When Do Camellias Bloom? An Up-to-Date Guide to Their Blooming Season
Camellia, also known as the camellia plant, belongs to the genus Camellia in the family Theaceae. It prefers a warm, humid environment and has a long blooming season, flowering from October to May of the following year, with peak bloom usually from January to March. Native to eastern China, it is one of the world's precious ornamental flowering trees. Now let's take a look at when camellias bloom!
When Do Camellias Bloom
Because camellia varieties differ, they bloom successively and continuously from late September to early May. In late autumn, deep winter and early spring they present a scene of vigorous vitality. The camellia produces new shoots twice a year: the first are spring shoots, which begin in March-April, and summer shoots, which emerge in July-September. The camellia's blooming season is long; most varieties bloom for 1-2 months, with a single flower lasting generally 7-15 days, and the blooming season is February-March.
Post-Bloom Care for Camellias
Camellias have gorgeously colorful flowers, elegant and varied flower forms, graceful and changeable flower postures, and a fragrant scent that assails the senses. After the blooming season, the following points should be noted in care and management:
1. Timely pruning: After the peak blooming season, the remaining spent flowers should be removed. At the same time, cut away overly dense overlapping branches, crossing branches and withered branches. On one hand, this prevents needless consumption of the tree's nutrients; on the other hand, it enhances the plant's ventilation and breathability, prevents the occurrence of pests and diseases (such as scale insects and black spot disease), and promotes robust plant growth.
2. Timely fertilizing: From bud formation to flower fade, the camellia consumes a large amount of nutrients. To quickly restore the tree's vigor, fertilizer must be applied to supplement them. After flowering, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer once about every week. The liquid fertilizer can be made by sealing and soaking bean cake, hoof and horn meal, fish bone meal and black vitriol together; after decomposition, take the upper fermented liquid and dilute it with clean water before use. Never irrigate with concentrated fertilizer or raw fertilizer, to avoid root rot. At the same time, 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be used for foliar top dressing, sprayed once every ten days, for 5 consecutive applications, to promote thick and strong spring shoots and improve bud-forming capacity.
3. Moderate watering: Around mid-April, the camellia's spring shoots begin to grow, but at this time the climate is dry and the air humidity is low, so it should be watered moderately; spray water on the leaves once to twice a day to increase the local air humidity and benefit plant growth.
4. Timely repotting: After flowering, plants that need repotting should be repotted immediately. When repotting, it is best to use slow-release fertilizers such as hoof and horn meal and hair as base fertilizer. After repotting, water once thoroughly and place in a humid, shady spot; normal management can be carried out after 20 days.
How to Grow Camellias
1. Choice of potting soil and pot: According to the growth characteristics of the camellia, it is best to choose a slightly acidic, loose, fertile, well-drained mixed soil as the potting soil. Special attention should be paid to good drainage; never use calcareous soil. The ratio of the mixed soil is: 6 parts red soil, 3 parts orchid mud (leaf mold), 1-2 parts fine sandy soil. The pot size should be moderate, not too large or too small. Generally, the ratio of pot to seedling is: a camellia 40-50 cm tall with a crown spread of 20-25 cm is best planted in a purple clay pot or clay pot with a diameter of about 20 cm. Other sizes follow the same pattern.
2. Potting time: The potting time is November in winter and February-March in early spring. At this time the buds are plump and the flowers are in full bloom, making it the most suitable time for potting. When the flowers are fading and new roots are still sprouting, if potting is needed, special care must be taken not to damage the root system. Generally, potting is stopped around the bud-break period, because at this time new shoots are about to sprout and leaves are unfolding, requiring a large amount of water; if potting is carried out, the new roots are injured, which can easily affect the year's growth and development. Potting is also avoided in hot weather and severe winter, to avoid causing the plant to shrivel and die.
3. Potting method: First place 3-4 pieces of broken tile over the drainage hole at the bottom of the chosen flower pot, then put in some coarse soil, plant the seedling in the pot, fill the roots with fine soil, then slowly fill the larger particles of potting soil around the sides of the pot, gently shake the pot, and press down with your hand so that the potting soil fits tightly against the roots. For large pots, a bamboo stick can be used to gently press the potting soil down, taking care not to damage the roots. The potting soil should account for 4/5 of the pot's height, to allow for watering.
4. Watering method: For newly potted seedlings, the first watering should be thorough, until water runs out the bottom of the pot. Keep newly potted seedlings moist; after 2 months they can be watered the same as other potted seedlings. The frequency of watering depends on the climate, following the principle of keeping the soil moist. Generally, water more in spring to meet the needs of sprouting and shoot growth; in summer, watering should be done in the morning and evening; during the plum rain period, guard against waterlogging; in autumn drought, water promptly; in winter, watering should be done at noon to prevent the potting soil from freezing, as dry soil freezes even more severely.
5. Fertilizing method: Camellias do not much like fertilizer, so there is no need to apply too much. Generally, fertilize 2-4 times before flowering in October-November and after flowering around April-May. A mixed fertilizer is generally used (human excrement and urine, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, phosphate fertilizer), preferably with phosphate fertilizer as the main component and nitrogen fertilizer as secondary, to prevent leggy branches and fewer flowers. All fertilizers must be fully decomposed before use, but rapeseed cake and fish meal can be sprinkled directly on the soil surface without decomposing, covered with a thin layer of soil, and left to slowly decompose and seep into the soil for the roots to absorb. The amount of fertilizer applied should follow the rule of more for strong seedlings and less or none for weak seedlings; for overly weak seedlings, replacing the potting soil instead of fertilizing also works very well.
6. Shading and cold protection: Camellias prefer a warm, humid climate; too cold or too hot is unfavorable for growth and development. In spring and the plum rain period, potted camellias should be given plenty of sunlight, otherwise the branches develop thin and weak, easily inviting sooty mold and scale insect damage, or moss growing on the trunks, leading to withered branches, aging or death. In the high-temperature seasons of summer and autumn, shade and cool them promptly. When the winter temperature drops below zero degrees, it will cause flower buds to drop or flower centers to freeze, affecting bloom quality. Therefore, it is best to keep potted seedlings overwintering indoors at a temperature of around 3-4°C; if the temperature exceeds 16°C, it will prompt early sprouting and, in severe cases, cause leaf and bud drop.
7. Pest and disease control: The main insect pests of camellias are stem borers and scale insects. The main diseases are anthracnose and sooty mold on the leaves, and moss parasitizing the branches and trunks. Promptly prune away affected branches and spray to control.