New to Dave's. I'm all about camellias this time of year. I 've not seen any forums on Camellias, have I missed it? Anyway, here is a photo from Thanksgiving Day of a camellia just planted. It is Early Autumn. Anyone want to talk camellias?
Camellias???
Love to, although mine are three years old, that I took cuttings from some nice plants,(the plants that I got the cuttings from are not known by the person living there.)I think it was a situation where they moved into that , and gloted in the glory.I got sixty cuttings from a Bob Hope, and it sure was beautiful, they are this years,I will have a ball finding the names of my others, one has two buds on it and I really feel like a "daddy".I'm sure these were in an area where they would have been planted in late thirties, or early forties.These were over grown, witch brought me to them.I love to show someone like that "how to prune".Enough of mine, what do you grow?That Early Autumn is a beauty.You may want to try your luck with the shrub, and tree forum, but believe me you'll be more at home in Ga.Mike
I got me one of them. My cammellias are looking a little rough this year, lack of water is probably what the problem is. Maybe I'll take some more pics tomorrow, I have a few in bloom at the moment.
This message was edited Nov 24, 2007 6:30 PM
May confederate roses have been blooming for a while too. I'm surprised but my tropical hibiscus are flowering still. I'm having a pretty colorful fall.
I guess I'm a lazy gardner, wanting immediate gradification. I have not taken cuttings, but have bought all my camellias at nurseries. I have found a nursery near me in Valdosta that specializes in camellias that grow best in our area. Mark has a vast knowledge and background in horticulture. That said I started planting couple years ago with Charles Bettes, Governor Mounton and MiniNo Yuki that I purchased from other nurseries. Last year discovered LochLaurel Nursery and purchased Tama Electra, Early Autumn, and Royal Velvet. Couple weeks ago added Miss Lillian, Happy Birthday, Star ABove Star, Ave Maria, and Bobby Fain. I'm so excited. Can't wait to see more blooms. Only have few right now. Attaching a photo of Red Velvet from last year.
Here are a couple other photos. I particularly like the Tama Electra. It is the red with the white border. I planted it last year and not all the flowers had the white border as you can see in the photo. But I was told this would be more reliable with age.
I've ended up with several that I think are Governor Moutons. I still need to get my camellia terminology down so I can better describe things. Also need to improve on photography. But hope this gives you something to enjoy until. To show more than 1 photo, do you have to make each a separate entry?
He Mike you here too? Hello Gajunebug, I'm not new to Dave's but VERY new to Camellia's. I'm not a GA native (from Netherlands) so I love the winter flowering plants. I had one in yard here already ,don't know which one. As far as I know it never bloomed but since renovating our front yard I decided to put it some place else and got a large pot for it. It started growing AND blooming. I'm a happy camper. I bought 3 other Camellia's too. One in another pot and 2 in ground. Full with buds but no flowers yet. Will they still come?
Coby
Hi TulipLady,
Oh yes! The camellia season is just beginning. I used to live in Atlanta. There is some difference in the varieties that do better here and there, but plenty of both. I do think camellias get larger down here. Growing in pots will be fine for a while, but I wonder for how long????
Help me out here Gajunebug. Do Camellias root out extensively then? I'll take a pic of them in hour or so, when I say pots I mean BIG pots. I'll measure them but I think they are 24-26" across. I was hoping to be able to keep the size down by pruning height wise after blooming time of course. That way it takes less effort for them to bloom. Or not?
In the ground I have a Eleanor McCown (japonica) and a Jean May (sasanqua).
As to how large a camelia can grow depends on its age, and condition around it.There is, or was a camelia at midleton place, (sp), anyway near Charleston SC, that is supose to be the largest in the America, and it being well over 200 Yrs., would be a good head start.I went to Charleston in hopes of seeing the camelia, and had a nasty their fault wreck, and never made it to Midleton Place.
I believe the largest one in the world is in Germany, and they have a huge green house on tracks that covers the camelia.Would love to see that, but intend to go to SC first.Mike
I am not really all that knowledgeable. I've seen camellias in pots that are gorgeous. And many are considered slow growers so that should help. But as in Mike's comments, I can't image a 200 year old camellia in a pot! I imagine at some point it would need to be moved, but I may be wrong. I'm sure there is info out there on the subject.
Well, since I don't intend to become 200 yrs. old I am not going to worry about it... just yet! See how it does, I can always transplant it into soil after few years when I see it not doing well. So while living in Netherlands I missed the "largest camellia in the world" and it's in Germany????? where in Germany do yu know Mike?. I wonder though why people don't have camellia's in Holland? might be too wet?? Certainly Germany gets as cold as Holland.
My camellias are in the ground and I have one that tops out at about 18ft and probably 10-12ft wide. Depends on what type you have, some are small and compact some will get up to 30Ft. You can always prune them. As far as a pot they will be limited by how big the pot is and they do get a large root system on them. Either you will have to repot them to a bigger size pot or try and trim back the roots once in a while.
Personally I don't think a camellia is a good chioce for planting in a pot.
That brings up another concern, Coby.I have seen camelias freeze, requiring them to be cut back beyond the frost damage.My mother, being from the deep south had to have camelias oin NC where she was a little north of good camelia growing.Hers froze in the winter of '83, and had to be cut back to the ground, but put back out, and grew to a nice size.However, the one in Germany has a winter GH that covers it when the temp drops.I do think too wet in the Netherlands for camelias.Do you have lilac in Holand?The largest lilac I have ever seen was in Oslo Norway.I climbed way up in it to have a pic taken.It must have been 30 feet.Mike
As Mike, I thought about the freeze factor during the day. I was in Atlanta in 83 with the freeze! As you say, many had to be cut back. Down here that doesn't happen but rarely. But having the camellias in a pot, you will not get as good protection to the roots/plant as in the ground. So cover up, move to more protected area etc. when necessary.
Here's a quote from a website, http://www.camellia.gulfcoast-gardening.com , that I've found informative. I've listed a few other sites I would recommend, but I was looking for sites more relevant to my area in sw georgia.
To pot or not? If you are going to leave your plants in pots, it is preferable to obtain a sasanqua or a grafted japonica cultivar ( i.e., a japonica grafted onto a sasanqua). Potted plants are more subject to root rot than landscape plants, but the sasanqua root stock is more resistant to the rot than the japonica.
http://www.camellia.gulfcoast-gardening.com/selection/selectionchecklist.htm
www.camellia.gulfcoast-gardening.com
http://www.camellias-acs.com/
http://www.camellia.gulfcoast-gardening.com/selection/galleryofphotolinks.htm
http://www.lochlaurelnursery.com/
Thank you Mike and Gajunebug for the info. I'll go through the websites later today. Yes Mike there is some Lilac in Netherlands. Both Camellia's in pots are Sasanquas btw and the pots themselves are those new styrofoam things. It looks like clay pots but they're not. They are both up against the house so not in the wind, unless there's a terrible storm coming. Since styrofoam is an insulator I hoped they would be good too. I'll think of something to protect the pots some for few weeks untill frost is over.
Sasanquas are root stock for grafting C. japonicum, and I will prefect that some day, and continue mikes follies.Mike
Can't wait for those camellia blooms. I want to see that huge one in Charleston too. I went to Massey Lane Gardens last year with my Mom and it was just wonderful. Mine are in the ground, except for one that was doing poorly because of the drought. I have it in a pot and hope that it will survive. Welcome Junebug,, this is a great site.
Elaine
Glad to keep the thread going, as a matter of fact I had to test the progress of my Bob Hope cuttings to check for roots, and was pleased with the outcome.I started these in late july, and thaught I might have to over winter in the bed, but now I think I might pot, and put in the "nursary", until next fall, or later.You really need to try rooting, it is so exciting.Mike
I've had no luck rooting camellias but have had success with air layering. Maybe I'll try to root some next year again. I just can't seem to get it right.
There is more negitive remarks concerning the rooting of camelias, about watering the plant the night before, then make the cutting before the sun comes up, and all this other stuff.Granted I can root forsythia easier than camelias, but camelias will root all the same.These cuttings were sent to me from a lady in baltimore, and arrived, by way of us mail, and put in a home made rooting box, misted, and loved, on the 28th or about july.Thats 2007.What I'm trying to get across is;use your best judgment, and don't listen to the negitive.I'm glad I didn't know any better than to root them, when I started rooting camelias.Mike
Mike, I can't wait to have all of our yard (backyard) ready, so I can finally unpack all my garden stuff and start creating a small potting area. When I read how much you try and how enthousiastic you are, it is contagious!!!.
So where in Germany is the largest Camellia? Not that I'm close anymore but it's nice to know.
My in ground camellia Sas.Jean May has had few blooms, very light pink. As soon as it has more blooms I will take some pics. I can't wait for the other ones to start blooming.
Has anyone tried growing from seed? I picked 2 from this camellia (don't even know if they are viable) ??
Elaine
You should beable to grow them from seeds but I don't think they come true from seed.
ok,, won't bother then. just get more plants for my wooded area.
thanks, Elaine
The germination on camelia is quite long, but have never tried it personally.Mike
WOW! 12' tal in pots??? OK let's see if I can manage to come even a little close. Tomorrow I have a camera again, the one camellia in pot is now beginning to bud also. Bright red from what I can see. I'm so excited, silly huh?
How's the foot btw GGG, are you resting enough? I am fairly close to you I think, do you have help or is there anything I can do for you?
Twelve INCHES tall, lol!!
Today the doc said they couldn't find a break in the old x-rays, that I have three sprains, one strain and ligament damage from the terrible splint job they gave me in the emergency room. He said it was the worst spaz move he's seen in a long time!
So now I'm supposed to find very supportive shoes. I thought the grandma shoes I had WERE supportive. Big feets limit you a lot in what is available! He dangled getting back to the garden more quickly in front of my nose though....
GGG
Sounds like good news GGG. No cast.... Just don't overdo now and take care of yourself. How do you define supportive shoes. I'd have no idea what to get. I wear grandma shoes also, cause my feet are a mess. I don't know if they're supportive. Good luck with that one.
I don't have any camellias yet. Can they be planted in shade? or can they take sun? My new shed has some areas around it that need plants. Like to hide the cement footers. I don't think I can wait for cuttings or seeds to grow, so I'll get them at a nursery or big box store I guess.
Becky
Camellias like shade, a perfect spot is under tall pines. Sasanquas seem to do better with a little more sun but these are not full sun plants or at least where I live they are not.
Fall blooming Camellias (Sasanqua?) can take more sun here in Atlanta. You often see them out on the South side of homes. Japonica seem to need more shade to hold the bloom longer. They also appreciate being located in a space that might get really early morning sun in the winter. That is so that frost can melt as soon as possible and not damage the bloom quite so much.
Sturdy shoes equal the biggest athletic shoes you can find. They are supposed to close up high on the foot, which I simply can not wear. I have crazy high arches, and any shoes that do up any higher than the toes, they just kill me after an hour or so. What they want is a higher sole but sturdy. Like I need another inch, lol.
OK, now time for a quick nap before DH gets home from work!!
GGG
When we installed our goldfish pond last spring, we had to relocate two camellias (one sasanqua and one japonica) because they were right in the middle of where the pond needed to be. They were about 5' tall at the time and have been great bloomers for the 6 or 7 years that we've had them. We re-planted them on the new "hill" just behind our filterbox and waterfall, in what I'd consider 50-60% shade (in the summer). Despite the drought, they have survived and one of them is blooming fairly well (sasanqua, I think). A few weeks ago I noticed that a couple of small branches had gotten knocked off the plant and these branches were lying in the small flowing stream area - blooming and opening new blooms. The water was pretty cold but they continued opening buds. Anyway, when we had our first real bout of cold, I decided to bring the shoots indoors and put them in some water to continue blooming. WRONG - immediately unhappy at being in a warm house (altho ours is pretty cool) and they told me so. As soon as I heard them holler, I bundled up and moved 'em back to where they wanted to be. So I guess camellias are pretty darned hardy critters.
jo
Thanks for the info. The side of the shed I want to plant them faces south. Its under some oaks and dogwoods, so not a lot of sun. I had a butterfly bush there, but it didn't make it. Probably because of the summer shade and lack of watering.
Lack of sun yes, lack of water maybe. I have a few butterfly bushes and they are very drought tolerant but mine have been planted for a few years.