Carol's Camellia Journal

My first camellia grafts will be blooming soon!

2010-11-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

I noticed flower buds on the graft done July 2, 2009. Waiting a year and a half to see blooms seems much short looking backward than looking forward!

2010-04-25T10:35:00.001-07:00

Do you know the meaning of the camellia when given as a gift?

Camellia, pink: Longing for you
Camellia, red: Steadfastness; excellence
Camellia, white: You're adorable
Camellia: Admiration; perfection; good luck gift to a man

2010-04-25T10:28:00.001-07:00

The camellias are leafing out very nicely right now. The ration of cotton seed meal seems to have hit the spot.

I pollenated so many flowers (and covered them with the small white organza party bags) that it looks very festive out there. Some of the flowers pollenated successfully and the seed pods will continue to grow until Fall. Many of the organza bags must be removed because the leaf buds have sprouted and need space. Once the seed pod is a little bigger, I will put the bag back on to keep the seeds from dropping to the ground once the pod cracks open.

There's Gold in Them Hills

2010-04-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Colby went with me to Nuccio's Nurseries in Altadena where he photographed some yellow beauties. The sun in the background made them shimmer like gold.

Camellia nitidissima was the first yellow camellia seen by the western world. It came to us from China in the 1970s.

Cross pollenation for new camellia varieties

2010-03-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting things about camellias is the variety of size and color available to the landscaper. From minature to gigantic, from white to "Grape Soda" purple, from solid color to two-tone, stripes, and dots.

Camellias are easy to grow from seed and each seedling will produce a unique strain of DNA. Let the bees pollenate - or you can choose the parents for your designer seedling.

Cross pollenation is something I start doing as soon as the show season is over (since I have to destroy perfectly good buds before they open). Here are photos of a Mouchang bud being introduced to Betty Foy Sanders pollen. Note the organza party favor bag that covers the pollenated flower and protects from bees and humidity.

I label the cross right away - before forgetting what pollen was used! Left over pollen stays in the freezer and lasts for months.

Camellias in the Front Yard

2010-03-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

The camellias in the front yard are blooming. The white camellias on the left are "Silver Chalice". The large red ones are "Dr. Clifford Parks" and the lower pink one is "Tiffany" (close up below).

Leaf growth buds are "feathering" on plants that are done flowering.

Where were you last week?

2010-03-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Now that the camellia shows are over, my shy camellias are blooming so prettily. There are 26 "Prima Ballerinas" out there today. I don't have the heart to tell them they missed the curtain call.

2009-11-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a camellia seedling I'm keeping an eye on because of its unusual leaves. The parent plant is a Camellia Sasanqua that lives is full sun and has small pink flowers.

The graft 4 months later...

2009-11-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

After four months, the new graft is as tall as the older branch.
(See original photos)

A close up of the graft shows a nicely healed wound.

Camellias Seedlings - Unusual Leaves

2009-08-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

When you are looking for unique new blooms from camellia seedlings, you may need to wait 5 years to see the first flower. Now and then, it's the foliage that stands out. Consider these two seedlings.

This first little camellia has naturally variegated leaves. The seed parent is "Dixie Knight Supreme." Leaves this pale are usually susceptable to sunburn, so I'll keep it in the shade.

This next camellia seedling has unusual curly leaves. Notice the praying mantis hiding under the leaf!

The graft 4 weeks later...

2009-08-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

The graft looks good. I can see through the protective baggie that the tiny growth bud has started to swell.

With the baggie off, it's clear that the graft "took". Notice the foil on the center stalk. The next photo more clearly shows this new middle graft which I added about two weeks ago. Soon I will graft onto the shoot that is in back.

2009-07-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

Link to great article about grafting.

Camellias: Hybrid grafting

2009-07-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes grafts don't take.

When the rootstalk sends out a new shoot, don't cut it off. It has given you a new opportunity for grafting. This article will describe how to graft onto the new growth.

Wait until the shoot has three leaves. The third leaf still unopened.

With a sharp exacto knife, cut off the leaves.

Carefully cut the soft stem vertically about 1/2 inch.

The scion for grafting should be green new growth. With the exacto knife, cut a long wedge for inserting into the split shoot.

Cut a 1/2" strip of aluminum foil and wrap the graft. With a fan fold, the foil will be snug but able to expand with growth. Either before or after the graft, trim the scion's leaves to about 1/3 the orginal size. I used little scissors after the graft was complete.

To keep the graft humid while the leaf bud sprouts, put a baggie over it.

Once the bud starts to grow, I'll add more photos.