I am beginning to see my plants of Camellia Sinensis that is better known as 'The Tea Plant' starting to bloom here in Savannah. They make wonderful landscape plants, and yes, you can make your own tea from them. This is a bloom from a large leaf variety.
With your name I assume that you know alot about Camellias.I'm sure that at least you know more than I do.
I love Camellias and grow quite a few but have never tried to grow them from seed.I have a few older bushes with quite big seeds.When should I harvest them and then how should I proceed?
None of my camellias are blooming yet but the sasanguas have nice big buds.
I am going up to NC this week and may be able to stop off at Camellia forest nursery on my way home.I'll look for the Tea Plant.
Thanks
downscale_babe,
Glad to know that you love camellias too. Any camellia seed pod should be ready to pick now. Japonicas usually ripen by the first of August and Sasanquas by the first part of September. Pick your seed pods and put them in a dry paper bag or cardboard box inside for 1 week. Most pods should have cracked open after a week inside. Cut any remaining ones open with a knife. Don't let the black seed inside the pods dry out. plant them in the ground or in small pots. Cover with 1 inch soil. Keep them moist. Some of the seed should germinate. Plant them in the garden and treat them like all your other camellias. Each seedling in a new variety of camellia, so you can name it whatever you want.
Thanks I am going to try it.
downscale_babe,
One camellia from Camellia Forest Nursery that I really like is 'Crimson Candles'. The flower buds show color long before the blooms open, so they look like little candles. This variety is a nice camellia for the landscape.
We are leaving for the mountains in a few hours.
If I can persuade my husband to go home a different way we will stop at Camellia Forest.They are having an open house this weekend.
He really loves Camellias too so I don't think it will be a problem unless something comes up.
I will look for Crimson Candles.I like it too.
Thanks
Nancy
We just got back last night.Had a wonderful RU
We just didn't have time or energy to drive back by way of Camellia Forest.I think that I will place an order for Crimson Candles and some others and have them send me them instead of driving up.
You were right about the seeds.They have all broken in the house and I will plant the black seeds today.
Thanks for the info
nancy
This past week, my plant of Camellia sinensis 'Rosea' also known as the Pink Tea plant began to bloom. It makeas a beautiful landscape plant in my garden. The picture attached is of the Pink Tea plant.
my camellia is flowering ! I just hope I can keep it alive! camellia girl do you know about winter protection for camellias? I am in zone 6 . I bought what are supposed to be hardy camellias the one called snow flurry is flowering . I sure would like to succeed with it
laura
laura,
Snow Flurry is one of my favorite camellia varieties. In Savannah, we don't need the extreme cold hardiness that is found in hybrids like Snow Flurry, but I have found that many of these cold hardy hybrids are wonderful landscape plants in warmer areas like Savannah.
I love your picture. Have you already planted your plant of Snow Flurry in your garden? Also, what is the coldest temperature that you have had during the winter? I have a few sugestions that will depend on your answers to these questions.
camelliagirl
I have wanted to try growing camellias for a long time but the market around here doesn't support anything but a sure thing so they have been hard to find . They really don't do well in my house so winter hardy varieties are my only hope . I planted them up against a solid wood 7 foot high fence to protect them from wind .They get dappled sun in the AM . I got the three I planted last spring from a company in NC on the internet they are "Snow Flurry" "April Rose" and Sinensis small leaf tea . Our hardiness zone is 6a which says - 5 to - 10 but I can get alot colder here sometimes last year was a particularly cold one .
thanks for your help ! Laura
laura,
I have never grown camellias in a cold climate like yours, but I have heard of many that have grown these cold hardy camellias sucessfully. The varieties that you have planted should survive the winter, but I would suggest that you cover them with some protection during extreme cold periods for the first year or two. An old blanket or some micro-foam would probably increase your chances. Also, I would make sure that the plants are well watered before an extremely cold period. If they are dry, they should be more likely to be damaged by the cold.
Snow Flurry was one of the many cold hardy camellias developed by Dr. William Ackerman. He literally wrote the book on growing cold hardy camellias. I would suggest that you obtain a copy of Dr. Ackerman's book entitled 'Growing Camellias in Cold Climates'. It is one of the best books on camellias that I have ever read. It is available from The American Camellia Society. The ACS web address is
www.camellias-acs.com
Another one of Dr. Ackerman's cold hardy hybrids that has just bloomed for me for the first time is Ashton's Pride. I am posting a picture of this variety. Hope this info helps. Keep me posted.
