What to Do When Camellia Leaves Turn Yellow? Causes and Solutions

Camellia is one of our favorite flower varieties. What should you do when camellia leaves turn yellow? Below, we share the causes of and solutions for yellowing camellia leaves.

Causes of Yellowing Camellia Leaves

1. In summer, leaves turning yellow or whitish is caused by the soil lacking phosphorus, iron, or sulfur, or other nutrient elements. You can replace the potting soil and grow the plant in humus-rich mountain soil.

2. If nitrogen supply is insufficient, yellowing of the leaves will also occur.

3. If watering is improper, with continuous drought or excessive moisture, yellow leaves can also result.

4. Infestation by red spider mites or scale insects will also cause the leaves to wither and turn yellow.

Solutions for Yellowing Camellia Leaves

1. Metabolism

Camellia is an evergreen tree. Its leaves do not fall for 2-3 years after forming on new shoots, but during the leaf-changing period from April to May, a small number of old leaves will also turn yellow and fall off. This is a normal phenomenon of the camellia tree's metabolism.

2. Unsuitable Soil

In summer, leaves turning yellow or whitish is caused by the soil lacking phosphorus, iron, or sulfur, or other nutrient elements. You can replace the potting soil and grow the plant in humus-rich mountain soil. From April to September, every 15 days, spray the leaf surface with a ferrous sulfate solution diluted 300 times, or with a trithion solution, which can alleviate the symptoms. Spraying should be done on cloudy days, or in the early morning or evening on sunny days.

3. Insufficient Elements

During the growth of camellia, if nitrogen supply is insufficient, yellowing of the leaves will also occur. You can apply decomposed soybean cake water once a month, with a fertilizer-to-water ratio of 20%-30%. Adding a 1% ferrous sulfate solution to the fertilizer water gives even better results.

4. Improper Watering

Camellia care requires attention to watering. If watering is improper, with continuous drought or excessive moisture, yellow leaves can also result. If the potting soil is too wet, the plant's root system will turn black and rot, causing leaves to turn yellow and fall off. On hot sunny days, even if the plant is shaded by a screen, if the potting soil is often dry, leaves will also turn yellow and fall off.

5. Damage from Pests

Camellia can suffer from various pests and diseases. Infestation by red spider mites or scale insects will also cause the leaves to wither and turn yellow. For red spider mites, a 25% solution diluted with water 1000-1500 times, or a 50% trithion diluted with water 2500-3000 times, can be sprayed to kill them; for scale insects, a 5% aqueous solution can be sprayed to kill them.

Camellia prefers semi-shade and dislikes intense sunlight, and is best placed in a warm, humid, well-ventilated and light-transmitting spot. When growing camellia, there should be ample light in spring, and in summer attention should be paid to shading to avoid direct sunlight. If the camellia is placed on a balcony, it will often be sunburned to death if you are not careful. During storage and transport, camellia must be protected from high temperatures and dry air, otherwise the buds and flowers will easily fall off, affecting quality.