What are the cultivation methods for camellia impatiens?

The flowers of camellia impatiens are gorgeous, and after blooming the flowering period is relatively long, giving it a certain ornamental value. This article summarizes the cultivation methods for camellia impatiens, which friends who want to grow it can use as a reference.

Morphological characteristics of camellia impatiens

Camellia impatiens is an annual, biennial or perennial herbaceous flower, with a plant height of about 25-50 cm, double large flowers, gorgeous flower colors, and flowers borne terminally, shaped like camellias. The stem is smooth, crisp and juicy, with nodes often swollen, no stipules, generally alternate or opposite, with upper leaves often whorled, glands between the petioles, flowers bisexual, bilaterally symmetrical, solitary in leaf axils or slightly clustered, with 3 sepals, rarely 5, the two lateral ones small and green, the lower one large and petal-like, saccate, extending downward to form a spur; 5 petals, or 3 unequal petals formed by the fusion of 2 pairs. Capsule, dehiscing by 5 valves when mature, the valve segments spirally twisting to eject the seeds.

The specific planting methods are as follows:

Camellia impatiens can be sown in all four seasons, either by broadcasting or by dibbling. For dibbling, use a 128-cell plug tray. The suitable temperature for sowing is about 20°C, and seedlings emerge in about 1 week. When the sown seedlings are 5 cm tall, carry out the first transplanting, moving them into 8 cm nutrient pots; when they are about 12 cm tall, plant them out into 15 cm pots. The soil should be a mix of peat soil 2, vermiculite or river sand 1, and furnace slag 1, and an appropriate amount of sheep manure etc. can be added as base fertilizer.

For the few species and varieties with poor branching, such as New Guinea impatiens, the tips should be pinched appropriately during the seedling stage. High temperature and dryness will make impatiens leaves thicker and not spread out, and shorten the internodes, affecting the plant shape and even stopping growth in severe cases. Therefore, during the summer, the environment should be kept cool and appropriately shaded. Too strong sunlight will scorch the leaves, while too weak light will make the plants leggy, with thinner leaves and light green leaf color.

In order to have flowers for October 1st, besides choosing more heat-tolerant varieties, you can also sow in June, and in July and August place the young seedlings on a mountain at an altitude of about 800 m to spend the summer. In winter and spring, impatiens needs sufficient light, so no shading is needed.

During the growth period, ensure the supply of water, especially in summer when watering should be timely and sufficient, keeping the potting soil moist but not waterlogged. When the potting soil is dry, the plant is very prone to wilting, and watering only after it shows wilting can easily cause rot. Waterlogging easily causes root rot. Throughout the growing season, maintain a certain air humidity; in summer, you can spray water on the leaves and ground to increase air humidity. Apply a thin fertilizer once every 10 days. To control plant height and plant shape, besides applying more nitrogen fertilizer in the early stage, the application of nitrogen fertilizer should be controlled before and after flowering.

Camellia impatiens can also be propagated by cuttings all year round. Select robust growing branches, cut off about 8 cm as cuttings, maintain a temperature of 20°C, and they will root in about 20 days. Water cuttings in summer also root easily.

The flower language of camellia impatiens

Camellia impatiens is very popular for its graceful posture and delicate, charming flowers. Friends who like growing flowers and potted plants should all have camellia impatiens at home. Speaking of the flower language of camellia impatiens, one cannot help but mention its peculiar seed pod. When the seeds of camellia impatiens are almost mature, if you gently touch it, its seed pod will quickly open and scatter the seeds out. It is precisely because of this peculiar seed and the cool, aloof beauty of camellia impatiens that its flower language is "don't touch me."

The introduction to camellia impatiens cultivation ends here. I hope everyone will like today's content.