plant is kept in a room with a temperature of 20–22°C, the grafts will germinate in 2 months.
• A year later, the plant is transplanted into a pot with a diameter of 9 cm, filled with substrate for cuttings.
• And already in the third year, the camellia is transferred to a container with a diameter of 14 cm with soil mixture for an adult plant.

Diseases, pests and methods of combating them

The most common and most dangerous disease of camellia is root rot , which is the result of excessive efforts of the owner - too low temperatures and excessive watering of the plant, leading to stagnation of moisture in the roots. At the first symptoms of the disease, the affected specimen must be transplanted into a new, disinfected substrate with good water and air permeability.

Brown spots may also be observed on the crop, indicating the development of phyllosticosis caused by excessively high air humidity. When this disease occurs, the affected leaf plates are removed and the plant is sprayed copper sulfate, air humidity decreases.

Sometimes camellia is attacked by spider mites, scale insects and aphids, which should be combated by treating the infested specimen with a systemic insecticide solution according to the instructions indicated on the manufacturer’s packaging. If pests have just appeared, you can try to cope with them by spraying the crop two or three times with a soapy, warm solution.

Thus, if a camellia came into your home as a gift, you should not rush to get rid of it after flowering has finished. Having created the necessary conditions for the growth of a tropical flower, the new owner will be able to admire beautiful flowering Every year.