Camellias: care and reproduction. The best tricks

Our camellias They are plants used ornamentally both indoors and outdoors. It is a plant of oriental origin that came to Europe from the hand of the Jesuits. There are more than 80 different species of trees and shrubs with an infinite variety of flowers. All flowers have great decorative interest since they have great beauty. However, it is necessary to know very well the care and reduction of camellias to get the most out of them.

Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the care and reproduction of camellias.

Key features

Its flowers are large, although their shape depends on the variety. The simplest corolla has five petals and many groups of stamens. Doubles and semi-doubles have more petals, are more closed, and can turn like peonies and roses. The color of the flowers ranges from white to purple, salmon, yellow, red, pink, or bicolor. The leaves are very uniform, elliptical, with serrated edges and a point at the end, very bright dark green, with a lighter underside. This plant is a symbol of longevity, wealth, happiness.

In Galicia there is a long tradition of cultivation of camellia, which is said to be the flower of the Rías Bajas. In this area you can see beautiful specimens, since 1965 the International Camellia Exhibition is held every year, where spectacular specimens are exhibited.

Camellia care

Camellia is very sensitive to heat, so it is recommended to place them in the coolest place in the house and in a fairly humid environment so that they flourish without problems. If you have a terrace, take it outside as it is very resistant. Of course, use straw and bark to protect the land.

The soil where it grows best must have an acid pH. You can do this by adding a layer of heather, chestnut soil, or golden peat. Of course, you will find them in the garden store without any problem. You can choose larger flowers or more flowers. If you prefer the former, you will have to leave a shoot for each branch or shoot and pluck the other shoots.

The ideal time is after flowering. The way to do this is to inactivate all the branches, starting with the insertion of the bud, cutting above the second or third bud. Therefore, new branches will appear next year and more flowers will bloom.

Requirements

Let’s see what only more specific and detailed requirements that camellias need for their care and reproduction:

• For a plant to grow normally, It needs a lot of light, but be careful not to expose it to direct sunlight. Direct sunlight for a long time can burn your flowers and not allow them to grow properly.
• The difficulty with growing camellia indoors is that it cannot be tolerated in a closed and heated place, so it is necessary to keep the ambient humidity above 60% and the temperature between 5-12 ° C.
• In summer, we water continuously, and in winter, watering will be gentler. It is important to note that during the three-month flowering period, it receives very little water, so its peduncle forms strong and supports the weight of the flower buds. When watering it is recommended to drain well, we use warm water, preferably rain water or mineral water, because they do not have lime. If not, we will add a little vinegar to the tap water.
• We will treat the camellias with iron chelate or some acidic fertilizers after flowering. You can also use some specialized fertilizers for acidophilic plants.

These plants can cause some problems in their care, so the following aspects must be taken into account:

• Camellia loses its cocoon before opening. This is caused by excessive watering or sudden changes in temperature. To solve this problem, place the plants in a brighter and cooler place, and always control excess water.
• The leaves of the plant turn yellow and the button does not light up. Most likely, you do not have the right soil and the soil is not acidic enough.
• There are many silver spots on the leaves. This happens when the plant has a fungus called Pestalozia guepini. To remove it, remove the affected leaves and use a fungicide.
• Small bumps appear on the leaves. This is because the camellia has rusted. To remove it, spray a specific fungicide. You can buy them in specialized stores.

Some tricks to protect them

We must bear in mind that they are cold sensitive plants, so there are some tricks to prevent the plant from being degraded by low temperatures. Let’s see what these types are:

1. Remove the plants from the window at night. If it is too close to the window, it can cause problems in the development of the flowers.
2. If you leave them outside, cover the jars they are in with bubble wrap to protect them from frost.. Also, place them on wooden boards or any other material to insulate them from the ground.
3. Cover the substrate with straw, mulch, and bark. In this way, the substrate will be more protected against sudden changes in temperature.
4. Do not water or fertilize on frosty days. This will cause you to not be able to use the nutrients well.
5. If you have plants with sprouts, use newspapers or glass bells to protect them at night.

Reproduction of camellias

When transplanting or planting camellia, we will use a special substrate made from acid soil plants, such as hydrangeas or rhododendrons, which require special peat and have a very low pH. We will use acid fertilizer for soil plants to improve peat. In addition, we will be careful with the irrigation water. If we have hard water and a lot of lime, we should not use them without letting them rest for two days.

To ensure the success of the camellia, we will add specific fertilizers for this plant to the irrigation water, once in spring and once in autumn. We will put them in a cool place to avoid the summer sun and make sure the earth never dries out.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the care and reproduction of camellias.