Propagating a Camelia from new growth shoots

I have a beautiful, double red, prerennial Camelia that just has dazzled me for the last two years. This Spring it was covered in blooms! Now the blooms have shed and the new growth is going in all directions. I feel I need to "shape" the bush a bit.

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to root a semi-hardened- off new-growth cutting of a Camelia?
Maybe the old "jar over the pot" technique? Any chance it will make it? Mine is SOOOO beautiful! I'd love to propagate it from the trimmings when I "shape" the bush and then I could share it with some friends.

If anyone has had any luck with this, please share your method, the soil and the technique you used.
I attach some pictures of my Camelia for you to drool over! I bought it at my HD about 5 years ago.

Thanks, Gita

Here's the bush this Spring in full bloom.

I have had sucess with camelias,but,like rhodies,they require attention.I used a woden frame,2"x6",with a hindged top,covered with plexie glass.In the frame,I mixed 40% peat,and 60%coarse sand.Put the box in the shade,and mist,as needed,to keep green.Take your cuttings from soft wood,and strip all but 3 leaves,scratch the root end of the cutting,dip in rootone,open a little hole in the mix,to keep from knocking the power off,then pack it in.Good propagating,you'll love it . Mike

Gita,
That IS beautiful!! Maybe you could share a cutting with your old buddy Nikki......Hee hee

OK! I really need to clarify the rooting of cuttings of my Camelia as they are now getting to a stage where I could cut them off.

Mike. You must have meant a wood frame 2'x6'--NOT 2"x6"! Right?
I do not have wood frames and do not plan to build one. Tou say the cuttings can be "greenwood". Do you mean the totally fresh, soft, new growth tips? I always thought woody cuttings have to be somewhat hardened off before rooring. What other methods could I use?

Would it work if I put each cutting in a 4" deep pot and put some sticks in it and then covered each with a plastic baggie? Should I leave the bottom of the baggie open or should it be a sealed environment?

Assuming my cuttings were to root, how should I treat them for the winter? Or--should they be brought inside? Usually perennials do not like to be in the house in the winter--or any other time. I could burry them in leaves in a sunny location. I could put them in my shed (dark!). I could plant them in a bit bigger pots and see if they just survive. WHAT???????

Please give me some solid advice here!!!!!

Thanks, Gita

I wish I could help!

You are wright on the size of the frame,and I have been hasty on discription.If you try to propagate the"old wood",you would need to do that in the fall,along with evergreen cuttings,not that I mean with them,but they are evergreen.take the new growth,cut the tip back to the first developed leaf,strip the rest of the leaves,leaving 3,or 4,scratch the last inch of the twig,and dip it in rootone,place it in a 4"-6"pot,and cover with a plastic bottle,or baggie,just to cause condensation.you can do this inside,or in the shade outside.Protect aganst freezing,or sun scald.I lost most of mine once because of suden exposuer to the sun(cover blew off).When putting it in the mix,(coarse sand 60%peat,40% ),make a hole in the mix,to keep the powder in tack,and pack around your cutting gently.I hope this helps,I'm not good at teaching,mine is to do.Mike
BTW,I love that camelia,and if possible,I would like to start one,Mike

This message was edited May 26, 2006 7:49 PM

Gitagal,did you give up on rooting this beauty??? Mike

Here is a page that I have bookmarked that is a pretty good overview of propagation via stem cutting: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8702.html

I also have a book titled "American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation" which I found very helpful. Lot of pictures and tips for propagating just about any plant you can think of.

I have played around a little with propagating shrubs. I have had decent luck, but I am not sure I have the patience to wait the 5 or so years that it takes to grow a cutting into a decent sized shrub.

- Brent

Mike,

Tee...heee....I have not given up, I am just in a bit of a confusion on how to do it. Besides, it is just another project that looms over my head. I have so much to do this time of year, plus I work 3 full days a week.
Believe me! Every time I walk out my front door, I see the Camelia--right there--a-growing away! I KNOW I have to get to it! I am trying to think if I have a large enough container with a plastic lid high enough to just put all the cuttings in there, and ler them "do their thing". The other option is to plant about 3 of them in a 4" pot and cover it with a plastic sleave--like newspapers come in. I would leave a part of it open in the bottom. Then, I have to go to a construction site and "borrow" some coarse sand. There's plenty of them around here! They have not stopped building mega-homes here for all the 37 years I have lived here. AND--the weird thing is--as soon as they are done, they are sold!

MQIQ77's advice is OK, but I am not clear on the length of cutting to take and all the stripping of the leaves to WHAT? Three from the top? Stip three off the bottom? I am also not clear if rooting softwood cuttings of a woody shrub is the thing to do. Usually you have to wait until the new growth hardens off a tad.

Brent--I will check out the link you provided. Thanks. Can't do it now as I have been losing everything I have typed if I even open someones picture. This is not always. Don't want to have to re-type everything. Don't know what is going on!!!!

You all just keep bugging me and I will do it! If I have any success, I will be glad to sahare any that have rooted.

Thanks, Gita

Mike,

OK! I have, brazenly, gone forward and made "processing" the camelia cuttings the main "must" of this day. I have done it! It is DONE! Finished! Now I leave the rest to the fates of all the garden gods!

Here, for your approval, or disapproval is a step-by step documentation of what I did. Everyone else. PLEASE--just bear with me!

First--here are some of the cuttings. I "wounded" them at the base by scratching some of the stem with my garden scissors.
These are NOT the tip cuttings, but what was left after I cut off the soft tips. Why waste them? According to the link Brent posted, Camelia cuttings can be done from all 3 stages of woodiness.

Here is the trays I will use (2 of them). These are what one can buy ground covers in. Since I am a true "hoarder", I save everything! AND--everything comes in handy sooner or later. THERE!!!!

I put a single layer of paper towels in the bottom of these trays to keep the soil mixture (peat, sand and Pearlite) from leaking out.

Here's a tray with all the cuttings in it. Note, that I cut all the leaves in half.

Here's the before and after of me trying to create a "greenhouse effect". Man--I think there must have been an easier solution!!!! Duct tape sure has many uses!

Here's both trays "covered"! One is the fresh tip cuttongs. The other one is the pieces just below. Both should work!

Now the dilema will be--what to do if ALL of these root??????

AND-----Here is where they will reside. In total shade underneath the growth of my tall, old Burning Bush. This is a plywood table I keep a lot of plants on during the Summer. Also, where I keep any cuttings that are rooting, newly transplanted plants, etc.

Morning sun is behind these bushes. NO evening sun ever gets to there, as I have the patio roof from here on to keep any direct sun away.

MIKE! Does all this meet with your approval???????? :o)

Thanks for all your guidance!

Gita

You get a great big huG from here,I'm proud of you.The tape looks a little time consuming,maybe you could have tried a clear garbage bag over the whole thing,and tied it,you know,for futher referance.Great job!!Mike

Thanks, Mike!

I have been gardening for a;most 40 years, so a lot of stuff is clear as saran Wrap to me. Now, if I have never done anything with a plant (as in the case of camelias), I like to seek as much advice as I can from those that know better.

Yes! The whole duct tape thing was extremely time consuming. Besides, all the sticks wanted to lean in towards the center, as the container is not all that deep. I was close to frustration....

I thought about the plastic bag, but decided it would negate the idea that the container needs drainage. However, it would make it easy to mist when needed. Just open the bag and squirt.
As it is now, misting will be impossible. The condensation should keep things pretty moist in there with all the heat and humidity we have. I may change the whole get-up yet. I did not have any totally clear plastic bags. Most of them are somewhat opaque. Don't know if that would matter at this stage.

You will be first om my list to get a rooted cutting! Promise!

Thanks again for all your "hand-holding"!

Gita

One more shot for you!

Gita,opaque will do fine,and you will grow from this experiance.I believe a person only "KNOWS" anything,through experiance,not reading and knowing about something,keep in touch,Mike

Mike,

I agree with you on the knowing and the doing!

To get a bit more philosophical about it, Having done actually something cements the knowlege one has. It can also be a "barometer" on the validity of what others have told you or what you have read in books.
I always learn something new from reading a Gardening Book. Then I am eager to pass it on to others.
For that reason, all the customers appreciated me so much all the years I worked in the Garden Dept at my HD. Specifically, I was in charge of the whole Greenhouse full of houseplants of all kinds as well as all the pond-building supplies.
I have been a Phone operator for the last 3 years. I sit, or I pace on my short "leash" (phone cord). I know I cannot get back to all the gruelling work in Garden, but now and then, when we have a schedule overlap, I go out there and help out. Just bad knees, arthritis pain in the same, had a knee replacement 2 years ago etc.

It is so rewarding, when a customed catches me walking in some aisle and says, "I dodn't know you still worked here!! You always helped me so much with my plants! Everything you told me worked great!" etc. What an "upper".

But--------------I digress............
I will change the set-up to small trash bags.
Do you have some idea how long it may take for these cuttings to root?

Thanks again, Gita
Here's a rose for you from my garden. "First bloom on my "First Prize" Rose.

Nice rose,you can root it like the camilia,however the rose would root faster,the camilia will be rooted,with misting every other day,by aug.then you will need to pot,an keep the pot shaded.I like to dig a trench,and put the pots in it ,and mulch with pine straw ,until you are ready to plant them,I am doing my root cuttings today,and the rest of this week,I have a 2 acher yard that i want to be proud of,and excape in it.There is no excape from tele operator,and I'm sure you talk to those that make you appreciate your plants more,I work with egoes , that would give Darwin an Iron clad case.Love plants,they just show their beauty,and if left unattended,will fall praey to their surondings,so if we wonder as to how important we are,just look around you.Mike

Mike!

You are pretty "deep" and philosophical yourself! I bet we would have great conversations......

What do you do? You say you "Work with Egos". What does that mean? Are you a big-shot in some Corporate Business? I hate people with big Egos! They just think they are SOOOO important, when the "smart ones" (like you and me) know they are just hiding behind their insecurities. They were, probably, the playground bullies.

Tell me more about YOU--if you don't mind. If you want to do it more "privately", send me a D-Mail.

You know what? I am cutting my own throat taking all these Camelia cuttings. Assuming that even half of them root, I have NO idea what I will do with them? This is the "sickness" of us Garden addicts!
You have 2 acres! I have a development lot (65'x100' overall). I have lived here for almost 37 years and my Garden is very established. You want me to dig a trench?? WHERE?????

Everywhere in my beds there is something growing--or bulbs below the soil. Can't dig much anywhere! If I MUST save some of these until next year, could I just put the pots ON the ground on the southern side of my house and cover them with a huge pile of leaves? OR--I can ofdfer any rooted cuttings on DG and let someone else worry about it!

Our winteres here are unpedictable. Some can be nasty cold and frozen, and some--like last year--almost NO winter at all.

I have never tried to root Roses. All of my Roses are Hybrid Teas. I understand that rooting cuttings from Hybridized Roses may not even come out the same as the parent. I know it works better with shrub Roses. My Mom used to root pieces of it. She just stuck a jar over the cutting until it rooted.

You sound like a very serious gardener. How do you know so much about rooting stuff? Do you have a business where you sell plants?

Mike! I know in the B-I-G scope of things none of us are "important" at all. Our lives are just fleeting mili-seconds in the Universe, yet we live "LONG" lives and it seems forever! We measure time by how our children grow up and their children. We, ourselves, feel timeless/ageless! Who can even imagine a million years? Yet it is NOTHING in the bigger scope of things. Weee just think we all are SO important! BUT--just blink an eye--and we are GONE! Forever!

OK! Enough of all this "deep" stuff!

Keep in touch, Gita

Gee,Gita,you sure do "pet the mule",before loading the wagon,don't you?Yes,I do have a tendence to be philosopical,but only from an analitical view point,you see I'm still learning,and no,I'll never learn as much as I need because I have had a severe inferierorty complex all my life,and try to compensate it by being aware of my suroundings,and building knowledge.I am self educated,and very humble,knowing that there are others,like I was that are afraid to "jump out of the box",and just DO.We set the limitations on ourselves,and in some cases,family,or society keep them down,or us.I realize that all it takes is for me to get a phone call from my sister,and I have the tendency to go back in my shell,and clame the 77iq I was branded with in grade school,and the classes of the ,now referred to as "special ed"kids,but was much more discriminant.I pause to say I taught myself to read when I was 21years old,but never was able to teach myself to spell,but I'm working on that too ,so please bare with me.Where all are concerned,it is focas,and determination,and let no one place you in any catagorie no one is "better" than anyone else in this world,we are created equil,and initive determins our destinies.too much said.yes,you can winter as you sugested,that is as good as my idea,and don't count the chicks,be fore they hatch,you will not root 100%,but the sense of just doing it is worth it all.I word as maintianensefabricator for a major university in the athletic dept,and do for (coaches),and no I just love plants,they can grow,and exsist together.Forgive the "spill",but you ask for it.Mike

Thanks, Mike!

I came to the US as an imigrant and could not speek a word of English way back in 1951. I learned it well, and use the language in a much more proper way than many of the "natives" here. I speak almost 4 languages...

Re your problems with spelling, you could type everything into "Word" where there is "spell-check" and then you can right-click on the misspelled word and see the correct spelling of it. Also, as you read mine, and other people's e-mails, do you notice how words are spelled? Does that help?

You work at a major University. Perhaps they could offer you some kind of classes in English to help out?

Thanks for all your advice! I ALWAYS know what you are talking about.

Gita

Bump...

Gita, just curious as to how your cuttings did. Hope you had great success!

Shoe

Shoe,

Thanks for bumping this.

Sorry, but they all just rotted out in no time. I think having them covered with plastic was not a good idea. It was also total shade where I kept them--tucked up against those bushes. Would like to try again. Any other good ideas? Maybe I should do the bottle over the pot with the top uncapped?
I have 2 end cuttings sitting in water since end of summer. While they have not made any roots, there is new growth at he tips. I haven't checked it lately......

Maybe I should post this question to our local gardening Guru--Alan Summers of Carroll Gardens.

Talk to you again. Gita

Well, was just curious. I've rooted many things but only tried camellias this past year. The success ratio was not very good! However, I tend to have better luck with greenwood or semi-green so will be doing more this year after the flowers drop.

And yes, the closed humidity system you had would greatly contribute to rot. I've had better luck using plastic grocery bags and slip the pots inside them with the tops of the bags upwards (not with the bags bottom up). That way you can easily tie the "handles" of the bad together to hold in moisture but yet more easily open them up to let excessive moisture out, as well as let in fresher air. You may want to try that sometime.

I'll let you know how things work out for me with the green/semi-greenwood cuttings this year.

Thanks for you reply.

Best of All to you and yours!

Shoe

Air layering is a very commom method of rooting camelias. I don't have any to try the method out with yet.

Attempting to insert a link- http://www.camellia.gulfcoast-gardening.com/care/air_layering_camellias_text.htm

Air layering is the only method I use to propagate camelias.Here is a pic of one blooming now.

Yep, I still have a branch I air-layered quite a few months ago; I never even peeked inside to see if it rooted or not! (It's my memory, ya know!) I'll check today.

Hemental, beautiful flower! Any idea what kind that is?

Shoe

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/683251/

there is some information on propagating camellias further down this forum. usually air layering, but also greenwood cuttings.

This message was edited Feb 3, 2007 12:52 PM

http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/08510e01e61cc962882571a9005a9153/69a693df8e83f6b98825684d0070bd16!OpenDocument

try that link again

Shoe.The red and white one is C.japonica " Gov.Mouton "
This one is also blooming now.It is C.japonica " Pink Perfection "
Charlie

gloria:

Please edit http://davesgarden.com/forums/p.php?pid=3150871

It's wrecking my old computer screen.

Thanks, Hemental! I really like the Gov.Mouton! One of the prettiest I've seen! I'll be keeping an eye out for that one! Much obliged!

The pink one is nice too...I just like the brighter colors of Gov.Mouton more though.

Many thanks!
Shoe

gloria,

Thank you for ID'ing my Camellia. Mystery solved!

Gita

Anyone interested in growing and propagating different colors,try Betty Sheffield.
It sports readily with many different colors.Many named varieties have come
from it.Some of which are Betty Sheffied Supreme,Betty Sheffield Blush,
Betty Sheffield Var..Funny Face Betty,Betty Sheffield Pink,B.S.Blush
Supreme,B.S.Pink Varigated,B.S.Dream,B.S Silver,B.S.Coral and many others.
Charlie

http://davesgarden.com/mail/pmailpic.php?pid=734668

Sorry Smilax, did not mean to be a source for hypertension on the home front.

That did the trick. Smilax thanks you, as do I.