Could you tell me in 25 words or less how to propagate camellias by cuttings?

Stick in ground, keep moist, wait. = 6 words

Else: read the relevant topics at this site.

How can I find personal advice?

Look into the various topics of this Camellia server in order to learn more on the basic requirements of this plant. However, in many cases we need to have much more information on your plant, like climate, past treatment, cultivar etc., in case you have difficulties. Here a personal advice of an experienced Camellia grower is best.

Search the 'Societies Info' for your nearest membership representative, or local Camellia Society, and ask for a nursery or the address of a nearby member, even if you are not a member. You may also find an email address in 'people'. Most people are very friendly when asked for help.

Who can tell me how to keep deer from eating my lovely camillas? If the answer is no one, then who can tell me how to repair the plants that have been munched from the bottom? Can I prune away the tops and expect them to come back full in the spring, leave them alone to be straggley the rest of their lives,or what? Thanks in advance for some help.

Damage repair: You can prune camellias even heavily. Most probably they are in much better shape thereafter, if done with sense. Pruning by deer normally gives less favourable results, but can be corrected immediately. Damage prevention: Please note that also deer has a right for their daily coffeine. Else, did you consider a deer-fence?

Where can I buy Camellia plants?

Look for a garden center in your neighborhood. If possible, buy named cultivars. A special Camellia nursery in your region is by far the better choice, they have many named cultivars and you get profound instructions and help.

Start with 3 to 5 plants, possibly 2-3 years old (if you are impatient and have money, start with older ones). If there is no source in your neighborhood, you can mail-order them from some nurseries. Look for appropriate addresses under 'Nurseries' in this server.

My potted Camellia looks unhealthy: The new growth is small, the leaves are tiny and chlorotic (yellowish)!

Most probably the soil is inappropriate, the soil is overwatered, the roots decay and turn brown. In any case, inspect the rootball! With any unclear problem, repot the plant. If the plant is several years old and appears senescent, the rootball has to be renewed. Take out (with a saw) 3 large sectors and refill with proper substrate.

Most Camellia books recommend for chlorotic leaves the addition of iron. It is true that chlorosis occurs on iron deficientcy, or, more likely, on nitrogen deficiency. To my experience these deficiencies are caused by root damage due to overwatering rather than to ion deficiency in the soil. Repotting is the easiest cure

Help:New leaves on my Camellia get brown tips and/or margins!

If the brown area is dry, this is a sign of overfertilization. Repot the plant. Fertilize only during the growth period in spring, use a nitrogen dominated fertilizer, at about 50% of recommended concentration. Liquid fertilizer is easy to handle for potted plants. Avoid long term products (these are only for experienced nurseries with constant watering).

If the brown area is wet and soft, and the plant is in a young plant cultivation room under high humidity, this is a fungus infection. Change this plant to a well aerated area with 50-60% humidity. The infected area will dry out and will not progress.

Can I raise Camellia plants from seed?

Certainly you can. However, be aware that it takes 4 to 20 years for the unexperienced grower to first flower a seedling. In addition, the result is very likely disappointing if compared with named cultivars.

Take very fresh seeds (out of the seed pot) and put them in a plastic bag in moist peat at a heat of 25°C. Transplant into substrate when they show the shoot (leaves still unfolded), normally 2 to 6 weeks later.

Can I grow Camellias outdoors?

Yes, if you live in one of the Camellia belts. See the coming 'Camellia World Map' (under construction) in this server.

When in question, ask a knowledgable person, or a nursery. Otherwise, Camellias are great plants in a glass house or conservatory.

What is the life span of my Camellia?

With proper care, the Camellia will live longer than you. Outdoors, up to 600 years are reported, and potted, a life span up to 150 years can be expected.

However, you can kill a potted, budded plant within 4 weeks if you transfer them into your living room. Thus it is important that you receive proper information when buying a plant.

I read that Camellias should be disbudded in August. Is this advice from flower haters?

Depending on summer temperatures, some Camellia cultivars will set 5 to 7 flower buds on each terminal shoot. Disbudding means that all buds except one or two are removed. By this procedure the remaining flowers will be higher in quality. Camellias to be presented in a show are regularly disbudded.

Otherwise, for the amateur, plants may be disbudded or not. If the climate is cool during normal flowering time, the flowers will open one after the other. If the spring temperatures rise suddenly after a long cold winter, all flowers try to bloom simultaneously, and get too much crowded. In this case disbudding may be beneficial..

Can I grow my own tea?

Yes. Growing Camellia sinensis is quite easy. You can buy the plant or seed at most Camellia nurseries. However, making your own tea is a different question. The plant has to grow in a certain climate, and harvesting, drying and fermenting of young leaves is a science of its own. Nevertheless you can try, and if your brand is competitive to commercial names, start a business and make a lot of money.

Otherwise, invite your friends and serve them your new homemade beverage. They may refuse to call in again. See the very early tea description at 'Treasury-Meister', which is still very similar to the today Japanese Tea Ceremony.

Is the Camellia the Queen of plants?

Definitely YES. However, there seem to be several Queens in the kingdom of plants, depending on the society you belong to and the passion you devote to a single genus. Camellias have their virtues: A very showy attractive flower at an unusual time, and a glossy evergreen outfit through the rest of the year.

They are magnificent landscape markers outdoors and pleasureful and attractive companions in the conservatory. Generally they need much less care than other plants and produce less dirt.

HELP: My Camellia dropped all flower buds!!

Reason: Physiologic mistreatment. Some people still believe that Camellias are tropical plants and need warm temperatures. Wrong: Camellias need a cold treatment in winter for flower quality (several weeks below 10°C),

and applying constant temperatures above 15°C is dangerous! Beside this there are other reasons for bud dropping: frost, drought and low humidity.

HELP: My Camellia dropped suddenly all or most leaves!!

Most experts believe that this occurs a few weeks after the roots got too cold and wet for a period. This occurs most likely in potted plants in early spring or late winter. Typically all vegetative buds and flower buds remain on the stem. Cure: Remove all flower buds and cut the plant down for survival. Roots are damaged and cannot promote new shoots.

If the plant is put to the warm house, new shoots will develop but turn black and die. Thus keep the plant in the cold house and put underneath the pot an aquarium heater plate of about 20 Watt. By this method I rescued my Hana Fuki, and it was in great bloom a year later.

HELP: The complete plant or a single twig wilted within days!!

Typically the leaves turn brown or gray and stay on the plant. Growers feel insulted by this incidence, and mostly a fungus attack is assumed. It occurs mostly in summer. Cause in most cases: Root damage by physiologic mistreatment. Since Camellias are dormant almost all the year, they have no means to directly indicate a mistreatment. The root damage may lye back almost 9 months (where the knowledge is lost)! Damage is easily done by root frost or dryness. If the complete plant is affected, it is lost. If only one or two twigs are affected, cut them, and the plant will survive.

Most soil fungi invade only damaged plants. In potted plants, inspect the roots, if completely brown, there is almost no hope. Many soils will not accept water once dried out, and subsequent watering is of no help. If you suspect that part of the root ball stays dry, soak it completely in water (verify this by root ball inspection!). I have to admit that in some cases, especially in young plants (1-2 years), wilting and sudden death occurred where the roots looked perfectly white and healthy. Here I have no explanation.

Are Camellias long- or short day plants?

Camellias do not fell into these categories. They apparently thrive and bloom well if held in long day condition all over the year. However, short days are tolerated if it is simultaneously cold.

Warm temperatures and short days are not tolerated. Flower buds are initiated in summer by high temperatures and long (> 14 h) intense light. (Variations with cultivars).

Am I allowed to smoke in my Camellia conservatory?

Definitely NO. Smoking is a hazard to your health and the Camellias. In last century reports it is stated that Camellias are sensitive to lighting gas and smoking, and 1906 it was shown that ethylene content of these fumes is the reason. Ethylene is a potent plant hormone and may be responsible for bud dropping.

Even very small amounts of this gas are effective and induce more ethylene production in the plant. By the way, does anybody know an effective method to stop smoking? Email me immediately please!

I read that Camellias like constant temperatures. Is this true?

Many books state this. I suppose it is WRONG. Camellias need, for flowering, a yearly temperature cycle between 5°C and 25°C. If kept at constant temperature, they will not flower. Camellias will drop there flowers if put to constant temperatures above 20°C,

even after an appropriate cold treatment. However, these plants tolerate or even benefit daily temperature cycles between 5°C and 25°C (I have tried this in winter, for summer I do not have the cooling equipment).

Do Camellias love fresh air?

YES. Put indoor plants at summertime into the garden, best in partial shade. However, the vegetative development of seedlings and young plants (newly rooted) can considerably benefit with a culture in a closed room under the following conditions:

Constant temperature of 25°C, air humidity between 60 and 80% (not higher!), high intense light (metal halide lamp) of 18 hours daily. Ventilate the room daily for a short period to get rid of any ethylene (see smoking item above). In this environment, young plants may produce up to 6 shoots per year. Fertilize every week. Plants can be kept up to two years in a closed room. However, be careful when adopting them to real outdoor life.

Should I talk to my Camellias?

YES, but talk to each individual plant. Singing might be even more effective. You should do it daily. The benefit is twofold: Firstly, your breath from the lungs carries up to 5% CO2,

a gas which is certainly a fertilizer to plants. Secondly, the close inspection of individual plants might uncover any pests like scale insects.

Can I transplant Camellias?

Transplanting is easy with young plants, whereas with older, established plants it becomes more difficult. Consider that the plant has adopted to its microclimate, and that a change to a site supposed to be more appropriate will certainly have negative effects. Younger plants can adopt more easily. Before transplanting an older plant, seriously consider to prune (even heavily) to a new, more attractive shape. If you still insist on transplanting: Prepare a ditch around the root ball until you reach the horizontal roots and fill it with peat and or sand. Leave the plant for one year to establish feeder roots.

After that year, dig out again and secure the root ball with mesh wire, ropes, canvas or wood. Carefully cut the bottom of the ball (in some cases a tap root is to be expected) and secure it. The root ball of Camellias is not that nicely compact as found in Rhododendrons and might break easily, and roots may be lost. With larger plants ask the help of professional gardeners. The plant might be very heavy so machines are necessary for moving. Best time for transplanting is before bloom in spring, else in autumn after the summer heat.

Camellias must not be turned or moved, they will loose flower buds (traditional saying)!

Complete NONSENSE. If a Camellia decides to drop buds, it does so because of mistreatment, or because it cannot support too many buds.

You can move and turn a healthy potted Camellia as you like, direction of light has no influence on the stability of buds