Camellias prefer a potting mix that’s been specially designed for acid-loving plants.  

Sasanqua Camellias are the hardiest Camellias, tolerating full sun. Sasanqua Camellias growing in full sun should be kept moist.  

Japonica Camellias like part-shade all day or only gentle morning sun. Sasanqua Camellias will tolerate full sun all day if kept moist, but do best with protection from the hot afternoon sun.

Yes! Take semi-hardwood cuttings (new stems that have hardened off) during summer. Cut 10 cm long stem pieces, remove all but the top few leaves, dip the ends of the stems into Yates Clonex Purple Rooting Hormone Gel and insert into small pots of Yates Specialty Potting Mix Cuttings & Seeds. Place the pot in a warm, protected spot and keep the mix moist. Roots will develop over the next 2-3 months.

The best time to prune Camellias is soon after flowering has finished.

Regular light pruning, after flowering has finished, will help promote bushier growth.

Camellias can be planted year-round, however, spring and autumn are the best planting times, as conditions are mild and less stressful for new plants. 

The best time to transplant a Camellia from one part of the garden to another is between the end of flowering and mid-spring.

Camellias flower during the cooler months of the year. Sasanqua Camellias start flowering around mid-autumn. Japonica Camellias start flowering from late Autumn.   

Camellias sometimes produce seeds, which appear like hard nuts on the stems. New Camellias can be grown from seed, however, it can take many years for these seed-grown plants to flower.

Yellow leaves can be an indication of a nutrient deficiency. Plants that have leaves that are predominantly yellow are likely to be suffering from a nitrogen deficiency. Nitrogen is the key nutrient that promotes healthy green leaf growth. Nitrogen deficiency can be corrected by regularly feeding plants with fertilisers like Yates Thrive Natural Roses & Flowers Liquid Concentrate.

Leaves that are yellow, but the veins remain green, indicate an iron deficiency. The soil or potting mix could be low in iron. Or alkaline soil (soil pH above 7) can make iron less available to plants. Iron deficiency can be corrected by spraying the plant with Iron Chelate. It’s a concentrated form of fast-acting iron and is ideal for treating iron deficiency in acid-loving plants like Camellias.

Even the sun-hardiest Camellia can burn on an extra-hot day. Leaves can appear dry or singed, or burnt spots may develop. Leaves damaged by sunburn can then be susceptible to fungal diseases. You can provide your plant with some additional protection during hot weather by applying Yates DroughtShield to the leaves. And ensure the soil or potting mix is kept moist, particularly during hot weather.

There are several reasons why Camellias can drop their flower buds (known as ‘balling’).

Flowering plants will often produce more flowers than they are capable of sustaining. Plants can drop some buds as a result.

Camellias that are stressed due to over or under-watering, or being underfed, may drop flower buds. Check the moisture levels in the soil or potting mix and feed Camellias regularly with Yates Thrive Natural Roses & Flowers Concentrate.

Magnesium deficiency has also been associated with Camellia balling. If your Camellia is correctly watered and fed and still shows signs of balling, then additional magnesium may be required. Spray plants with Magnesium Chelate, which is a concentrated source of fast-acting magnesium.

Flower buds that fail to open can be due to moisture or nutrient stress. Follow the same care directions as per Why Are My Camellia Flower Buds Falling Off ?.

Aphids are tiny grey, green, brown, yellow or black sap-sucking insects that cluster on leaves and stems. They can damage the leaves, causing leaves to yellow and distort, and plant health will suffer.

Scales are sap-sucking insects that appear as raised brown, white, black or grey bumps on stems or leaves.

Aphids, Scales and various other sap-sucking pests excrete a sticky substance known as honeydew. This honeydew is often given to Ants in exchange for protection from predators. Any leftover honeydew can encourage the disease Sooty Mould which is a black and powdery fungus that coats the leaves.

When Scale and Aphids are noticed, spray plants with Yates Scale Gun. Spray the Aphids or Scale directly, including on the undersides of leaves and stems, as Yates Scale Gun works via contact action. Repeat each week as required.

The Camellia Tea Mite, also known as the Ribbed Tea Mite or Purple Tea Mite, can cause discolouration of the leaves, including bronzing down the centre of the leaf. Mites are very tiny and only visible to the naked eye with a hand lens. So, it is difficult to detect them in the early stages of infestation. In addition to the bronzing, a fine spidery webbing on the stems is another indication of Mites. This pest can build up in numbers, particularly during periods of dry weather.

There are no products that are specifically registered to control Camellia Tea Mite. Overhead watering can help to reduce the population. Keeping plants healthy, with regular feeding and watering, will help too. Affected leaves and stems can also be removed, as the damage done by Camellia Tea Mite is permanent.

Camellias infected by a virus show mottled, discoloured or deformed leaves. Flowers can also be affected. Unfortunately, there is no cure for plant viruses. Affected stems can be trimmed off if desired. After pruning a viral-infected Camellia, it’s important to disinfect pruning tools soon after to limit the spread of the virus to other Camellias.