My first camellia grafts will be blooming soon!

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!

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

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

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

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

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?

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.