Camellia provides large, colorful, and perfectly formed blooms on rich green foliage. Unfortunately, it thrives only in cool houses or greenhouses.
Light
Expose to medium (bright indirect) light. The morning light of an eastern exposure is ideal. Put outside in the shade each summer.
Water
Keep constantly moist during spring and summer. Reduce watering during fall and winter. To provide highest humidity possible, mist daily if indoors; spray daily with a hose if outdoors.
Temperature
Maintain temperatures of no higher than 68 degrees during the day and in low 40s at night (tough to provide in most homes).
Comments
Use soil that retains moisture but drains freely. Best soil has a high-acid, peat moss content. Replace soil if compacted. Buds form in late summer or fall for winter bloom (camellia is one of the few plants that bloom during dormancy). Reduce water and fertilizer during bloom. When buds form, remove all but one bud per cluster, or poke nail into bud so it shrivels and dries up. Do not confuse slender growth buds with fat flower buds. Remove spent blossoms. Repot only after flowering. Prune at same time to control height and create bushier plant. May be trained into a standard (tree form). Use acid fertilizer every two weeks during active growth. Propagate by ground layering or cuttings taken from half-ripened wood (when wood loses its pink tinge). Dust cuttings with hormone powder; place in moist rooting medium. To stimulate root growth, which may take three months or more, keep cuttings warm with bottom heat and moist with plastic covering.
