How to grow camellia in pots? Detailed guide to cultivation methods and precautions

Camellia, also known as shancha or camellia flower, is a shrub or small tree in the genus Camellia of the family Theaceae. Its flowering period is relatively long, with blooms from October to May of the following year, and the peak flowering period is usually from January to March. Because of its graceful plant form, dark green and glossy leaves, and brilliantly colorful flowers, it is treasured by the horticultural world. Now let us take a look together at the cultivation methods and precautions for camellia!

The origin and distribution of camellia

There are approximately 2000 camellia varieties, which can be divided into 3 major categories and 12 flower forms. By 2013, China had more than 306 camellia varieties. It originated in southwestern China and is mainly distributed in the Yangtze River and Pearl River basins of China, Yunnan, and Korea, Japan, India and other places. It is widely cultivated outdoors in the central and southern provinces of China, with a cultivation history of 1400 years, while in the north it is grown in greenhouses as potted plants. Wild species are found in Sichuan, Taiwan, China, Shandong, Jiangxi and other places.

The growth habits of camellia

Camellia fears wind and loves sun, and prefers high, cool terrain, circulating air, a warm and humid environment, good drainage, and loose, fertile sandy loam, loess or humus soil, with pH 5.5-6.5 being optimal. The suitable temperature is between 20-32°C; growth stops above 29°C, and at 35°C the leaves will show scorching. It requires a certain temperature difference. Environmental humidity should be above 70%. Most varieties can tolerate low temperatures of -8°C, and in areas south of the Huai River they can generally overwinter naturally. It likes acidic soil and requires good air permeability. To facilitate root hair development, peat, decayed sawdust, red soil, humus soil, or a mixture of the above can usually be used as the growing medium. Camellia does not need shading in spring, autumn and winter, and 50% shading treatment can be used in summer.

The propagation methods of camellia

1. Cutting propagation: Camellia cutting propagation is the simplest. The most suitable time for cuttings is September, and spring is also acceptable. Choose well-grown, semi-lignified branches, remove the basal leaves, keep the upper 3 leaves, cut diagonally with a sharp knife, immediately soak the cut end in 200-500 ppm indolebutyric acid for 5-15 minutes, dry it, then insert it into a sand pot or vermiculite pot. After insertion, water it; the wound heals in about 40 days, and roots form in about 60 days. Cuttings treated with hormones root 2-3 months earlier than those without hormones. When vermiculite is used as the cutting bed, rooting is also much faster than in a sand bed.

2. Approach grafting propagation: Choose a suitable variety such as chazhong tea or oil tea as the rootstock, and approach-graft a precious camellia onto it. The time for approach grafting is generally between Qingming Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. First plant the rootstock in a flower pot, use a knife to shave off about half of the parts to be joined on each side, with smooth cuts, then press the two cut surfaces tightly together, wrap with plastic film, and water the rootstock twice a day; it will heal after 60 days. At that time it can be cut off and planted, and placed under tree shade to avoid direct sunlight. In February of the following year, use a knife to cut off the tail of the rootstock, then plant it out.

3. Leaf cutting propagation: For camellia propagation by leaf cutting, branch cuttings are generally used, but some precious varieties, due to limited sources of branches or because taking material would affect their tree shape, are also propagated by leaf cutting. Use mountain soil as the cutting medium, and mix in 1/3 river sand to facilitate aeration and drainage. Put the medium in a clay pot, then perform pot cutting. Leaf cutting is best done during the rainy season. Take one-year-old leaves as leaf cutting material; if too old they root with difficulty, and if too tender they rot easily. Insert about 2 cm into the soil, press the soil firmly after insertion, water thoroughly, then place in a cool, ventilated place. Generally roots develop in 3 months, and in the second spring it can sprout and send out branches.

4. Air layering propagation: The greatest feature of the air layering method is that all the weak small branches on the camellia that would otherwise be pruned off can be given new life. Moreover, this method has a high survival rate, quick rejuvenation, and early flowering. The method is: on the thin, weak branches that need to be pruned off, perform girdling at an appropriate position (generally 15-25 cm of branch can be left on the upper part), with a girdling length of 5-8 mm, tie on a suitably sized plastic film, add sterilized and disinfected peat soil or leaf mold inside the film, and after 7-10 days, girdle another 5-8 mm below the plastic film. This is called the double-girdling air layering method.

5. Tree grafting propagation: Grafting camellia has many advantages: it can maintain the excellent traits of the variety, accelerate plant growth so it takes shape quickly and can be produced on a large scale, and save scion wood, especially for rare varieties with few sources of scion wood. The suitable grafting time is June to July, when the leaves of the new shoots of camellia scions have already unfolded and the temperature is relatively high, so graft wounds heal quickly and the survival rate is high. The grafting method uses the cut grafting method among branch grafting methods. Because the grafting position is relatively high, it is often called “high grafting to change the head”.

Camellia cultivation methods

1. Soil requirements: Soil is the fundamental condition for camellia growth, so the choice of soil is also very important. Generally when choosing soil, we should choose soil with relatively high humus content, slightly acidic soil. Generally, a soil pH of 5-6.5 is best.

2. Suitable temperature: Generally, the suitable growth temperature for camellia is 18-25°C. If the ambient temperature is too high or too low, it is not conducive to camellia growth. Special attention should be paid to moving the plant indoors to grow in winter, and generally moving the plant to the balcony at noon, and also paying attention to sun protection in summer to prevent the temperature from being too high.

3. Moderate watering: Generally camellia likes to grow in a humid environment, so it is mainly necessary to water camellia, but note that it is best to keep the soil from being too dry or too wet. Generally, water more in spring and summer, which is also conducive to camellia growth. In winter, water less, and watering once every two to three days is best.

4. Moderate fertilizing: Camellia is a fertilizer-loving plant, so during cultivation, remember to fertilize. Generally during the growing period, add phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which is also conducive to camellia growth and makes the flowers bloom more abundantly. At the same time, be careful not to apply too much fertilizer.

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

6. Disease and pest prevention: Camellia is also very susceptible to diseases and pests. Generally there are two diseases and pests, black mold and anthracnose. During disease and pest periods, pay attention to spraying camellia with some disease- and pest-control medicines, which can play a good role in promoting growth.

Potted camellia cultivation methods

1. Pot soil selection: According to the growth characteristics of camellia, it is advisable to choose slightly acidic, loose, fertile, well-drained mixed soil as pot soil. Special attention should be paid to good drainage, and calcareous soil must be avoided. The ratio of the mixed soil is 6 parts red soil, 3 parts orchid mud (leaf mold), and 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 that a camellia with a height of 40-50 cm and a crown width of 20-25 cm is suitable for planting in a purple clay pot or clay pot with a diameter of about 20 cm. Other sizes can be inferred accordingly.

2. Potting time: The potting time for camellia is November in winter and February to March in early spring. At this time the flower buds are plump and the flowers are in full bloom, making it most suitable for potting. If repotting when the flowers are fading and new roots are still sprouting, special care must be taken not to damage the root system. Generally, stop potting around the budding 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, new roots are injured, which can easily affect that year's growth and development. Potting is also taboo in hot and severe winter seasons, to avoid causing plant shrinkage and death.

3. Potting method: First place 3-4 pieces of broken tile over the bottom hole of the selected flower pot, then fill in part of the coarse soil, plant the seedling in the pot, fill the root area with fine soil, then slowly place larger particles of pot soil around the pot, gently shake the pot, and press with your hand so that the pot soil fits tightly against the roots. For large pots, a bamboo stick can be used to gently press the pot soil down, paying attention not to damage the roots. The pot soil should account for 4/5 of the pot height to facilitate watering.

4. Watering method: Keep newly potted seedlings moist. After 2 months they can be watered like other potted seedlings. The frequency of watering depends on climatic conditions, with the principle of keeping the soil moist. Generally, water more in spring to meet the needs of germination and shoot growth. In summer, watering should be done in the morning and evening. During the plum rain period, prevent water accumulation. In autumn drought, water promptly. In winter, watering should be done at noon to prevent the pot soil from freezing, as frozen soil when dry is even worse.

5. Fertilizing method: Camellia does not particularly like fertilizer, so there is no need to apply too much. Generally, before flowering in October to November and after flowering around April to May, fertilize 2-4 times. Generally use mixed fertilizer (human manure and urine, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, phosphate fertilizer), preferably mainly phosphate fertilizer with nitrogen fertilizer as a supplement, to prevent excessive vegetative growth of branches and reduction of flowers. All kinds of fertilizer must be fully decomposed before use, but rapeseed cake and fish meal do not need to be decomposed and can be directly scattered on the soil surface, covered with a thin layer of soil, and allowed to slowly decompose and seep into the soil for root absorption. The amount of fertilizer applied should be controlled by applying more to strong seedlings and less or none to weak seedlings. For seedlings that are too weak, replacing the pot soil instead of fertilizing also has a very good effect.

6. Shading and cold protection: Camellia by nature likes a warm and humid climate; too cold or too hot is not conducive to growth and development. In spring and the plum rain period, potted camellia should be given sufficient sunlight, otherwise the branches will develop thinly and weakly, easily causing sooty mold and scale insect damage, or moss growing on the trunks, leading to dead branches, aging or death. In the high-temperature seasons of summer and autumn, shade promptly to lower the temperature. If the winter temperature drops below zero, it will cause flower buds to fall or flower cores to freeze, affecting flowering quality. Therefore, potted seedlings overwintering indoors should preferably maintain a temperature of about 3-4°C. If the temperature exceeds 16°C, it will promote early germination and in severe cases cause leaf and bud drop.

7. Disease control: The main insect pests of camellia are stem borers and scale insects. The main diseases are anthracnose and sooty mold on the leaf surface and moss parasitism on the branches and trunk. Timely prune affected branches and spray medicine for control.

Camellia cultivation precautions

1. Camellia should not be heavily pruned. Its flowers, leaves and buds take a long time to develop, and the crown also forms relatively evenly. Basically no special pruning is needed; simply cut off diseased and pest-infested branches, overly dense branches, weak branches and shorten leggy branches.

2. Camellia is a multi-flowered tree species, especially on weakly growing plants. If flower buds are dense, they will consume too many nutrients, which is unfavorable to plant growth. Therefore, bud thinning is an important part of cultivation management. It is best to keep 1-2 buds per branch, with a maximum of only 3, and maintain a certain distance. The thinned buds can be used medicinally.

3. Camellia has a relatively long flowering period; the entire flowering period lasts as long as half a year. Therefore, promptly picking off flowers that are near withering is very beneficial for reducing nutrient consumption and strengthening the tree vigor.

How to grow potted camellia? Camellia cultivation methods and precautions

Camellia is a flowering plant in the genus Camellia of the family Theaceae. Its leaves are green and distinctive, and its flowers are large and brightly colored. It has very high ornamental value and is an excellent potted ornamental flower, deeply favored by flower lovers. So, how do you grow potted camellia? The cultivation methods and precautions for camellia are introduced below.

Image: Camellia

I. Cultivation methods for potted camellia

1. Placement location:Camellia likes partial shade and fears scorching sun, and is suitable for placement in a warm, humid, ventilated and bright place. When growing camellia, there should be sufficient light in spring, and in summer attention should be paid to shading to avoid direct sunlight. If camellia is placed on a balcony, it will often be sunburned to death if one is not careful. During storage and transportation, camellia must be protected from high temperature and dry air, otherwise flower buds and flowers easily fall off, affecting quality.

2. Temperature:Camellia by nature likes a warm climate. The suitable growth temperature is between 18-25°C, the initial flowering temperature is 2°C, it is slightly cold-tolerant, and general varieties can tolerate low temperatures of -10°C. It can also tolerate summer heat, but above 36°C its growth will be inhibited. Cultivating camellia requires a certain temperature difference, and an environmental humidity above 60% is best. In areas south of the Huai River it can generally overwinter naturally, while the Yuncha varieties among camellias are slightly less cold-tolerant.

3. Watering:When growing camellia bonsai, keep the soil moist, but do not let it become waterlogged, so as to avoid alternating dry and wet conditions affecting growth. Generally, water appropriately more in spring, which is conducive to germination and shoot growth; in summer, insist on watering morning and evening, preferably spraying water on the leaf surface to make the leaves thoroughly wet. Do not water with hot water, and watering should avoid the high temperatures around noon; in autumn, water moderately; in winter, it is best to water around noon, and spraying once every two or three days is sufficient.

Image: Camellia

4. Fertilizing:Camellia likes fertilizer. When potting, pay attention to placing a layer of base fertilizer in the pot soil, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. The best fertilizer is a mixture of decomposed bone meal, hair, chicken feathers, rice husk ash, poultry manure and superphosphate. Usually, do not fertilize too much. Generally, apply 2-3 times of dilute fertilizer water between April and May after flowering, and apply one slightly stronger water-soluble fertilizer in November in autumn. When fertilizing camellia, note that the proportion of phosphate fertilizer should be slightly larger to promote abundant flowers and bright colors.

5. Pruning:Camellia grows relatively slowly and should not be pruned excessively. Generally, simply cut off leggy branches as well as diseased, pest-infested and weak branches. If there are too many flower buds on each branch, thin the flowers, keeping only 1-2 and maintaining a certain distance, and remove the rest early to avoid consuming too many nutrients. In addition, promptly pick off flowers that are about to wither, which can also reduce nutrient consumption, helping camellia grow robustly and form new flower buds.

6. Repotting:Potted camellia is best repotted once every 1-2 years. The new pot must be one size larger than the old pot, which is conducive to the spreading and development of the camellia root system. The best time for repotting camellia is April in spring, though it can also be done in autumn. When repotting, combine it with changing the soil and appropriately remove part of the compacted old soil, replace it with fertile, loose, breathable new growing medium, and first place a layer of base fertilizer.

Image: Camellia

II. Precautions for growing potted camellia

Camellia should not be heavily pruned. Its flowers, leaves and buds take a long time to develop, and the crown also forms relatively evenly. Basically no special pruning is needed; simply cut off diseased and pest-infested branches, overly dense branches, weak branches and shorten leggy branches. Camellia is a multi-flowered tree species, especially on weakly growing plants. If flower buds are dense, they will consume too many nutrients, which is unfavorable to plant growth. Therefore, bud thinning is an important part of cultivation management. It is best to keep 1-2 buds per branch, with a maximum of only 3, and maintain a certain distance. The thinned buds can be used medicinally. Camellia has a relatively long flowering period; the entire flowering period lasts as long as half a year. Therefore, promptly picking off flowers that are near withering is very beneficial for reducing nutrient consumption and strengthening the tree vigor.

[Editor's conclusion]Camellia likes warm, humid, well-drained, loose and fertile soil, and still requires much attention during care. The above has introduced the cultivation methods and precautions for camellia for everyone, and I hope it can be helpful to everyone!

Camellia cultivation methods and precautions. Camellia cultivation methods and precautions

Camellia is a plant in the genus Camellia of the family Theaceae, and by nature likes a warm, humid environment. Among the many flowering plants, camellia's flowering period is relatively long; it can bloom from October to May of the following year. The flower colors of camellia include red, purple, white, yellow and other different colors. Because camellia's plant form is graceful, its leaves are dark green and glossy, and its flower forms are brilliantly colorful, it is very popular among people. Today, everyone, come with the editor Yiai to see what the cultivation methods and precautions for camellia are like.


Soil for camellia cultivation methods
Camellia likes loose, fertile, well-drained sandy soil and grows in loess and humus soil. Generally when choosing soil for cultivation, peat, decayed sawdust, red soil, humus soil, or a mixed medium of the above can be used. The pH value for planting camellia is best between 5-6.5. Slightly acidic soil is best.


Light and temperature for camellia cultivation methods
Camellia is a semi-shade plant, and when growing it in summer, it needs shading. After the Start of Autumn, when the temperature drops, camellia enters flower bud differentiation, and at this time it should promptly be given sufficient light. In winter, it should be placed indoors for cultivation, and placed in a place with sufficient sunlight. Camellia is a long-day plant, so it can form flower buds only in an environment with a day length of 12 hours. Its growth temperature is best at 18-25°C. If higher than 35°C, its leaves will be scorched. When growing in winter, its temperature should be maintained at 3-5°C; it can also endure short periods of low temperature of -10°C, but cannot exceed 16°C for a long time, otherwise it will promote germination and cause leaf drop.


Watering and fertilizing for camellia cultivation methods
Camellia has relatively high requirements for water, and if it is in neutral or alkaline soil, it is unfavorable for its growth. When watering, adding too much water will cause root rot. The pot soil also cannot be dry, as it easily causes the roots to shrink due to water loss, so it is advisable to keep the pot soil and surrounding environment moist. During camellia's flowering period, do not spray water. When watering, do not pour water onto its flowers, as that easily causes the flowers to rot and shortens the flowering period. After camellia flowers fade, promptly remove the spent flowers. In winter, watering is generally once every three days, keeping the pot soil moist. Camellia likes fertilizer, and generally sufficient base fertilizer is applied when repotting. In autumn and winter, apply a decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer once a week, and additionally apply 1 to 2 times of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. When fertilizing, dilute alum fertilizer water can be used for watering. After germination in spring, apply a thin fertilizer water once every half month; in summer apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; in early autumn fertilizer can be stopped for about 1 month; before flowering apply alum fertilizer water again; and when flowering apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, making the flowers large and brightly colored with a long flowering period.


Shaping and pruning for camellia cultivation methods
When pruning camellia, mainly cut off dry and withered branches, diseased and weak branches, crossing branches, and overly dense branches. If camellia flower buds affect the tree-shaped branches, the excess flower buds can be picked off. If it is a potted camellia, it can be shaped and pruned according to your own preferences, but when pruning, do not cut too heavily, as that will affect its growth.


Camellia precautions
1. When watering camellia, be sure to first store tap water in a bucket for one or two days to let the chlorine evaporate. It is best to add one percent ferrous sulfate to the water to help improve water quality.

2. Camellia should not receive overly strong direct light, especially in summer and early autumn, when it must be shaded.

3. When fertilizing camellia, if there is too much nitrogen fertilizer, it easily causes flower buds to scorch. After flowering, fertilize less or not at all.

4. Because camellia is not cold-tolerant, sometimes its flowering period is delayed, which is relatively normal.


Summary: Camellia is an evergreen plant of the four seasons. Its plant form is graceful, its leaves are dark green and glossy, and its flower forms are brilliantly colorful. It is a traditional ornamental flower of China, ranking eighth among the "Ten Famous Flowers", and is also one of the world's precious flowering trees. The above is the editor's introduction to camellia cultivation methods and precautions. After reading the editor's introduction, I believe everyone has a relatively good understanding.