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...

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

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...

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.

Link to great article about grafting.

Camellias: Hybrid grafting

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.