Camellia - flowering tea bushes. The anatomical structure of the leaf

Camellia (Camellia) belongs to the tea family. AT vivo grows in Japan, China, Korea, India, Indonesia, Java and Sumatra. Camellia got its name from the name of the Moravian naturalist G.I. Kamelius, who first brought this plant to Europe in the second half of the 18th century. Blooms in winter and early spring, depending on the species.

What does a camellia flower look like: photo and description of a shrub

Camellia as indoor flower is a small beautiful evergreen shrub or small tree with leathery, elliptical leaves. In garden conditions, the minimum growth of the shrub is 1.5 m, and the tree can reach 20 m in height. The branched stems become woody very quickly, become bare, and instead of their green color, they acquire a gray or light brown color. The leaves on the shoots grow alternately, one after another. They are short-stalked and may be oval or ovoid in shape with an elongated end. The surface is smooth and glossy. As you can see in the photo, the leaves of the camellia plant have a rich dark green color and are slightly folded along the relief central vein:

The size of the leaf plate can vary between 3 - 17 cm in length. There is slight pubescence along the veins.

This is a fairly popular plant among flower growers, as camellia flowers usually look very attractive, somewhat reminiscent of roses.

The diameter of the flowers is from miniature (6 cm) to large (up to 12-14 cm), red, white or pink, with 5-7 petals. There are camellias with double and variegated flowers. However, they are on the bush for no longer than one month. Most varieties are odorless. The bases of the petals fold into a tube. They can be located both in 1 and in several tiers, forming a lush bud. Each individual petal has a round or broad oval shape with a wavy edge. In the description of camellia flowering, a large number of stamens are also distinguished. yellow color, which are placed in the center of each flower. In most cases, the color of the petals is monophonic, but variegated varieties have also been bred.

You can see in the photo that the camellia looks like an ordinary bush after the petals fall:

However, fruits are formed in their place - dry seed pods, divided into 5 compartments. The seeds that are in them quickly lose their germination capacity, since there are peculiar oils in their structure.

A variety of species and varieties of camellia flower: photo and description of plants

Types of such a flower as camellia have a fairly wide variety and differ from each other not only in the color of the inflorescences, but also in size and shape.

Popular types:

Japanese camellia (S. japonica);

Camellia mountain (C. sasanqua) - grows slowly, blooms in late winter - early spring;

Camellia sinensis (C. sinensis).

Many terry varieties have been bred.

camellia japonica (C. japonica). This type of camellia plant is considered the most decorative among the rest and is valued by flower growers because of the very beautiful flowers. It is an evergreen shrub that blooms profusely. Its dark green leaves are covered with a thin skin.

You can see from the photo that this type of camellia blooms in the winter, which especially highlights the bright buds against the background of snow. AT room conditions the plant grows up to 1 m in height. Its flowers are double, with a variety of colors.

Camellia "Guilio Nuccio". This is a variety of Japanese camellia, which is distinguished by a rich raspberry-pink color of flowers and not very large sizes. Oval-shaped petals are folded in two rows.

Camellia "Lady Campbell". This variety is highly valued for its high hardiness. It can withstand a short drop in temperature to -20°C without consequences. Because of this, it is ideal both as a room and as a garden plant. The size of this shrub can reach no more than 2 m in height. It branches very strongly and forms a fairly wide and lush plant. Peony-like flowers can be up to 10 cm in diameter.

Camellia 'Japonica nobilissima'. Quite a tall bush, which in its natural environment can reach 2 m in height. In room conditions, the plant, of course, is much lower. Flowering of this variety falls on the period from December to January. The snow-white flowers stand out very favorably against the dark green background of the leaves.

Camellia 'Brushfield Yellow'. You can see in the photo that this variety of camellia is different unusual flowers with a double color - a cream-colored core surrounded by snow-white petals. This shrub has relatively small size- He never reaches a height above 1.5 m.

camellia sinensis (C. sinensis). As can be seen from the photo, the description of this camellia differs in many ways from the previous species - this tree plant, sometimes small in size, which, however, can reach 20 m in height. As you know, this representative is the same Chinese tea tree. Since ancient times, this species has been used exclusively for practical purposes - a special preparation was prepared from its leaves. medicinal tea. However, now more flower growers are paying attention to lush bloom trees. Large inflorescences of white or yellowish color have a slightly noticeable mesh surface. The leaves of this species can reach a size of up to 14 cm in length and 4 cm in width.

Camellia mountain (C. sasanqua). This camellia as a houseplant is quite small and looks good indoors. This species has branched, mashed shoots covered with smooth green or green bark. Brown. The edges of the leaves are serrated, and their surface is slightly pubescent along the central vein. The plant can form small inflorescences with 3 buds, and can produce single flowers. The color of flowers can be varied - from red and pink to white. Several are derived from this species. ornamental varieties which are especially resistant to low air temperatures. They thrive best in cool rooms.

Camellia hybrid Williams (Camellia x williamsii). This plant is especially popular in Europe. This is due to the ease of cultivation and the tolerance of the bush to the climatic conditions of temperate latitudes. A distinctive feature of this camellia is that after the flowers wither, it completely discards the buds.

Optimal home conditions for growing camellia and plant care video

Growing camellia at home requires not only care, but also providing the plant optimal conditions environment.

Camellia is a light-loving plant, but direct sunlight is highly undesirable. Best of all, the flower will feel on the eastern or western windowsill. If you place a camellia near the north window, or in the back of the room, it will suffer from a lack of lighting. If the pot with this plant is placed on the windowsill on the south side of the house, then in the sunny time of the day, care must be taken to shade the flower. In order for the crown of the shrub to grow evenly and not to stretch in one direction, you can turn the pot from time to time. However, during the formation of flowering, changing the position of the pot is highly discouraged. In response to stressful influences, the plant may drop buds. As you can see in the video, caring for camellia in the warm season does not require high costs energy and the flower can be taken out into the fresh air:

However, it is important to monitor the absence of drafts and direct sunlight. This plant will feel good in daylight conditions with a length of 12 hours. AT winter time year when daylight does not last such a long period, it is necessary to place a fluorescent lamp near the flower.

In winter, the room temperature should not exceed 10-12 °C. Avoid drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations. When buds appear, the temperature should be raised to 16 -17 ᵒС. The flower feels best at 18 - 20 ᵒС. In a room that is too warm, the camellia will begin to drop buds. Also, flowering may begin earlier than usual, and the quality of the flowers will deteriorate dramatically. The flower does not like stale air, so the room must be ventilated from time to time. In this case, the plant should not be allowed to remain in the draft.

Loose, permeable soil works best. The substrate is leafy, soddy and coniferous soil, peat, sand (2:2:2:1:1). The soil must be acidic.

The plant is suitable for cool bright rooms, winter gardens.

How to grow a lush camellia bush at home

Many novice flower growers do not know how to properly care for home camellias, and make mistakes that can lead to the death of a flower. However, in order for the plant to live long and bloom well, you need to follow just a few simple tips.

The abundance of watering depends on the air temperature - the hotter, the more water the flower needs. Every time between humidifications top part an earthen coma with a depth of 1 - 2 cm should have time to dry completely. However, the soil should not be allowed to dry out completely, as this will harm the plant, and it will begin to shed its leaves. Waterlogging is also highly undesirable - in this case, the substrate will turn sour and the flowers will fall off, and the leaves will become covered with brown spots. Recommended watering room temperature. The water must be free of lime. In July - August, watering is reduced. Moderate in winter.

When growing and caring for a camellia bush, it is important to provide it with a sufficient level of humidity, since it experiences extremely hard dry conditions. To do this, you need to regularly spray the flower. It is best to do this at a low light intensity, otherwise the leaves may burn. For this purpose, settled water at room temperature is used. If the camellia is in bloom, it is important to ensure that water droplets do not fall on the flowers during spraying, as this will lead to their rapid withering. Also, the humidity of the air around the plant can be increased by placing the pot on a pallet with wet pebbles.

Camellia flower care, both at home and in the garden, provides for regular feeding in order to provide the plant with all the necessary nutrients. With the beginning of growth, mineral fertilizers are applied without admixture of lime. They need to be diluted at the rate of 1 gram of fertilizer per 1 liter of water. With the advent of buds, top dressing should be stopped.

In order to grow a lush camellia bush at home, it, like all houseplants, must be replanted periodically. Considering that with the advent of spring, most camellia varieties are still in full bloom, transplantation is usually carried out at the beginning of winter. This must be done every 2 to 3 years for adult plants and every year for young ones. The pot must be chosen a few centimeters larger than the previous one. The root system of this plant is very fragile and it is very easy to damage it during transplantation. Therefore, they do not completely get rid of the old earthy coma, since after that the flower will hurt for a very long time. The best option will get rid of only a small part of the old soil and simply transfer the plant to a new pot. It is imperative to put a thick layer of drainage on the bottom, which will not allow excess moisture to stagnate in the ground. For this, expanded clay or broken brick is used. After transshipment, the remaining between the walls and the old earthy clod empty space is covered with fresh substrate. The root neck of the plant must be placed on the surface of the soil. Care after planting a camellia is a little different from the usual - at first, it is necessary to water the plant quite rarely and very carefully.

In theory, given plant does not need pruning, but this procedure can be carried out in order to give the flower a decorative effect. If you want to get a profusely flowering bush with a large crown, you can cut the shoots a little, which after that will branch much better. It is necessary to carry out this procedure after the flowering of camellia. In the event that there are too many flowers on the bush, the plant may get sick, since it takes a lot of effort to form them. In this case, it is better to cut off the extra buds, leaving about 3 flowers per shoot.

If the pot is constantly moved, the plant may drop buds.

Camellia flower propagation: how to root cuttings

The reproduction of a flower such as camellia is carried out with the help of seeds and apical cuttings, which take root easily. Seeds are rarely used.

Reproduction of camellia using cuttings can be carried out in the summer season - July-June, as well as in winter, but it is worth remembering that in this case the development of the plant will last a little longer. To obtain cuttings, it is necessary to cut off several shoots from the top branches. Stems that have already developed bark are best, but green ones can also be used. In order to root camellia, you need to place the cuttings in pots with sandy-peat soil or perlite as soon as possible. After that, the shoots cover plastic bag or a jar to help maintain high humidity. Containers should be placed in a bright room with a temperature of 20 - 25 ° C. From time to time it is necessary to ventilate the cuttings, spraying and watering them at the same time. In order for the root system to have time to fully form, 1.5 - 2 months should pass. After that, you can remove the shelter from the plant.

Growing camellia: how to plant seeds correctly to grow a beautiful bush

To grow beautiful bush camellias with the help of seeds, you need to carefully select the variety of the plant, since such reproduction will ensure the successful production of decorative specimens of far from all varieties.

It is necessary to plant camellia seeds as soon as they are fully ripe and suitable for sowing. To do this, you need to place them in disposable cups with loose garden soil and cover with glass or polyethylene. Containers should be placed in a well-lit place with a temperature of 20 - 23°C. The substrate is constantly sprayed with settled water. It will be correct to plant a camellia in a new pot after 2 full leaves have appeared on the plant.

At home, growing camellias using seeds is not recommended, since this method is usually used exclusively for breeding purposes.

Treatment of camellia diseases and how to get rid of pests (with photo)

As you know, camellia diseases are most often caused by care errors, and each symptom can indicate what exactly the plant lacks.

If the flower began to fade, the leaves became covered with brown spots, and the buds fall off, then most likely the reason for this is the decay of the root system. It can also be detected during transplantation. The roots begin to rot when the soil is waterlogged, when the moisture turns sour. Excessive watering can produce a particularly detrimental effect at low air temperatures.

As can be seen in the photo, in order to treat this camellia disease, the plant must be transplanted as soon as possible into new ground, which passes air and moisture well, while removing all damaged areas. After transplanting, you need to leave the flower alone for a few days. It is not necessary to water it this time - you can get by with a simple spraying of the leaves. Many inexperienced growers try to save a rotting camellia by reducing watering, but it’s worth warning right away that this method works quite rarely, and only if the damage is still very weak.

If the plant generally feels good, but at the same time, the leaves began to appear brown spots, then Camellia received the fastest sunburn. In this case, care must be taken to shade the flower from direct sunlight. Also, burns can occur when spraying foliage at lunchtime.

At the same time, brown spots indicate the appearance of such a disease as phyllostictosis. It appears if the humidity in the room with camellia is too high. In order to get rid of this disease, it is necessary to process the foliage blue vitriol. Damaged areas plants are removed. After that, it is important to take care of the resumption of the normal microclimate in the room.

It happens that the camellia suddenly begins to shed its leaves. This can happen as a result of prolonged drying of the earthen coma. You can fix this by gently resuming proper watering.

If grayish spots appear on the plant, then most likely the cause of this is a disease such as oidium. You can get rid of it by using sulfur or fungicidal preparations.

If at the same time symptoms such as black-gray spots on the leaves and brownish spots on the petals appear, followed by falling flowers, then the problem lies in the appearance of some fungal diseases. In order to heal the flower, fungicides can be used, but this will only help with a low degree of damage. Otherwise, it is better to throw the flower away, as the disease can migrate to other plants.

Due to the dryness of the air in the room or frequent movement, the camellia sheds buds.

Many camellia diseases are caused, which can usually be detected even with the naked eye. For example, if on the stems and leaves of a flower appeared white coating, it's a mealybug. Clearly visible large areas of white accumulations must be wiped with a cloth dipped in soapy water. Hard-to-reach can be obtained with alcohol-soaked gauze wound on a stick. With a strong lesion, the flower must be treated several times with karbofos.

One of the common pests found on camellias is aphids, due to which the leaves of the plant curl and become covered. yellow spots. For treatment, it is necessary to treat the bush with special aerosols. However, they only kill adult insects, so the procedure must be repeated several times every 2 to 3 days.

In conditions of dry air, a flower can settle spider mite. It is easy to detect it - with the help of clusters of white cobwebs on leaves and shoots. The bright red mite itself is also a highly visible insect. To get rid of this pest, you can treat the plant with oil emulsions, or chemical aerosols.

Content
plant description
How to care for the camellia growing in the house?
Location and light
watering
Temperature regime
top dressing
How and when to transplant a flower
How to propagate this flower culture?
Possible Growing Problems Plant Description
Camellia, a member of the tea family, is an evergreen shrub plant with bright colors. Its distinctive feature is dense foliage with a glossy surface.
For a long time, camellia, which came to us from Japan, has been one of the most popular indoor flowers. Camellia can rightly be considered a model of perfection, as it has elegantly shaped flowers, painted in numerous shades, which harmoniously complement the juicy green foliage, as can be seen in the photo. And it is not surprising that the second name of the flower is Japanese rose.
Such a shrub can grow at home, reaching a height of about 1.5-2 meters. And in order for this plant to please with its beautiful flowering at any time of the year, it is necessary to create for it the most comfortable conditions. How to care for the camellia growing in the house?
There are several basic requirements that are recommended to be fulfilled so that the camellia growing in a house, apartment or on a veranda develops well, blooms, and is not affected by diseases. And you need to start caring for such a flower with correct selection places in the house for its cultivation. Location and light
The magnificent camellia belongs to light-loving plants. It is recommended to keep such a flower on the windowsills of the western and eastern windows, where there is a lot of scattered and bright light. But in the summer, as well as from exposure to direct sunlight, the shrub must be shaded.
In order for the formation of the crown at home to be carried out evenly, the flower should be periodically rotated around the axis. However, such procedures should be carried out only during the rest period. If you disturb the camellia at the stage of bud formation, it may not bloom at all, dropping all the buds. watering

Japanese rose, camellia, loves regular watering with uniform distribution of moisture over the substrate. The flower does not tolerate waterlogging well, so it is better to pour out excess water from the pan, and water the plant as the top layer of the soil dries up. For watering the plant, it is better to use soft water.
AT summer period(it coincides with the stage of laying buds) it is better to limit watering. At the same time add spraying, twice a day, also applying soft water. Competent care in terms of watering the camellia must be provided in winter. The Japanese rose should be watered much less frequently than usual to avoid root rot. Temperature regime
Not less than important point, which should include care, is the creation of an optimal temperature regime. Moreover, this flower does not belong to heat-loving indoor plants. And for each season it is recommended to create an individual temperature:
in summer it should be readings from +20 to +25 degrees -
in spring (at the stage of bud formation) - this is + 13- + 17 degrees -
in winter - the thermometer readings of + 5- + 8 degrees will be optimal.
In the autumn period, as a rule, a beautiful cameo "falls into hibernation." And so that with the advent of spring she could give new shoots, it is worth keeping in the room where the flower grows, the temperature is about + 15- + 16 degrees. And also remember to limit watering, as previously mentioned. top dressing
Camellia needs to be fed only during the period active growth. Both organic and mineral fertilizers are used to fertilize such a Japanese rose at home.

As some flower growers have noticed, the flower responds well to fertilizers in the form of chicken manure in a low concentration. Before the onset of the bud formation phase, top dressing should be stopped. How and when to transplant a flower
Caring for camellia growing in domestic conditions does not bypass the process of transplanting it. Transplantation is not particularly difficult, but it has certain nuances.
For transplanting, you will need to prepare a new container and suitable soil.
As a substrate, oxidized soil diluted with humus is suitable. It is poured into a pot after a layer of drainage is laid out at the bottom. Suitable for growing camellias at home is considered the usual soil mixture intended for planting azaleas.
When transplanting too deep into the ground, the plant does not need to be sealed. Enough to arrange root system flower on the same level as the soil (see photo). A transplant is necessary for a camellia if the plant has grown noticeably and the current pot has become noticeably small. If the soil is hyperacidity, it is not suitable for growing camellias in it, and as a result, the foliage of the flower will begin to turn yellow and even fall off. In such cases, a transplant is also recommended. How to propagate this flower culture?
Camellia propagates in one of the following ways:
Seeds-
cuttings.
With the first method of reproduction, the flowering stage can be expected no earlier than in 5-6 years. And care should be more thorough. Therefore, this method is less popular, unlike the second.
With the help of cuttings, it is possible to have a camellia in 2 years, which will be ready for bud formation and flowering. Semi-lignified shoots of an adult plant are used as cuttings. It is recommended to cut them in May and early June. The suitability of shoots for use for propagation can be determined by their color, as a rule, they should be brown, approximately the same as in the photo.
Learn more about the breeding process room camellia a video clip containing advice from experienced flower growers will help.
Potential Growing Problems
Camellia growing at home can be subject to various diseases. Often the cause of the disease is inadequate care.
Diseases that can harm a plant include:
Oidium. This is a disease, the signs of which are gray spots appearing on the plant. As a treatment, treatments are carried out using a soap solution -
Cucumber mosaic, to which it is most susceptible japanese rose- camellia. You can recognize such a disease by the condition of the leaves - their veins will begin to turn yellow ( good example symptom in the photo). And as a means to help in the fight against such a disease, it is recommended to use insecticides -
Diseases are fungal, manifested in small spots of gray, black or brown on the foliage. Help in the fight against them drugs-fungicides-
Among other things, the plant needs to be cared for in terms of pruning. Such a procedure is carried out to activate the growth and development of axillary buds. A suitable period for pruning is the beginning of October - the end of November.
But it is worth remembering that camellia refers to poisonous plants. Therefore, all procedures for the care, transplantation and pruning of camellias at home should be carried out using gloves.

Distributed in the southern tropics from Japan to the Philippines, camellia rules the evergreen forests in the southern regions of Russia. Gorgeous and sophisticated, you can't help but like it. Its flowers, vaguely reminiscent of roses, amaze the imagination with their regal beauty. Camellia, a very demanding crop to grow on suburban area some knowledge is required, but responsive to care and feeding, the princess will reward with a long festive fireworks of flowers. Giving a luxurious garden needs care and attention.

Evergreen camellia: description

The genus camellia of the tea family has up to 80 varieties, which are or trees. The decoration of the shrub are leaves - glossy, leathery oval, pointed single or fused at the base, as well as flowers of all shades of white-pink-purple. Many species are widely distributed due to their high decorative qualities. Camellia bush garden blooms in winter, when the thermometer does not exceed 12 ° C. The duration of flowering of the shrub is also surprising. It is from 1 to 3 months. Each flower is able not to fade for about a month. On this amazing appear in winter at the ends of the shoots. Blooming garden camellia, the photo of which is presented, is a festive and solemn spectacle. It is able to radically change any, even the most dull and unpromising site. That is why landscape designers have camellia on a high pedestal. These magnificent shrubs are invaluable in landscaping interiors, creating park and garden compositions. Most interesting object in the creation of landscape masterpieces, it is considered garden - or shrub, reaching 10-15 m in height, common in the subtropical forests of Japan and China. A distinctive feature of the Japanese camellia is the presence of large red single flowers located in the axils and on the tops of the branches. Flowering is spectacular and long-lasting. In culture, there are up to 1000 different garden forms and varieties with a variety of double and semi-double flowers with a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. The Japanese camellia is photophilous, but also tolerates slight shading.

Camellia garden: planting and care

The easiest way to propagate camellias is by seeds. Usually freshly harvested seeds are sown, the germination rate of which is 80-90%. They are not stored, as they are rapidly losing their ability to germinate. Ideal ground for sowing is a mixture of river sand with peat in equal proportions. To accelerate the germination of seeds, the air in the room where the seedlings are grown is heated to + 22 ° C. Seedlings germinate and take root throughout the year. It should be remembered that the resulting young seedlings are characterized by a low level of resistance to adverse effects, however, when quality care they develop intensively, increasing the degree of winter hardiness, which distinguishes camellia garden. Care and cultivation ends with flowering, which usually occurs in the fifth or seventh year, sometimes after 2-3 years.

Reproduction by cuttings

For propagation of varietal camellias, the vegetative method is more suitable - by apical cuttings, on which shoots of the current year with two or three internodes with developed axillary and apical buds are selected. The size of the cuttings is purely individual, ranging from 3 to 12 cm and depends on the variety of camellia. They are cut in July or August. From the bottom of the handle under the axillary bud, the most oblique cut is made, the bottom sheet is also cut off. To increase the likelihood of rooting, the cuttings are placed in a solution of stimulants for 5-7 hours and planted in clean river sand, covered with glass or film. An important condition for rooting is to maintain a constant temperature in the region of 23-27 ° C. Rooting takes a long time - up to one and a half - two months. Treatment with a stimulant significantly increases the rooting rate and forms a powerful root system of the plant.

Preparing the soil for planting in a permanent place

Camellia bush garden - amateur acidic soils. Fertile and permeable soils are especially suitable for planting this shrub. When planting, it is important to remember: camellias should not be too deep, its root neck should be flush with the ground. Once a year, the shrub needs top dressing. The best fertilizer for camellia is organic. At the end of summer, when the plant begins to form buds for flowering next year, the camellia is fertilized with humus, chicken manure. Later, you do not need to feed the shrub, as the buds may fall off. Necessary condition good development plants is mulching with leaf humus, grass, chopped bark or wood chips, that is, everything that ensures the preservation of soil acidity and moisture at the roots. When mulching, it is necessary to leave the root collar open, otherwise the camellia may rot.

Watering

Good development resulting from proper cultivation will appreciate garden camellia. Planting and care, as well as proper irrigation contribute to
rapid growth plants. Regular watering should be provided in all seasons. In summer, water more generously, given weather and landing site. If the summer turned out to be hot and dry, it is necessary to spray the shrub. In cool winter time, watering is more careful and infrequent.

Camellia Care

Camellias grow well in moist and temperate climate. They are quite winter-hardy and withstand frosts down to -20°C, they prefer shading, and in areas with dry hot summers - a shady location. Camellias especially like to be located next to a fence, wall or other higher culture, that is, a support that protects from winds and bright sun. Unusual flowering time of the plant: autumn - winter - early spring. These are the biological features of this genus: for the formation of high-quality buds and the flowering of shrubs, short daylight hours and coolness are required. Comfortable air temperature for laying flower buds is 18-20 ° C, for flowering - 8-12 ° C. Camellias love diffused light, but not direct bright sunlight. Flowering representatives of the tea family are not afraid of night frosts, but when the flowers thaw quickly in the morning sun, they lose their appearance and die. Therefore, camellias are usually not planted on the eastern slopes.

pruning

Form a camellia crown in the spring, pinching the tops of the shoots. This is done in order to better branch camellia garden. Landing and is not a complex operation. In late autumn, to ensure the stimulation of the growth of axillary buds, pruning of the shoots is necessary. Repeating this operation annually, you can achieve excellent decorative and flowering bush.

Pests and diseases

Unfortunately, pests and diseases do not bypass camellias. It is often affected by fungi, aphids and worms. fungal diseases are manifested by the appearance of gray and black spots on the leaves and brown on the flowers. A diseased plant cannot be restored, so it is better to remove it and burn it.

Incredible joy is given by the garden camellia, amazing in beauty and duration of flowering. Planting and caring for this culture is not as burdensome as it is written in many publications, but it is impossible to restrain emotions, looking at the regal decoration of a magnificent tree.

Camellia ornamental plant is an evergreen shrub that grows mainly in Asian region where a subtropical climate prevails. It is grown to decorate an apartment or a personal plot, as well as for the manufacture of homeopathic remedies. Despite quite capricious character camellias, adhering to the rules for caring for the plant, in the future you can enjoy the view of luxurious buds.

Description and features

According to botanical taxonomy, this exotic plant, which has an evergreen crown and is ideal for growing indoors, belongs to the Tea family. Carry out the cultivation of both tree-like and shrubby forms of camellia, which are bred in order to obtain exquisite flowers or ornamental deciduous plants.

Elliptical-shaped leaves, which, as a rule, have blunt or pointed ends, have a leathery glossy surface. They usually grow singly.

Camellia flowers are characterized by a large number of stamens, around which are white, pink or red petals, fused at the base. The flowering of each flower lasts at least a month. In total, the camellia is able to delight with its flowers, similar to lush roses, approximately three months, which distinguishes it favorably from many ornamental plants. The fruit is a dry capsule consisting of 5 compartments with 8 seeds.

A distinctive feature of the camellia, which makes it attractive to flower growers, is two periods of growth. Thanks to this feature, the plant has the ability to develop faster. AT winter period, closer to spring, the houseplant actively grows shoots and foliage, and in summer, when the camellia blooms, after the second phase of growth, the formation of vegetative buds begins.

To all my appearance beautiful flowers encourage you to smell them. Unfortunately, they do not emit a marvelous aroma - the smell is practically absent.

Popular types

If you look into the botanical reference book, it turns out that today more than 100 species of plants of the camellia genus are known. Through the efforts of breeders from all over the world, a huge number of unusual varieties have been created that differ in size, leaf shape, and bud color. To breed many modern camellia varieties grown at home and in the garden, were used most common plant species, namely:

Chamedorea flower: cultivation and care at home

Other types of camellia are also widely used. These include:

1. Camellia saluensis (Camellia saluenensis).
2. Camellia oilseed (Camellia oleifera).
3. Camellia reticulata (Camellia reticulata).
4. Camellia sasanqua (Camellia sasanqua).

Reproduction methods

It is not so easy to grow this whimsical plant on your own - you need to know all the intricacies of caring for an evergreen crop. There are several ways to breed camellia. At home, they mainly practice growing from seeds and propagating by cuttings, but the use of such a vegetative method as grafting is also allowed.

Sowing seeds

A soil mixture with an acidic environment is required, for example, a peat substrate. The seeds themselves are quite large in size, and their strong shell is a bit like a nutshell. To speed up and facilitate germination, the seeds should be doused with hot water and try to carefully break the integrity of the shell by making a small crack in it with the tip of a knife.

At the next stage, the seeds should be planted in deep cups with a diameter of 8-10 cm. Having filled the container with soil by two-thirds, the seed material is placed there, and sprinkled with a substrate on top. Finishing layer - 2 cm perlite or vermiculite. The main thing is that at the same time the tops of the seeds are a little visible.

An important note: there is a depression on the surface of the seeds, which must be placed below so that the roots of the plant can easily come out from there. As soon as the sprouts begin to break through, you should not rush to dive the seedlings into separate containers - you need to wait until two or three full-fledged leaves appear.

If the window sill is roomy, then you can immediately plant the seeds one at a time, so as not to resort to picking. After two weeks, start feeding seedlings mineral fertilizers that stimulate growth. Landing in a permanent pot is done when the roots become cramped in a temporary cup.

Creation beautiful flowerbed at the cottage with their own hands

With the help of cuttings

For breeding indoor and garden varieties camellias in winter and summer, you can use not yet stiffened apical cuttings. To do this, cut off a small stem with several leaves, then soak it in a solution of heteroauxin - a powerful plant growth stimulator. Prepared cuttings are planted in boxes where peat and sand were previously poured.

To planting material rooted, it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the region of 18−22 degrees. Now the cuttings need to be regularly sprayed, and also do not forget to water the soil. The roots should germinate after about two months, and the young shoots are seated in separate containers. For some time, the cuttings are watered abundantly, and after the root system is formed, as needed.

plant grafting

Rooting of individual varieties of camellia when propagated by cuttings occurs with difficulty. In this case, they are propagated by grafting, using the tops of shoots with well-developed buds. Rooting occurs in bowls or pots, sphagnum and sand are used as a substrate in equal proportions.

Vaccination is carried out by copulation in butt or split. As practice shows, plants grafted in the butt demonstrate a higher survival rate.

Home care

Graceful, but at the same time capricious camellia needs special care. To create a favorable habitat for the plant, be sure to pay attention to the following points.

Camellia is a large shrub or tree when grown in open field, endowed with a porous crown, reaching more than 2 meters. Far from all gardeners will be able to grow a flower at home, since a bush that blooms in winter does not take root too readily in room conditions.

Nevertheless, the wayward charmer is very popular, thanks to the flowers of an exotic look and the presence of useful qualities that are applicable as decorative elements interiors, as well as practical and beneficial.

blooming camellia

Refers to evergreen, ornamental flowering shrubs from the Theaceae family - Tea. In the natural environment, most of the varieties are found in regions where the tropical and subtropical climate prevails. So meet blooming camellia you can in Southeast and Central Asia, Indochina, Japan, the Philippine Islands and the island of Java.

Today, there are about 250 species of amazing trees. One of the most famous varieties is the Chinese camellia or tea bush, thanks to the foliage of which original variety tea. Some of the varieties are grown only indoors or for decorating some areas.
It is very popular as it blooms for a long time in winter.

Characteristics and description of Camellia

Camellia is a flower that can be either a shrub or a tree. In height it reaches from 2 to 20 meters. Endowed with simple elliptical or broadly ovate and oblong-ovate leathery leaves.

camellia bonsai

The glossy leaves, arranged in several pieces on short petioles, can be either pointed or blunt. Their length, depending on the variety, varies from 3 to 17 cm.

In their circumference, single flowers vary from 1 to 10 cm. The petals fused at the base are painted in pink, red, white or variegated, and are also decorated with many stamens. The flowering of the tree begins with the onset of cold weather, if the air temperature does not exceed +12 degrees.

You can enjoy bright colors from 1 to 3 months. After they wither, fruits are formed, which are a dry box with five compartments, in which no more than 8 seedlings are formed.

Some of the varieties are valued by gardeners due to their evergreen crown and flowers blooming with cold weather. They decorate rooms and parks, giving them rich green hues.

With the help of the foliage of the hybrid Japanese-Chinese eugenol camellia, they create essential oil, which includes 97% eugenol.

What types of flower are found

Cameli at home is grown only a few species. Among them:

• Mountain camellia sazanka - Camellia sasanqua

variety Sazanka

The Japanese call this species very beautifully and poetically - the flower of the winter sun, as it grows on the mountain slopes of the islands of Kushu and Okinawa, which are perfectly illuminated by the sun's rays.

The height of the shrub varies from 3 to 5 meters. Saturated green ovate or elliptical leaves, the upper part of which is shiny, and the lower part is pubescent, grow from 3 to 7 cm.

Circle of reds, pinks and whites simple flowers can reach up to 7 cm. On a bush they can bloom both single and collected in several flowers. Abundant flowering in household plots begins in November and lasts until February.

The most mega popular decorative varieties:

• Bicolor
• Bonanza
• Cleopatra
• white double
• Enishi

• Chinese camellia - Camellia sinensis

tea tree

This variety is also commonly called the tea bush or Camellia bohea. But the most popular “name” is the tea tree, since black and green tea. Young bai-ho greens are used to make bai-ho tea.

On the bush are lovely fragrant inflorescences, which are excellent aromatic additives with an exotic taste for teas. They originate in the tropical and subtropical forests of Indochina. On the territory of Russia, this species can be found in the Krasnodar Territory. Rarely grown indoors.

On a small evergreen tree, whose height is not more than 10 meters, fragrant single buds bloom, which can also be combined into inflorescences of 2-4 pieces. White flowers consist of petals, sometimes with yellow pink tint, the number of which can vary from 5 to 9. Flowering begins in August and lasts until late autumn. The fruits are formed from October to December.

• Japanese - Camellia japonica

AT folk medicine Chinese varieties of camellia japonica are used as an anti-cancer medicine. Flowers tone the body and have astringent properties.

Flower Japanese camellia at home it is grown quite often and is incredibly popular among professional flower growers.

indoor camellia

After all, it was on its basis that many indoor flower hybrids were bred. In Japan, the variety is no less famous than the magnificent sakura.

There are simple, terry, semi-double, symmetrical and unevenly terry inflorescences, white, pink and bright red shades. In addition, there are hybrid varieties whose petals are decorated with specks, dashes or stains.

Globular-shaped flowers have a lot of similarities with a rose, peony or anemone, only the aroma coming from them, of course, is absent. They are formed in the leaf axils and are located throughout the crown of the bush. All flowers do not fade for a whole month. You can enjoy flowering from the beginning of November until the end of spring.

As a rule, this species is planted in pots, tubs and open ground. It feels great indoors, but at the same time, the temperature where it grows should be no more than 12 degrees. Instances grown in greenhouses form fruits.

Common indoor varieties:

1. Hippolight Toby
2. japanese tsubaki
3. Camellia japonica Nagasaki
4. Lady Campbell
5. empress

Video varieties of room camellia:

Except already known species, you can also find:

• Saulenskaya - Camellia saluenensis

Thanks to this type, frost-resistant varieties, which can be grown in completely open ground or in a greenhouse. Free-branching shrub reaches 1.5 in height and the same in width. Flowering begins in the last months of winter and continues until the onset of spring.

The color of the camellia is snow-white or deep red, and sometimes you can meet burgundy flower. The diameter in the circumference reaches 8 cm. It is one of the unpretentious garden varieties. It differs from other representatives in that it independently drops flowers from the bush. Thanks to this ability, the shrub always looks neat and tidy.

• Oil camellia - Camellia oleifera

Distributed in forests and on the coast of rivers in China, at an altitude of 500 to 1200 meters above sea level. Often bred in industrial scale because of the seeds, which are saturated with beneficial essential oil.

Camellia oil acts as:

1. antiseptic
2. Tones up
3. local anesthetic

The height of this evergreen shrub reaches about 10 meters. In its circumference, the trunk reaches 20 cm and is decorated with brown bark. Another simple leathery petiole foliage has an ovoid shape with slightly pointed or blunt tips. white flowers can be both bisexual single and paired axillary. They form in September, and their flowering lasts until the second half of October. It bears fruit in large boxes, in which many round seeds appear, the length of which is about 3 cm.

• Reticulated - Camellia reticulata

The height of the tree reaches 20 m. In China, Buddhist monks decorate their gardens with rich red double flowers. It is characterized by rather large sizes of inflorescences, the circumference of which exceeds 20 cm.

The shrub is strewn with an endless number of pink, white and red blooming buds, in which all colors are mixed with each other with bizarre transitions and unusually iridescent under the sun's rays. Thanks to this feature, gardeners call them chimeras.

• Camellia golden-flowered - Camellia chrysantha

It differs from other varieties in bright yellow opening buds, the number of which on one bush can reach up to 200 pcs. In China, protected by law and listed in the local Red Book. You can meet in the natural environment in the remote forests of Vietnam or China.

Camellia flower care and cultivation at home

how to care

Growing a plant indoors is quite difficult. The fact is that the camellia shrub prefers to grow at a temperature not lower than +5 degrees and not higher than +10, and also practically does not hibernate. Maintaining such a temperature indoors is not easy, so growing in an apartment is a lot of trouble.

Important to remember! If you do not have a glazed loggia, balcony, winter garden or terraces, then you are unlikely to be able to see flowering, since the shrub begins to bloom its buds with the onset of cold weather, and the foliage is formed only in spring.

In order to enjoy flowering in an apartment, you have to create some special conditions for its successful growth.

Temperature conditions for room camellia

The first thing to take care of is to create a suitable temperature. In order for the kidneys to be born and actively develop, camellias will only need to be in the sun for only 12 hours. But at this point, you should pay special attention to the temperature:

• Its limits should be about 8-15 degrees. If it falls a little lower, then flowering most likely will not occur.
• In the event that you provide the shrub with less than 12 hours of daylight, then be sure to lower the temperature in the room to 8-10 degrees.
• Flowering begins in December and lasts until February, and at this time you should keep the temperature in the room no higher than 10 degrees, but at the same time it should not fall below 8 ° C.

If the air in the room is too warm, the shrub will begin to drop buds or they will open much earlier, which will affect the quality of the flowers.

Camelia: what kind of lighting do you prefer

What should be the moisture content of the soil and how to water it correctly

At the time of bud formation, and also when the camellia blooms flowers, it must be watered with well-settled water.

how to water camellia

As soon as you see that the top earthen ball has dried up, be sure to water the plant. But remember that in no case should the water be allowed to stagnate. At the moment when the tree is at rest, it is necessary to water it sparingly.

• Prefers to get acidified citric acid, fresh lemon juice and vinegar water.
• In the event that the tree receives an insufficient amount of moisture, it will begin to shed foliage.
• If you water the shrub too often, then its foliage will turn brown, and the buds will fall off.

To increase humidity in the summer, spray 2 times a day, humidify the air by spraying the plant and adding water to the pan. It is necessary to put a container with a bush in moistened coarse river sand, gravel, pebbles or moss. During the flowering period, be especially careful about spraying, as the water should not affect the flowers. If you want the tree to develop perfectly, be sure to install a humidifier.

What fertilizer to use

At the time of the growing season, which occurs in the spring, you need to start regular fertilization. Feed the tree no more than 2-3 times a month, using mineral or organic fertilizers. They stop feeding him completely by the end of summer, which allows him to set buds and release buds.

What should be the composition of the soil

Camellia care at home requires a difficult one, because it needs special lighting and temperature conditions. In addition, special attention should be paid to the soil in which you will plant the tree. In order to feel good in apartment conditions, it should be placed in loose nutrient soil that easily passes water and oxygen. The acidity level should be equal to pH 4.0-5.5 units.

cultivar Juliet

It is possible to independently prepare the soil using:

1. 1 share of leaf land
2. 1 share perlite
3. 2 shares of coniferous land
4. 2 shares of high-moor peat
5. 0.3 parts of the bark of coniferous plants
6. 0.3 shares of sand, which will make the soil loose

In the event that you cannot prepare the soil, then purchase a suitable substrate in a specialized store, suitable, for example, for indoor azalea.

First of all, a drainage layer is poured into the pot, which is covered with a thin layer of soil, on which the tree should be placed, straightening its root system. Fill the container with the rest of the substrate and lightly tamp it down with your hand.

In no case do not bury the root collar. This should also be monitored when mulching with sawdust, shavings or shredded bark.

How and when is pruning and pinching done

One of the important procedures that you should definitely carry out is tree pruning. In addition to the fact that damaged, withered and weak branches are removed from the shoot, it is imperative to form its crown. If you do not do this, then the form will be lost, the bush will become too large, and you will no longer be able to grow it in the house.

This procedure is carried out when the flowers begin to fade one by one and at the same time new buds do not form on the bush. Based on the chosen variety of camellia, its shoots are sometimes cut almost half. Large sections are processed with a garden pitch.

Experienced flower growers with the help of pruning manage to create small bonsai trees or standard specimens. Thanks to pinching and pruning, branching becomes more active, which allows the bush to bloom much more and more beautifully.

Follow this unusual plant not easy, because camellia flower care at home, a photo showing all its beauty requires special attention.

Important! Be sure to pinch the buds, leaving no more than 2 pieces on each stem. This procedure will allow you to provide the bush with large flowers that delight you for a long time.

How to make a transplant

When the shrub turns from 1 to 3 years old, it is necessary to replant it annually. Adult specimens need to be transplanted once every 2 years. The procedure is carried out in spring and summer, when flowering has already ended. At the same time, you need to pinch the top to allow the shape of the tree to form. In tubs and pots, it is constantly necessary to add soil, which is pre-mixed with complex fertilizers.

Reproduction methods

You already know that camellia garden planting and care, which is not easy, is a rather capricious plant in terms of exactingness. Now you should find out how you can propagate this incredible tree.

There are several ways to propagate camellia:

• cuttings

It is the most common breeding method.

As a rule, this method is practiced in January, July or August. To form a root system, summer cuttings need only a month, which cannot be said about January seedlings, since they will need more than one month for this process.

1. To get cuttings, you need to carefully cut off the top young shoots that have formed in the current season. Their length should be about 6-8 cm. Remember to leave about 5 leaves on them. Under the axillary kidney, make an oblique cut.
2. In special boxes, where a mixture of peat and sand is poured in advance in a ratio of 1: 1, it is necessary to plant seedlings.
3. The box is placed in a lighted room, where the temperature is maintained at least +20+23 degrees.
4. Be sure to water and spray the stalk.
5. After the roots are fully formed on it, transplant the plant into a pot with a diameter of about 8 cm.

• seed

This method is also often used by flower growers. In small pots, you need to sow 1 seedling. As soon as two full leaves appear on the germinated sprout, transplant it into a larger container. Camellia Chinese tea cultivation from seeds is carried out in the same way as in other varieties.

• Graft

There are varieties that are difficult to root. In such situations, they are grafted on the apical bud. The rootstock in this case is tea tree or other slightly demanding varieties of room camellia. After vaccination, the room temperature must be maintained at least +20 degrees. The extra shoots that form on the seedling should be cut off. It is necessary to spray the grafted flower regularly and not allow the sun to burn fragile leaves once again. After 2.5 years, the seedling is separated from the stock and transplanted into a separate container.

garden care

Camellia indoor is grown in the southern part of Russia and in the garden in the open field, and it will already be a shrub.

To do this, you must follow some rules, including:

1. proven soil composition
2. maintaining a certain temperature
3. careful lighting
4. humidity in the air

As a rule, all these items must meet almost all care requirements, as for indoor plants in room.

To decorate gazebos, loggias and other facades, a special variety of climbing plant was bred.

What problems do they face when growing camellia shrubs

1. Improper watering and an excess of moisture will lead to rotting of the root system and the formation of a crust on the foliage of the tree.
2. Dry air causes black spots on the leaves. To deal with this problem, you need to get rid of the affected greens. Those leaves that did not have time to get infected, wipe with a soft, damp sponge. Place the container in a cool room or near a window, thus keeping it away from other plants.
3. If you bury the root collar when planting, this will most likely lead to the death of the plant. The cervix does not deepen under any circumstances.
4. It can easily drop all buds and leaves if:

• change the position of the pot that is familiar to him
• change the angle at which it was illuminated
• soil acidity will be higher than normal

Red camellia, like other varieties, needs special care. If you do everything right, you will soon be able to enjoy the lush bright flowering of an evergreen shrub that will delight you with its flowers throughout the winter.

Video secrets for caring for camellia at home: