Pacific Northwest Garden Forum: Camellias

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MillcreekBeth
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Joined: Mar-29-2006
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posts: 21

Topic: Camellias
Posted: Mar-29-2006 at 11:43am

Again, I am a new Washington gardener - and have inherited a house with quite a few rhodies, azaleas and camellias. I notice some of the camellias are nice, shiny-leaved, and doing well. Others have borders of yellow around the leaves and have not set buds. Does anyone know what is causing the leaf yellowing? I searched on the net and could not find anything conclusive. The only differences I can see is some of these leaf-yellowed ones are on the south or southwest side of the house. Do they hate the minimal sun we get THAT much?

Thanks!

__Beth__:-)

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swineinsanity
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Joined: Mar-28-2006
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posts: 23

Posted: Mar-29-2006 at 12:35pm

My camellia is starting to bloom and loves it by the rodies in the shade. Last year I had only one flower when I got it from the hardware store and this year I have many. The leaves look shiny and healthy.

Camellias on HGTV

Cheryl

Edited by Lisa A

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JeanneK
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Joined: Jul-28-2003
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posts: 2067

Posted: Mar-29-2006 at 7:35pm

Hi Beth, welcome to Rainyside!

One of the reasons why your camellias did not set buds is that it may have been trimmed last year and did not have time to set buds. As far as the yellowing goes, are the camellias with the yellow borders on the leaves right next to ones with green leaves? If so, you may have a variegated leaf variety. Surprisingly, camellias can take a fare amount of sun in the PNW and the leaves will be a bit of a lighter green, but that will be all through out the leaf. You might try spreading camellia food and/or bark mulch and see if it greens up the leaves.

Good luck!

Jeanne

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Gordo
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Joined: Feb-27-2006
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Island
Posts: 66

Posted: Mar-30-2006 at 9:30am

Hi Beth,

My camellias that are planted in sun seem to exhibit that same yellowing of the leaves you describe. I've heard that sometimes this may also be caused by iron or other nutrient deficiency. One thing they are supposed to like is an application of coffee grounds around the base, as a kind of mulch - something about acidity.
Good Luck!

Gordo

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JeanneK
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Joined: Jul-28-2003
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posts: 2067

Posted: Mar-30-2006 at 2:00pm

Coffee grounds would increase the acidity but you will need a lot of grounds. Fir bark mulch will also increase the acidity, along with a camellia food. PNW soils are normally on the more acidic side. You might want to take a leaf into your local nursery and see if they can diagnose the problem for you. When you mention yellow leaves around borders, or in a spotted pattern, that sounds like varigation, to me. Or possily a disease. Lighter green leaves are natural in full sun, but not a distinct yellow.

Edited by JeanneK

Jeanne

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Fern
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Joined: Mar-11-2005
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posts: 1346

Posted: Mar-30-2006 at 10:35pm

It might be a virus disease, but I think they may be getting too much sun. A good nursery could tell you by the pattern of the yellow. They are naturally understory shrubs. Also maybe they weren't watered enough last summer. I would give them an organic Rhododendron and Evergreen food and spray them [or feed, slower, not as effective] with a Seaweed product to give them the iron and other minerals they need to take those conditions. Water them deeply every once in a while in the summer dry spell. If they're not better next year they might be happier in a more shaded spot.

Fern

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bakingbarb
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Joined: Jul-02-2004
Location: Washington, Western
Posts: 366

Posted: Apr-02-2006 at 9:47pm

Do any of you know much about the yellow flowering? As in do the yellow buggers ever flower? The plant is about 4 feet tall and been in the ground 2 1/2 years, it is on the other side of the fence from a mature pink that flowers fine.

~BakingBarb

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MillcreekBeth
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Joined: Mar-29-2006
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posts: 21

Posted: Apr-03-2006 at 10:16am

Thanks, everyone - the nice green leaved ones are totally away from the yellow mottled ones, and I should have been more explicit..its a jagged yellow mottling, and on some of the leaves there are indeed brown spots. I have noticed that one of them wasn't getting enough water - transplanted it to the shade and more wet area this weekend and it had hardly ANY rootball! I notice the homeowner had dumped about six inches of mulch/topsoil on top of straight clay/sand that was here when the house was built. I think thats probably the issue, there is no real soil after about six inches down. I'll take the leaf to the garden center to make sure, but am on my way to buy plant food/sticks/spray today. :-)

__Beth__:-)

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Author	Message
MillcreekBeth none Joined: Mar-29-2006 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor Posts: 21	Topic: Camellias Posted: Mar-29-2006 at 11:43am
	Again, I am a new Washington gardener - and have inherited a house with quite a few rhodies, azaleas and camellias. I notice some of the camellias are nice, shiny-leaved, and doing well. Others have borders of yellow around the leaves and have not set buds. Does anyone know what is causing the leaf yellowing? I searched on the net and could not find anything conclusive. The only differences I can see is some of these leaf-yellowed ones are on the south or southwest side of the house. Do they hate the minimal sun we get THAT much? Thanks!
	__Beth__:-)

	IP Logged

swineinsanity none Joined: Mar-28-2006 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor Posts: 23	Posted: Mar-29-2006 at 12:35pm
	My camellia is starting to bloom and loves it by the rodies in the shade. Last year I had only one flower when I got it from the hardware store and this year I have many. The leaves look shiny and healthy. Camellias on HGTV Cheryl Edited by Lisa A
	IP Logged

JeanneK none Joined: Jul-28-2003 Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro Posts: 2067	Posted: Mar-29-2006 at 7:35pm
	Hi Beth, welcome to Rainyside! One of the reasons why your camellias did not set buds is that it may have been trimmed last year and did not have time to set buds. As far as the yellowing goes, are the camellias with the yellow borders on the leaves right next to ones with green leaves? If so, you may have a variegated leaf variety. Surprisingly, camellias can take a fare amount of sun in the PNW and the leaves will be a bit of a lighter green, but that will be all through out the leaf. You might try spreading camellia food and/or bark mulch and see if it greens up the leaves. Good luck!
	Jeanne
	IP Logged

Gordo none Joined: Feb-27-2006 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Island Posts: 66	Posted: Mar-30-2006 at 9:30am
	Hi Beth, My camellias that are planted in sun seem to exhibit that same yellowing of the leaves you describe. I've heard that sometimes this may also be caused by iron or other nutrient deficiency. One thing they are supposed to like is an application of coffee grounds around the base, as a kind of mulch - something about acidity. Good Luck!
	Gordo
	IP Logged

JeanneK none Joined: Jul-28-2003 Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro Posts: 2067	Posted: Mar-30-2006 at 2:00pm
	Coffee grounds would increase the acidity but you will need a lot of grounds. Fir bark mulch will also increase the acidity, along with a camellia food. PNW soils are normally on the more acidic side. You might want to take a leaf into your local nursery and see if they can diagnose the problem for you. When you mention yellow leaves around borders, or in a spotted pattern, that sounds like varigation, to me. Or possily a disease. Lighter green leaves are natural in full sun, but not a distinct yellow. Edited by JeanneK
	Jeanne
	IP Logged

Fern none Joined: Mar-11-2005 Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills Posts: 1346	Posted: Mar-30-2006 at 10:35pm
	It might be a virus disease, but I think they may be getting too much sun. A good nursery could tell you by the pattern of the yellow. They are naturally understory shrubs. Also maybe they weren't watered enough last summer. I would give them an organic Rhododendron and Evergreen food and spray them [or feed, slower, not as effective] with a Seaweed product to give them the iron and other minerals they need to take those conditions. Water them deeply every once in a while in the summer dry spell. If they're not better next year they might be happier in a more shaded spot.
	Fern
	IP Logged

bakingbarb none Joined: Jul-02-2004 Location: Washington, Western Posts: 366	Posted: Apr-02-2006 at 9:47pm
	Do any of you know much about the yellow flowering? As in do the yellow buggers ever flower? The plant is about 4 feet tall and been in the ground 2 1/2 years, it is on the other side of the fence from a mature pink that flowers fine.
	~BakingBarb
	IP Logged

MillcreekBeth none Joined: Mar-29-2006 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor Posts: 21	Posted: Apr-03-2006 at 10:16am
	Thanks, everyone - the nice green leaved ones are totally away from the yellow mottled ones, and I should have been more explicit..its a jagged yellow mottling, and on some of the leaves there are indeed brown spots. I have noticed that one of them wasn't getting enough water - transplanted it to the shade and more wet area this weekend and it had hardly ANY rootball! I notice the homeowner had dumped about six inches of mulch/topsoil on top of straight clay/sand that was here when the house was built. I think thats probably the issue, there is no real soil after about six inches down. I'll take the leaf to the garden center to make sure, but am on my way to buy plant food/sticks/spray today. :-)
	__Beth__:-)
	IP Logged

Topic: Camellias( Topic Closed)