5 Common Camellia Growing Problems

SHRUBS > CAMELLIA > PROBLEMS

Camellias can be relatively trouble-free plants when grown in the right place, as long as you care for them correctly.

However, as always in gardening, things can go wrong.

Some of the most common problems encountered by those growing Camellia can be grouped into:

1. Roots rotting due to a lack of drainage.
2. Leaf discolouration, which is typically a sign of nutritional issues, water shortages, or a fungal infection known as ‘camellia gall’.
3. Branch dieback, which is again typically caused by a lack of water uptake.
4. The plant failing to flower or dropping its buds, mostly caused by a lack of water, over-feeding or an over-exposure to cold conditions.
5. The flowers dying back – usually caused by cold exposure or fungal infection.

We offer further explanations for each of these problems underneath.

1) Root Problems

Camellias need free-draining conditions, so overwatering or a lack of drainage can be one of the most common problems when growing these shrubs.

If a camellia seems to be dying and the roots are mushy or brown inside, this is root rot.

Root rot can be caused by waterlogging or by a fungal problem that can creep in due to overly saturated conditions.

If the problem has not progressed too far, you might be able to repot with a new growing medium, move your plant or improve drainage to allow it to recover.

Root damage can also occur in container-grown camellias due to frost-damage in winter.

Protect the plants by wrapping insulating materials around the pot in cold weather to prevent this damage.

Roots of container-grown plants might also be eaten by vine weevil larvae.

“Vine weevil larvae love fine roots, particularly of plants grown in pots, and will slowly eat away the roots until the plant dies back,” explains Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly.

“If vine weevil is suspected and the damage is moderate, check the compost for larvae and destroy if found.

The plant can then be re-planted. As a preventive measure, a nematode is available that can be applied to soil that parasitises the vine weevil larvae.

“I have found this to be very effective, but the temperatures and moisture levels of the compost need to warm up in spring before to ensure a successful application.”

Keep an eye out for these pests to prevent the problem from getting out of control, and repot your plant in a new growing medium to allow it to recover.

2) Leaf Problems

Yellow leaves can be a sign of root problems, but it can also be a sign of nutritional issues that have developed for another reason.

Make sure the growing medium is right and that the conditions are acidic.

Yellow blotches on your camellia leaves can also be a sign of disease, such as a viral infection.

Brown leaves can be a sign of water shortage caused by root damage, drought, under-watering, frost damage, sun scorch or strong, drying winds.

If the brown appears in patches, it might be leaf blight, a fungal infection.

Brown leaves due to any of the above causes might also drop off.

If you see dark growth on your leaves, this is sooty mould, a fungal infection which develops because of insects feeding on the plant鈥檚 sap.

“The black soot on your camellia leaves is a fungus or sooty mould growing on honeydew secreted by scale insects,” explains Lorraine Summers, Owner of Trehane Nursery.

“These may be white cushion scales or yellowy-green soft scales which are most commonly found on the underside of the leaves. 

“Washing the plants with warm soapy water will remove the black soot. 

“You will also need to spray under the leaves to kill the scale insects. Neem oil is good for this.”

If a small number of leaves look swollen then turn white, this is a fungal disease called camellia gall. ¹Camellia gall. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/camellia-gall

Although this is not a serious problem, you should remove affected areas before spores are produced and the problem spreads.

3) Branch Problems

Branch dieback that occurs on camellias is typically an advanced sign of a root problem and is most indicative of the fact that there is a problem getting water to the affected area.

However, branch dieback can also occur if a leaf blight fungus infestation is allowed to progress.

Cut off all affected areas as soon as possible to reduce losses and allow the plant to recover.

4) Bud Problems

Bud problems can usually be averted by thinking about 3 key things.

The first thing to think about is water availability during the late summer, when buds begin to form.

Next, make sure you do not use too much fertiliser on your camellia and never feed camellias, even those in pots, after July.

Finally, make sure that your camellia is in a sheltered spot over the winter and protected during the coldest months with horticultural fleece or some other form of protection. 

5) Flower Problems

If flowers on a camellia open but quickly turn brown, this is often due to frost damage.

Remember, some camellias are hardier than others.

Flowers may also fall prey to a fungal infection.

Two likely causes of flowers turning brown and falling off are issues with mould or blight.

These are just some of the most common problems that you might encounter when growing camellia in your garden.

References

• 1
  Camellia gall. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/camellia-gall