The most beautiful camellias in the world. Beautiful camellias to adapt to: types and care

Camellia (Camellia) is a genus of evergreen shrubs and tree-like plants of the Tea family (Theaceae). In nature, these plants are common in the tropics and subtropics. But knowing how to care for a camellia, you can try to grow a wondrous flower at home. If everything is done correctly, it will be possible to admire its magnificent view and luxurious flowering from year to year. After all, camellia is deservedly considered one of the most beautiful and graceful plants.

Camellia flowers are very similar to roses, for which the plant received its second name - the Japanese rose.

Camellia is native to Japan, Korea, the island of Java and the Philippine Islands, the Indochina Peninsula, the center and southeast of Asia. The plant was brought to Europe in the 17th century by the naturalist monk Camellus (the plant is named after him). Now the Asian beauty can be found not only in Asia, but also in the south of the United States, the Caucasus, and the Black Sea coast.

Camellia is bred in many greenhouses and conservatories, used for decoration closed interiors, and in regions with a mild, humid climate, the plant has become an indispensable element of landscape design.

Most species are shrubs, but there are also tall trees... The dark green leaf plates of plants from 3 to 17 cm long are oval in shape, pointed or semicircular at the ends.

Large elegant flowers complementing rich greenery can be delicate white, cream, pink or bright red color. Two-colored double or variegated camellia flowers look no less impressive. Delicate flower petals seem to be made of wax, which gives the buds a special appeal.

Varieties

Camellia leaves are a raw material for obtaining essential oil, a decoction of flowers has an antiseptic and analgesic, tonic effect, and in Chinese medicine, Japanese camellia is used as an anti-cancer agent.

The genus includes more than 200 species, the most famous of which are the Chinese and mountain camellia. And in indoor floriculture, the Japanese variety is more often grown.

Chinese (aka bohea). Grows on mountain slopes and wooded areas of China. The tall bush has elongated fleshy glossy leaves of a rich green color. White axillary flowers on short peduncles are arranged singly, or 2-3 buds.
Mountain (aka miyagi, tegmentose). A shrub with pubescent young shoots of a reddish hue and thin branches in nature reaches a height of 3-5 meters. At the same time, the dimensions of the dark green elongated leaves of mountain camellia are quite modest: about 7 cm in length and up to 3 cm in width. In November, large (about 7 cm) flowers of white, pink or red color bloom on the shrub. Flowering lasts until January.
Japanese. The most popular variety among florists, which gave rise to many hybrids, including alba simplex, adolph adduson, tammia and others. All varieties have dense, oval, dark green leaves, and from December to April they delight with large single, simple or double, white, pink or red flowers.
Williams. The species is winter hardy, the least demanding on the surrounding conditions. A distinctive feature of the variety is that the plant sheds wilted buds, while in other species they remain on the stem.

Care according to the rules

Camellia is a capricious flower that can be considered one of the most demanding and difficult to grow. But if the care of the camellia is carried out according to the rules, the plant will develop and grow rapidly, bloom profusely.

Illumination and watering

The indoor camellia flower is photophilous, develops well on windows from the east and west. When choosing a place for growing, you need to take into account the peculiarities of a particular variety: Japanese camellia cannot stand the direct sun (it needs to be shaded), and mountain camellia feels great under the scorching sunlight. You cannot place a plant on the north side - there will be little light.

To achieve uniform crown formation, the flowerpot needs to be rotated from time to time around its axis. But in the phase of laying the buds, it is forbidden to disturb the flower, otherwise it will not be possible to admire the beautiful flowering.

Moisten the plant evenly. The Japanese rose reacts poorly to both excess moisture and drying out of the soil. V summer period when flower buds are laid, the plant needs to be watered only when upper layer the earth will dry out. In winter, watering the camellia should also be moderate - this will help avoid root rot. Water for irrigation is taken at room temperature.

Temperature and humidity

The room in which the camellia grows must be well ventilated. In summer, the temperature of the content should be in the range of 18-20 ° C, in the spring - from 13 to 17 ° C. In winter, it is better to carry the flower to glazed balcony or a loggia, where the temperature is kept within 8–12 ° C. In rooms with working heating devices, the plant feels bad: it withers, begins to ache, does not bloom.

Indoor camellia does not react well to drafts and temperature changes.

The air in the room where the plant is kept must be humid. In summer, the required humidity can be maintained by spraying the plant twice a day. In winter, additional moisture will be provided by placing a container with water next to the plant. You can also place a flower pot in a pallet with damp small pebbles or expanded clay, moss.

The soil

Best of all, the Japanese rose grows on acidic soil. Alkaline soil substrate can be acidified with a few drops lemon juice or with special fertilizers.

The soil for camellia should be light, it is good to let air and moisture pass through, since in heavy soil, the roots of the plant quickly rot.

As a rule, an indoor flower is planted in ready-made commercial land intended for growing azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons. The composition of such a soil in equal amounts includes:

chopped bark;
vermiculite;
perlite;
high-moor peat;
sand.

To ensure good drainage, a large layer of expanded clay is spread on the bottom of a wide pot.

You can prepare the potting soil yourself. At the same time, it is important that the soil has an acidic reaction of the environment, moisture and air pass well. You can mix:

leaf mixture (2 parts);
peat soil (2 parts);
turf (2 parts);
coniferous substrate (2 parts);
sand (1 part).

Top dressing

Fertilizers begin to be applied in the spring, when the first young shoots appear. Frequent feeding of camellia is not required, it is enough to apply fertilizers once every 3-4 weeks. At the end of summer, when the formation of flower buds begins, feeding is completely stopped.

The flower is fertilized with organic or complex mineral dressings for flowering plants containing nitrogen, potassium, sulfur and phosphorus, trace elements (copper and zinc, manganese, iron, boron and molybdenum). Complexes containing calcium and magnesium cannot be used. Their source is ordinary tap water, which is used for irrigation. An excess of these elements can cause the death of the plant.

When diluting fertilizers, it is better to reduce the concentration indicated in the instructions by half, since the excess of nutrients is not good for camellia, but to the detriment. From organic fertilizers, you can use chicken manure in low concentration.

Planting, transplanting and pruning

Camellia is transplanted at home in February - immediately after the end of flowering, before the start of active growth. Young camellias are transplanted annually, and it is enough to transplant an adult houseplant once every 3-4 years. It is better to take wide pots for transplanting. You cannot plant the bush deeply, and it is strictly forbidden to sprinkle the root collar between the roots and the stem with earth.

You need to transplant the plant very carefully, trying not to damage the roots.

Home care for camellia also includes pruning the shoots regularly. The procedure is best done between early October and late November.

It is important to remember that camellia is poisonous, and all transplant and pruning procedures must be carried out with gloves.

Bloom

A characteristic feature of the camellia is that it blooms during the resting phase - from mid-autumn to the end of winter. During this period, it is important to provide the plant with a temperature in the range of 12-15 ° C. In hotter conditions, the plant can shed its buds. Duration of flowering is from 1 to 3 months. In spring, flowering ends, the plant wakes up, and vegetative growth is activated.

Growing problems

When growing camellia, difficulties associated with mistakes in care, attack by pests or damage to a susceptible flower by one or another disease are not excluded.

Fungal diseases. They appear as black and gray spots on the leaf plates, and brown spots on the petals. For treatment, fungicidal preparations are used.
Oidium. The leaves of the affected plant are covered with grayish spots. You can cure the flower with soapy water, sulfur, and other fungicides.
Cucumber Mosaic Virus. The disease is accompanied by yellowing of the leaf plates along the veins. For treatment, insecticides are used.
Aphids, insects, spider mites. To combat pests, the plant is wiped with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol (if there are not many pests) or treated with insecticides (if necessary, the treatment is repeated several times).
Solitary skosar (weevil species). One of the most common camellia pests. Its larvae attack the roots, and adult insects attack the root collar. Insect control is carried out with insecticides.

Reproduction

To grow a houseplant, camellia is propagated:

seeds;
cuttings;
vaccinations.

Seeds

Camellia grown from seeds blooms for 2-3 years.

As camellia seeds are stored, their germination decreases. Therefore, sowing is carried out immediately after collection. planting material in a container with a previously prepared soil mixture of high-moor peat, perlite and a small amount of sand. Before germination, containers with crops are kept at a temperature of 18 to 22 ° C. When 2 leaves appear on the seedlings, they are planted in separate pots.

Cuttings

For reproduction, semi-lignified cuttings about 8 cm long with well-developed growth buds are cut in late spring or early summer. The cut sites are treated with rooting and growth stimulants. Then the cuttings are placed in wet sand, vermiculite or a mixture of sand and peat (taken in equal amounts), covered with a film or glass jar, provide bottom heating of the soil (temperature about 25 ° C). Under these conditions, the rooting process takes about 2 months.

If the cuttings are simply placed in a glass of water, they will not take root.

Vaccinations

Vaccination is the most time consuming method of reproduction. However, with the correct procedure, the plant will bloom next year.

The vaccination is carried out in August or January. Semi-lignified apical shoots about 10 cm long are used as cuttings. The cuttings must have 3-4 elongated swollen buds (future leaves). The mother plant is cut side shoots, and the places of the cut are sprinkled with powdered coal. The central trunk is cut horizontally at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground level. Vertical cuts are made on the cut of the trunk, grafting cuttings are inserted into them. The cuttings are pressed tightly to the trunk, fixed with electrical tape.

Only lignified cuttings are suitable for propagation, and young green shoots are not suitable for propagation.

It takes about 2 months for the germination of grafts, if kept at a temperature of 20 ° C. Young plants should be regularly sprayed, watered, protected from direct sun. In the second year, the plant can be transplanted into a pot.

As the young plants develop, it is important to cut off the side shoots of the mother bush that form below the graft. This will ensure the flow of nutrients to the grafted cuttings.

Purchase features

Camellia can be purchased at a specialized flower shop or greenhouse. And it's best to buy flowering plant in the resting phase. The cost of camellia is determined by its variety and size, is:

450 rubles - Japanese camellia 15 cm high;
1,500 rubles - a bush 35 cm high;
2600 rubles - a plant 55 cm high.

The main difficulty in growing camellia is to ensure a suitable temperature regime. It is quite difficult to do this in an apartment. If there is no glazed loggia or balcony where you can maintain a low above zero temperature in winter, it makes no sense to grow an Asian beauty - in a heated apartment the plant will be sick and will not bloom. But if there is an opportunity to create comfortable conditions and provide full care for the camellia, at home it will be possible to grow an unusually beautiful, refined, luxuriously flowering bush.

The rose is considered by many to be the most beautiful flower in the world. She is really beautiful, and everyone admits it. But there are other representatives in floriculture who can easily compete with her in beauty.

One of these is the camellia, a tea tree with luxurious double flower buds. It is no worse than a rose, because it has the same beautiful flowers, and sometimes even more delightful. In it you will find nobility, grace, tenderness and others positive characteristics... Camellia is good because it can be grown not only in the garden, but also in the apartment as a houseplant. We will talk about the principles of such cultivation in this article.

Description of camellia

Camellia, according to botanical taxonomy, belongs to the representatives of the Tea family. It grows in the subtropics and tropics of Asia. Representatives actively meet in Japan, China, Korea, Indochina, on the island of Java, the Philippine Islands. The name of the flower is dedicated to the famous clergyman G.I. Camelius. He was engaged not only in spiritual matters, but also studied nature. It was he who brought the camellia to the territory of Europe, where they began to actively cultivate it.

It has an evergreen crown, so it is ideal for indoor growing... Both tree and shrub forms of camellia are cultivated, which can be bred to obtain beautiful flowers or decorative leafy forms. The leaves of a plant with a leathery glossy surface are elliptical in shape with blunt or pointed ends. As a rule, they grow singly, but can be combined in 2-3.

Flowers are different big amount stamens, which are surrounded by scarlet, white or pink petals fused at the base. They bloom for a very long time - for a month or more each flower. In total, camellia pleases with its flowering for about 3 months, with which many ornamental plants cannot compete.

Camellia compares favorably with other plants also in that it has two growth periods, therefore it develops faster. First, in the middle of winter, the indoor flower begins to actively grow foliage and young shoots. In the summer, the second phase of growth comes into force, when vegetative buds begin to form in most of them. Does camellia smell? - you think right away when you see a beautiful flower. Alas, it will not surprise you with its marvelous aroma: there is practically no smell.

In the genus Camellia, scientists have identified over 80 species. But in decorative conditions only one variety is best known. And this is Camellia Bohea. In nature, this exotic plant can be found high in the mountains, where the tree grows over 10 meters in height. This cameo has dark green ovoid leathery leaves with a serrated edge. It blooms with pure white flowers. The plant is actively cultivated, since classic tea is obtained from its leaves. But nothing prevents you from growing it at home.

Growing camellia at home

Lighting

The successful cultivation of camellia is determined the right lighting... Organize bright diffused light from the window, placing the flower on the west or east side.

In order for the crown to develop correctly and evenly on all sides, the beauty must be gradually rotated in a circle so that all sides of the plant receive an even amount of sun. In summer, when the sun burns the foliage, the plant is slightly shaded: you can put the pot deep in the room - on a table or on a decorative stand.

Temperature regime

Camellia doesn't like heat. This means that in spring and summer, it should be grown under conditions of + 20 + 25 ° С, not higher. When flowering, they achieve a decrease in temperature, ideally up to + 8 + 12 ° С. A room with a growing camellia needs regular ventilation and a natural microclimate.

Air humidity

Camellia grows naturally in subtropical conditions. The exotic miracle is in dire need of constant water replenishment and high level humidity. To achieve this goal, soft water is regularly defended and the bush is sprayed with it, as well as watered. Make sure that the liquid does not fall on the petals.

How to transplant a camellia into a pot after purchase, we look at the video:

It is very important for the plant to use a good drainage layer.
Choose a pot, on the bottom of which you can pour a lot of expanded clay, and where there are drainage holes.

Then poured potting soil, consisting of turf and leafy soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 1: 2: 1: 2. The pot is filled 2/3 and the camellia is placed, the soil is poured from the sides and top.
Make sure that the root collar of the plant remains at the same level.
When buying ready-made soil, substrates with an acidic environment are chosen.
After planting, the camellia is watered, the excess moisture is drained from the pallet.

How to care for a room camellia video

Camellias grown at home need very frequent regular watering in warm weather and rare in winter.
During budding and flowering, watering is reduced, otherwise the plant may lose color. When the camellia blooms, it is better to water it through a tray of pebbles to avoid waterlogging.
It is necessary to ensure that the soil is not flooded with water, especially in winter - this is fatal for camellia.
Moisten the substrate during the drying of the upper part of the soil, but do not wait until it dries completely, so as not to cause wilting.
Camellias are fed all the time, even in winter. A complete complex mineral fertilizer for flowering is applied monthly when watering.

From June to September, camellias can be kept on the balcony or in a shady spot in the garden. Water in moderation, not forgetting to feed.

From October to February, the camellia is kept in a cool room, it can be a corridor without heating, but so that there is a positive temperature of 7-13 ° C.

Camellia blooms from March to May. If you want to see large flowers, cut off half of the buds. So the plant will show itself in all its glory.

Pruning

The second half of autumn is the time to trim excess camellia shoots. It is important that the plant actively grow axillary buds and produce greenery. Branches can be cut at will, shortening them by one third and cutting branches that give an unaesthetic look. The crown is formed to your taste. And the cut off top shoots can be used for propagation and obtaining new plants.

Transfer

Camellia transplant is carried out annually, for now. Older specimens that bloom regularly need replanting every two years, in the spring. During this procedure, it is imperative to pinch the top of the shoots. Camellia is planted in the same soil.

Transferring camellia into a larger pot video:

How to propagate camellia

Consider the breeding methods for camellia. Florists use two methods in practice - seed propagation and cuttings.

How to grow camellia from seeds

The substrate is suitable for an acidic environment, such as peat soil. Camellia seeds are very large and have a strong nut-like shell. To accelerate germination and facilitate germination of sprouts, the seeds are doused with boiling water and try to gently break the shell sharp knife making a crack. Seeds are planted in wide cups with a diameter of 7-10 cm.

To do this, fill the glass two-thirds, lightly water the soil mixture and spread it, cover it with a substrate half a centimeter on top. The final layer is 1 cm of perlite, while the tops of the seeds are still slightly visible on the surface. Important! The seeds have a recess that resembles a peephole, it must be placed below: from there the camellia roots will grow.

Camellia from seeds at home

When the shoots break through, you need to wait for the appearance of two or three real leaves, and you can cut the plants into separate containers. If you have enough space on the windowsill, you can immediately plant the seeds one at a time to avoid picking.

10-14 days after transplanting, the seedlings can be fed with complex fertilizer for additional growth stimulation. in a permanent pot is performed when the roots of the plant completely fill the temporary cup.

How to propagate camellia by cuttings

Cuttings are used when it is necessary to preserve the varietal characteristics of the plant.
To do this, take more green shoots at the tops and cut them off, harvesting seedlings 6-8 cm long with 2-5 leaves.
Leaves can be cut in half to reduce moisture evaporation.
Planting material is kept in a solution with root, placed in pots with a substrate consisting of peat and sand in equal proportions.
The soil is taken warm - about 24 degrees.

A month is given for the rooting of cuttings in the substrate, after which the young plants are planted in full-fledged pots.

Possible problems of growing camellia

Compliance with a strict watering regime is extremely important condition tea plant care. The growing requirements mentioned that waterlogging and overdrying are equally destructive. The first problem leads to coloring of leaves and shoots in brown color and debutonization, and the second - to a complete loss of foliage.

Being under the scorching rays of the sun, camellia can become covered with brown burn spots - you need to react immediately and shade the plant.

High air temperature, no optimum humidity, poor lighting, alkaline or neutral soil - worst enemies camellias.

Camellias that are in bloom or about to bloom usually go on sale in the fall. In pre-revolutionary Russia, only wealthy people could afford this plant. The old varieties were more fastidious than modern ones, but the reputation of a capricious and difficult plant to care for was preserved for a camellia for a long time.

Variety of species

(Camellia) are originally from China, Japan and Vietnam. She belongs to the family Tea rooms... There are more than 80 types of camellias, the most famous are: Japanese camellia, mountain camellia, netted, Chinese (tea bush) and Williams' hybrids.

Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) Are shade-tolerant tall shrubs covered with flowers or tall trees. They have such shiny dark green pointed leathery leaves that sunny "bunnies" sparkle in clear weather. The serrated edges of the leaves are sharp and can injure the skin. Japanese camellia is found in the forests of China, Korea and Japan, where it grows beautifully in partial shade. Various cultivars bloom (depending on cultivar) from October to April. Numerous varieties of this species are suitable for growing in greenhouses, conservatories and rooms. The flowers are simple, semi-double and double. Their main colors are red, pink and white.

Mountain camellia (Camellia sasanqua) has related hybrids. Often this species is isolated in special group... These are shrubs or flowering trees up to 5 m in height from September to January, which are found in the mountain forests of the Japanese islands. Shoots can be erect or hanging (depending on the variety). Oblong-ovate dark green leaves serrate at the edges. From above they are glossy, from below they have a slightly pubescent midrib. The flowers are fragrant, so they and jasmine flowers are often mixed with tea to create a "tea" aroma. Camellias of this species are often used for growing in the home.

Camellia chinese, or tea bush , (Camellia sinensis) grows in tropical and subtropical forests, in gorges and on the slopes of the Chinese mountains, on the Japanese islands. These are shrubs and rather tall trees with elliptical leaves that have serrated edges. The leaves emerging from the buds have white pubescence. The white flowers have a delicate aroma.

Mesh camellia (Camellia raticulata) are known to flower growers of all countries. Its flowers are striking in size and variety. There are even camellias chimeras. One gets the impression that they are shimmering.

Williams hybrids, or camellia williams, (Camellia x williamsii) are effective and resilient.

Indoor camellia suffers from warm wintering and the burning rays of the sun

Camellia growing in a house is most afraid of greenhouse conditions. She needs coolness in winter. My camellias feel great on a glazed loggia, where in frosty winter the air temperature at night does not drop below + 12 ° C. During the day, especially on a sunny day, it is much warmer there. During the budding period of camellias best temperature air - plus 15 ° C, during flowering - plus 10 - 12 ° C. These, of course, are just guidelines that allow the amateur florist to avoid mistakes.

In nature, many types of camellias (except for those growing on the slopes of mountains and some others) are found even in forests. Their indoor descendants remained wary of direct sunlight. Therefore, the place should be bright, but protected from direct sunlight. In rooms, it is better to keep pots with camellias on the windowsills of windows oriented to the east or north sides. In summer, pots with camellias are placed (or dug into the soil) in the semi-shady part of the garden. Only at the end of August - September, depending on the weather, are the plants brought into the house.

By the buds of camellias, it is easy to judge whether flowers or leaves will appear from them. Elongated buds give shoots with leaves, and blunt and round ones - flower buds.

Humidity of soil and air. Top dressing

The massive sale of camellias occurs in the fall. When buying, it is important to consider both the general condition of the plant and the condition of the soil in the pot. It should not be dry, waterlogged or sour. The buried root collar must be freed immediately, especially if the soil is moist. Camellias are watered only with soft water. Hard water is not for this plant. It is better to use lukewarm water rather than cold water. Ice water can cause serious deterioration of camellias.

From January to May, camellias are watered with lukewarm water. In dry air, spray without falling on the flowers. A wide container of water can be placed next to the camellias. By the beginning of summer, watering is gradually reduced. In the summer they water it moderately, do not spray it. Do not allow the soil to dry out, as this threatens with the death of the roots and the fall of the buds. In a rainy summer, it is better to put pots with camellias under a canopy or dug under the crowns of trees. Since the end of August, watering is intensified, only warm water is used. After the appearance of buds, waterlogging is avoided, watered with warm water. All violations of the irrigation regime are reflected in the state of the leaves - they can fall off or turn black. Spraying helps to protect the plant from dry air. Especially if there is a red-hot central heating battery nearby.

For feeding, it is better to use ready-made fertilizers for camellias or for (rhododendrons). They contain substances necessary for growth and flowering. The concentration is indicated in the instructions. It is safer to reduce it rather than overdose.

Transfer. Soil composition

Soil in flower pot should not be heavy, as this leads to breathing difficulties and root development. Waterlogging of such soil even in hot weather entails rotting of the root system. The ideal substrate for camellias should be acidic and consist of high-moor light brown peat (not dark low-lying peat), sand, leafy and coniferous soil. Camellia growing in neutral soil finds itself in inappropriate conditions. Calcareous and alkaline soils kill it.

It is safer not to transplant the camellia, but to transfer it to new pot, to which fresh soil mixture has been added. The first time after transshipment, the plant is sprayed daily. Camellia can be transplanted every two to three years. This is done at the very end of flowering, before the start of new growth. Sometimes you can hear recommendations to replant camellias in the midst of flowering, i.e. from November to February. I don't like this option for many reasons. The flowers we have been waiting for for a year will inevitably suffer. Camellias have seen several growth peaks since April. No transplant is performed during these active periods. Among flower growers, the dispute does not stop: when it is possible to transplant and cut camellias. In our publications there is an opinion that a flowering plant should not be disturbed, otherwise it will shed flowers and buds. European and American growers consider the moments of flowering to be the most suitable time for this, when the growth of new shoots is suspended.

Pruning and shaping the crown

Camellias have to be shaped. Especially if it is necessary to stimulate the growth of axillary buds, thin out the crown, etc. Some growers keep pruning to a minimum. It is carried out at the very end or after the end of flowering. If spring growth has not yet begun, then this procedure is usually tolerated painlessly. Mountain camellia is pruned boldly, and mesh camellia requires more delicacy.

Reproduction of camellias

Camellias are usually propagated by cuttings or sowing fresh seeds. Less commonly, by vaccination. Cuttings retain varietal qualities. It is easier to root apical cuttings (6 - 8 cm long with 3 - 5 leaves), which have not yet become lignified, at a temperature of plus 20 - 23? C (no higher!) With lower heating. Sections are processed with heteroauxin or root. Roots appear in two months. But only if you regularly moisten the soil and spray the cuttings. In a cool place, the process of root formation is delayed for a long time. The place should be bright, but not sunny. Rooted cuttings adapted to room air are planted in individual pots. Those varieties, the cuttings of which take root worse, are propagated by grafting.

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Camellia flower will not leave anyone indifferent. Its romantic beauty and antiquity of origin have given rise to many myths and legends. Camellia was considered in Japan as a symbol of the sun god Amaterasu, and in ancient Greece - the emblem of beautiful but heartless women. The flower was worn by French courtesans as a distinctive sign. Delicate chiseled camellia petals look like wax, as if carved by the hands of a skilled jeweler. The lack of odor enhances the likeness to a work of art. An evergreen plant is planted near a house or gazebo. It can act as a hedge that hides the site from prying eyes.

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general description

Camellia belongs to the tea family. The leaves of the well-known species Camellia sinensis are the raw material for making tea. The first mention of the plant was found in Japanese sources. It dates back to the 1st century AD. Camellias grow wild on the islands of Kyushu, Shikoku and in some provinces of Japan. They can also be found in southwestern China, South Korea and Taiwan.

A large shrub or tree prefers high-altitude valleys located at an altitude of 300-1100 meters above sea level. The plant grows up to 3-6 meters. Some specimens reach a height of 11-20 meters.

Simple leaves are painted in dark green... They have an oval or oblong-ovoid shape with a blunt or pointed end. The surface of the leathery leaves is smooth and shiny. The length of their petioles reaches 3-17 cm. Young shoots of the shrub stand out with a characteristic purple-brown color.

The flowering period of the plant begins in autumn and lasts all winter until spring. It is covered with a lot of flowers. As beautiful as a rose, camellia can have a scarlet, white, pearl pink or pink-purple hue. Some shrub varieties are distinguished by variegated color of flowers. Their petals are covered with colored streaks, spots, stripes or specks. Have garden varieties camellia flowers are almost always double. Their diameter ranges from 1-20 cm.

Each flower stays fresh for about 3 weeks. If the room is not very hot, the cut plant will not wither for 2 weeks, and all the buds will bloom. The seeds ripen in a dry box with 5 compartments.

Unlike other plants, camellia is dormant during flowering. Therefore, it can be safely cut, transplanted and transported to a new place without fear of causing harm. The shrub will easily survive all the manipulations and will not stop blooming.

In gardening, only 3 types of plants are used - mountain camellia, Japanese and olive. Japanese camellia is distinguished by its large flowers of various colors and shapes. It grows up to 2-3 meters in height. Mountain camellia can reach 5 meters. The highest garden tree refers to oilseed... It can grow up to 10 meters.

Temperature regime

V wildlife the shrub grows in high altitude conditions, so it feels comfortable when low temperatures... In the mountains of Japan flowering bushes covered with snow in winter. As it melts, a plant sprinkled with bright red flowers opens up.

In winter, the air temperature of 10-12 degrees is ideal for camellia. With this temperature conditions it will bloom profusely and for a long time. Severe frosts are detrimental to the flowers of the plant. If it gets warmer after frost, the buds will open, but they will look disfigured.

Although camellia flowers are vulnerable to frost, the plant itself can withstand temperatures as low as -10 degrees. Neither the roots nor the shoots of the shrub freeze. V recent times breeders managed to develop new hybrids that can survive twenty-degree frosts.

In conditions middle lane and Siberia, flowers are best planted in containers and brought indoors in winter. It is advisable to put the camellia on a ventilated glazed balcony, where in winter the air temperature ranges from 0 to +15 degrees. Leave her in living rooms it is forbidden. At high air temperatures, the flowers will crumble, but the buds will not open.

If on the balcony or in the room for the winter garden there is heating devices, the camellia should be placed as far away from them as possible.

How to find a suitable place for a shrub?

Growing camellias will not be difficult if you choose the right place for it. Plants prefer a place protected from direct sunlight and strong winds. In summer, under the scorching sunlight, burns appear on the leaves of the bush in the form of brown spots.

Camellias feel comfortable in diffused shade. Therefore, it is better to choose a place for it near the wall of the house or fence. Large trees that provide light shade can protect against the piercing wind. It is good if the light falls on the bush in the afternoon. For delicate flowers, frosts are not as dangerous as the burning morning sun. Abrupt thawing causes discoloration of the petals. They turn brown. Therefore, the plots located in the south and east of the backyard are not suitable for the plant. In the north, the flower may not have enough light to set flower buds.

Although the plant does not like drafts and strong winds, access fresh air he needs it. It is not worth planting it in remote places, closed on all sides by buildings or large trees.

In order for camellia to lay flower buds, it needs an air temperature of 17-20 degrees and daylight hours over 13 hours. Being in deep shade in summer and early autumn, the shrub will not form flower buds. Camellia blooms when daylight hours are reduced.

The shrub loves moist, well-drained soil. He will be uncomfortable in a lowland where rain or melt water collects. In such conditions, the roots of the plant can rot.

Camellia prefer acidic soils (pH 4.5-5). Japanese camellia is especially demanding in this respect. Flowers tolerate soil acidification below pH 4 and below.

Plant selection and planting

It will not be difficult for an experienced gardener and even a beginner to care for a garden camellia flower, planting and caring for it does not require special efforts... The peak of active flower growth occurs in April and July-August. During this period, it is better not to touch it. Most often, the transplant is carried out in late autumn, immediately after the appearance of the first flowers. You can also do this in May and early June.

For planting, it is better to choose a bush that is at least 4 years old. Its stems should be woody. You need to make sure that the specimen you like will withstand the climatic conditions on the personal plot. If in doubt, it is best to plant the plant in a tub first. This will allow you to move the flower indoors if necessary.

It is advisable to prepare the soil mixture for the camellia yourself. Garden land rarely meets the requirements of the plant. The composition of the substrate can be prepared from peat (1 part), sand (0.5 part), leaf (1 part) and coniferous soil (1 part). The shrub is planted in ready-made soils for camellias. They contain high moor peat, vermiculite, sand and crushed bark.

The planting hole should be twice as wide and deeper than the earthen root ball. A drainage layer of sand and broken red brick or crushed stone is laid on its bottom.

When transplanting, you need to try not to damage the roots of the bush. They are very fragile and easily damaged. It is important to position them correctly in the hole. The root collar of the plant should be at ground level. If it is buried and covered with soil, the flower will die.

After planting, the near-stem area is mulched with dry grass, sawdust, peat, crushed bark or coniferous needles. A layer of mulch helps to retain moisture and maintains the acidity of the soil. In the fall, before the first frost, the mulch layer is doubled. He will protect root system from frost, if there is little snow. When mulching, it is important to leave the root collar of the shrub open.

You can pinch the plant during transplanting to make it more branchy. Camellia should be transplanted no more than 1 time in several years.

Watering the bush

Camellia roots must be constantly moisturized, so the plant must be watered regularly. Rare and abundant watering will not allow him to feel comfortable. But it is not necessary to moisten the soil too often. Severe drying out of the soil and its waterlogging will lead to the fact that the camellia flowers will fall off. With prolonged drought, the plant may shed its leaves.

Moistening is carried out immediately after the earthen lump dries up. When watering, you should avoid getting water on the flowers. In winter, the frequency and abundance of watering are reduced. It is allowed only at positive temperatures.

The shrub does not tolerate a high concentration of calcium in the irrigation water. Therefore, you should use tap water that has stood for several days.

Top dressing camellia

Garden camellia needs feeding in spring time when new shoots are formed. It is carried out all summer every 2 weeks. Before applying fertilizers, it is imperative to moisten the soil.

For feeding, you can use combined fertilizers containing phosphorus and nitrogen components in combination with trace elements (sulfur, potassium, boron, molybdenum, manganese, copper, zinc, iron). The mixture should not contain calcium and magnesium. They are present in tap water... With an excess of these microelements, the soil becomes alkaline. You need to apply to the soil 2 times less amount of fertilizers than indicated on their label.

At the end of summer, it is advisable to add granulated chicken droppings to the soil. You should not fertilize the plants later. Top dressing in the fall can delay hibernation and cause further shoot growth. As a result, young specimens that are not prepared for winter may die during frosts.

Pruning, diseases and pests

Shrub pruning is done to give it the desired shape. You can form a tree out of it, hedge or a shape. Old plants are renewed by pruning. Withered flowers can be removed to maintain decorative look bush. It will not be possible to do such pruning on large, luxuriantly flowering specimens.

Plants are pruned after the end of the flowering period, but before the growth of new shoots. As a rule, branches are cut in mid-March. If a heavy pruning is done, the plant needs to be well moisturized for a month afterwards. It is advisable not only to water the soil regularly, but also to spray the foliage.

With proper care, camellia is rarely affected by diseases and pests. It can be affected by aphids and spider mites. Aphids are washed off the leaves with soapy water, and spider mite- oil based emulsion.

With viral lesions, white spots appear on the leaves, branches and flowers. The infection is not dangerous for the camellia. Sometimes a plant is deliberately infested to give it an unusual mottled appearance.

Breeding technique

The most simple and in a convenient way reproduction is cuttings. It allows you to preserve all the characteristics of the varietal plant. Cuttings about 7 cm long are cut from half-stiff shoots current year from late spring to mid-summer. The cut is made oblique, and bottom sheet removed.

Cut shoots are treated with a root formation stimulator (Kornevin) and planted in a substrate from turf, sand and peat, taken in equal proportions. The recommended air temperature for rooting is 20 degrees. The process takes about 50 days. Rooted plants are protected from direct sunlight and are often sprayed. They are transplanted into large containers for the second and third years. Camellia tree, grown from seeds, will bloom in 3-4 years.

The seeds are planted in a mixture of peat and sand and kept at a temperature of 20-22 degrees until sprouts appear. The soil needs to be moistened regularly. The development of young plants can take a year. They are very vulnerable. Bushes will bloom for 5-8 years.

Her garden camellia is compared to a rose, balsam and even ranunculus. Yes, they are similar, but this plant is a shrub that blooms all season and does not shed its foliage for the winter. It is these qualities that are loved by flower growers who are engaged in growing a flower on their site. Want to try? It is necessary to study the features of planting and the basics of care, because the agricultural technology of growing camellia differs from the agricultural technology of growing other crops. Choose a variety from the photo, and make out the front garden!

Description of garden camellia: species and varieties obtained from them

Camellia came to Europe from China, Korea and Japan, where this flower is deified, attributing to it healing properties... In the wild, it grows on the edges of the forest, near water bodies, therefore it is picky about watering and loves diffused light.

There are 3 types of garden camellia:

oilseed, the peculiarity of which is autumn bloom and height up to 10 m. Real tree !;
mountain, which is a spreading bush with simple flowers. Height - up to 5 m;
Japanese, characterized by large flowers (there are double options), rich dark foliage and compact bush.

It is from japanese camellia many hybrid varieties have been created that are used by flower growers. Their advantage is a long flowering period, frost resistance and a variety of flowers (bud shape, size and color). Attention can be drawn to the varieties:

General Colletti - deep scarlet double flowers with white streaks;

General Colletti

Freedom Bell is an upright shrub with excellent pruning tolerance. Feature - coral flowers;

Hagoromo is a low-growing bush (up to 1.5 m) with milky flowers. Attracts with sophistication and nobility.

Interesting! Do you love delicious and aromatic tea? Not only dried leaves, but camellia flowers are great for this. Add a little mint, linden - and you get such an exotic composition!

Reproduction and planting of camellia, or nothing is impossible

Deciding to decorate with an exotic shrub own plot, you need to purchase a bush in a container or grow it yourself. This is a task that even a novice florist can handle.

Shrub propagation: simple ways

In order to get a camellia, you must either buy or ask a neighbor for several young shoots. Camellia reproduces in 2 ways:

Seeds. This method is laborious, and the plants lose their varietal characteristics. But for the sake of experiment, you can try. To do this, the seeds need to be laid out in pots 5-7 cm in diameter (substrate - peat + sand + humus), take care of watering, enough light and humidity. In the phase of 4 true leaves, transplant into a large container.
Cuttings. They are cut from green young shoots (only the tops!), Rooted in a standard way... When the plant grows, they are transplanted into containers with a capacity of 2-3 liters.

Attention! Young plants obtained by any of the methods must be grown for 4 years. For this, the temperature in the room during the winter period should not fall below 8-10ºC.

Planting camellia: features

So you got the plant. You need to give him life, that is, to land him in open ground... And then do not forget about watering, lighting and feeding.

In order to plant a camellia beauty, you must:

pick up a place. The best option is a well-lit area (but the one where half of the day is sun, half is shade is quite suitable), sheltered from the winds, that is, the area near the fence or MAF;

Camellia responds well to mulching

pay attention to the soil. Garden camellia, unlike many other residents of the site, prefers acidic soils... This can be achieved by applying special organic and mineral fertilizers;
dig a hole, which will be 2 times larger than the earthen lump of the plant. Camellia roots are fragile and delicate, so planting should be done carefully. With proper care, the bush will grow in 14-21 days;
water the plant after planting and mulch with humus, sawdust or straw. This will give the roots the necessary moisture and protect the soil from weathering;
shade from direct sunlight in the first week of growth.

It remains to provide the shrub with proper care and enjoy a healthy plant!

Camellia care: TOP-5 rules

Camellia care is watering, fertilizing, protection from pests and diseases. But each of the points has its own characteristics. Here - general information and specific points. They are as follows:

Fresh air, but no wind. It is better to save the bush and protect it by planting powerful trees nearby.
Bright light, but it is not direct sunlight, but scattered light. You can stretch a special shading net over young plants.

Camellia bush

Watering. Uniform and regular is what he wants overseas beauty... An excellent solution to maintain the health of camellia is to spray the leaves with settled warm water.
Pruning and sheltering for the winter. The first, which can be carried out both in spring and autumn, will help form a compact and interesting bush; the second is to protect the plant from freezing in the absence of snow and the presence of frosty winds.
Top dressing with mineral and organic fertilizers. Camellia, in return, will delight you with amicable and abundant flowering throughout the season.

Pest / disease preparations "plus" feeding: on the way to a healthy shrub

This is not to say that camellia is too susceptible to disease. The only ones are fungal, which can be seen on the leaves: they turn yellow, turn brown, dry and fall off. Any fungicide for flowers purchased from a specialized store will help here.

Pests rarely disturb the shrub, but spider mites and even aphids can be seen during dry periods. In the fight against them will help drugs "Akarin", "Fitoverm" and the like.

However, the best remedy for pests and diseases is prevention, which includes not only proper care for the plant, but also top dressing. The flower will be grateful for fertilizers that acidify the soil. An excellent solution can be those fertilizers that are for.

Camellia goes well with other plants in the garden

Combinations with other plants, or flawless landscaping

Camellia will look great with any flowers, shrubs and even trees in the garden, harmonizing with the rich green shade of the foliage and striking the beauty of large flowers when flowering is no longer typical for many. The only condition is soil acidity, which is difficult to achieve in mass plantings.