Camellia Plant

The camellia plant is a most preferred garden plant, well-known for its specular blooms. Native to eastern and southern Asia, this perennial shrub bears dark green leaves and colorful showy blooms. In short, camellia plants are grown both for foliage and flowers. The beautiful camellia flowers are single or double, which are available in white color and shades of yellow, pink and red. Some of the newly developed cultivars have multicolored or variegated blooms.

How to Grow a Camellia Plant?

While speaking about growing camellia plants, they are quite hardy in USDA zones 5-6. Nevertheless, you can plant them in other areas, provided that the plants are protected from heavy frost. Other than regulating optimum temperature range, camellia plant care requires less effort. You can maintain camellia plants indoors or in your outdoor garden and enjoy their lovely blooms in winter. Discussed below are some of the gardening tips helpful for growing healthy camellia plants:

Camellia Plant Types
Several cultivars of camellia are sold commercially for plantation in flower garden. And selecting the best types that suit the prevailing climatic conditions in your area is imperative to avoid future headaches of maintaining camellia plants. While purchasing plantlets or stem cuttings, check the flower color and shape as well. Last but not the least, they should be healthy, disease resistant and matured ones, with well established root system.

Camellia Planting Site
Slightly acidic, loamy soil with rich concentration of organic matter is required for planting a camellia plant. Prepare potting soil or garden soil to meet these requirements. It grows best in partial shade or areas that receive filtered sunlight. So, for growing it as a houseplant, you can select places near the doors or windows. Growing camellia in such spots also reduce quick drying of the soil.

Camellia Plant Growing
While transplanting camellia in garden soil or containers (for indoors), make sure that you do not disturb the root ball or injure the roots. Dig a hole in the soil, with a size enough to hold the root ball. Gently place the camellia plantlets in the hole and cover root with soil. Press slightly with your fingers around the base of the plants to remove air pockets. Follow the same for growing other plantlets. Deep water your newly planted camellias.

Camellia Care Tips
Warm temperature similar to that of subtropical climatic condition is ideal for optimal growth and flowering of camellia plants. They cannot tolerate very cold or very hot environmental conditions. If it falls down to 15 °F or below, the flowers will get damaged. Accordingly, you should cover camellia shrubs with plastic sheets for protection from damaging frosts. Another care tip to be noted is fertilization at least once in every two months.

Camellia Plant Diseases
Maintaining camellia also includes examining the signs of disease and pest infestations, before it becomes too late to control them. The common pests that affect camellia plants are aphids, ants and spider mites. Pruning them in winter and removing weak parts will help control diseases to some extent. You can thin out internal twigs and allow proper light penetration to healthy branches, which in turn promotes development of larger blooms.

One of the camellia plant facts worth mentioning is that it shares the same family with tea. The beauty of camellia bloom is appreciated by declaring it as the state flower of Alabama in 1959. Exact blooming period of camellia plant differs with reference to the variety and growing conditions provided to it. Most of the cultivars develop flowers in cool weather conditions. Whichever appropriate variety you have opted, growing camellia is fun and relaxing, where you get to enjoy attractive blooms in cold months.