How to grow potted camellias well? A detailed guide to the latest care techniques

Camellia is a traditional ornamental flower of China, also known as the camellia, the collective name for many species and horticultural cultivars of the genus Camellia in the family Theaceae. Because of its graceful plant form, dark green and glossy leaves, and brilliant, colorful flowers, it is treasured by the world horticultural community. There are extremely many cultivars, with red, purple, white and yellow flower varieties. Now let us take a look at how to grow potted camellias well!

Growth habits of camellia

Camellia fears wind and likes sunlight, high and airy terrain, air circulation, warmth and moisture, good drainage, and loose, fertile sandy loam, loess or humus soil. A pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is best. The suitable temperature is between 20 and 32°C; growth stops above 29°C, and at 35°C the leaves will show scorching. A certain temperature difference is required. Environmental humidity should be above 70%. Most cultivars can tolerate a low temperature of -8°C, and in areas south of the Huaihe River they can generally overwinter naturally. They like acidic soil and require good air permeability. To favor the development of root hairs, peat, rotted sawdust, red soil, humus soil, or a mixed substrate of the above can usually be used for cultivation.

Propagation methods of camellia

1. Cuttage: Cuttage propagation is mostly carried out in May to June. It is best to choose vigorous current-year branches as cuttings, cut them to 10 to 12 cm long, keep 2 to 3 leaves at the upper part, and remove the lower leaves. Insert them into a plain sand seedbed or flowerpot. River sand or loose mountain soil can both be used as the pot soil. After inserting, water thoroughly, then spray water appropriately afterward to keep the soil moist, and provide shade; roots can form in about 60 to 70 days.

2. Air layering: High-branch layering is mostly carried out in April to May. The method is to select a branch from the previous year, make a ring bark cut at the layering site, with a ring width of 0.5 cm, wrap the ring-cut site with plastic film of an appropriate size, with a wrapping length of 10 to 15 cm. First tie the lower opening tightly, put moist culture soil inside, keep the soil moist often, then tie the upper opening tightly. After roots form, it can be cut off and planted separately.

How to grow potted camellias?

1. Soil: Soil is the foundation of camellia growth. All nutrients and so on for camellia are obtained from the soil, so the requirements for soil are quite high. Generally its soil quality has relatively high humus content, and the pH value is between 5 and 6.5, slightly acidic. The best soil formulation is 50% mountain soil, 40% sawdust or edible mushroom residue, and 10% cake fertilizer powder or livestock manure and phosphate fertilizer powder.

2. Temperature: The suitable growth temperature for camellia is 18 to 25 degrees. If the ambient temperature is too high or too low, it is not conducive to the growth of camellia. In particular, in winter, move the plant indoors to grow. Generally at noon, move the plant to the balcony. In summer, also pay attention to sun protection to prevent the temperature from being too high.

3. Watering: Camellias all like to grow in a moist environment, so it is mainly necessary to water the camellia, but note that it is better to keep the soil from being too dry or too wet. Generally, water more in spring and summer, which is also conducive to the growth of camellia. In winter, pay attention to watering less, and watering once every two to three days is better.

4. Fertilizing: Camellia is a plant that likes fertilizer, so during the cultivation process, remember to fertilize. Generally during the growth period, add phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which is also conducive to the growth of camellia, thereby also making the flowers bloom more abundantly. At the same time, also note that fertilizer should not be applied too much.

5. Pruning: The pruning work for camellia is also very important. Generally, when the camellia flower buds are dense, it is recommended to carry out regular pruning work, cut off weak branches, and tidy the flower buds. This can also promote the camellia's absorption of nutrients.

6. Pests and diseases: Camellia is very prone to pests and diseases. Generally there are two kinds, black mold disease and anthracnose. Note that during the period of pests and diseases, it is better to spray some pesticides for pests and diseases on the camellia, which can play a very good role in promoting growth.

7. Repotting: After camellia has been potted for 1 year, it is recommended to repot and change the soil once, so as to provide a better growth environment. The new pot should be larger than the old pot to facilitate the stretching and development of the root system. The repotting time should be in April in spring or in autumn. During the process, remove some old roots as much as possible, replace with fertile and loose new soil, and combine this with placing base fertilizer.