Flower Description: Camellia, alias camellia, small camellia, evening camellia, Sichuan camellia, mandala tree, foreign tea, jade tea flower, Yunnan tea, snow lijiao, cold rouge, winter-resistant, red jade ring, is an evergreen shrub or small tree plant of camellia in the camellia family.
Camellia Flower Language: Ideal love and humility.
Growing place: Originating from the Yangtze River and Pearl River basins in China, of which Yunnan is the most. It is now widely cultivated all over the world.
Flower raising is beneficial: camellia seeds can be eaten with oil, leaves can be used as drinks, and flowers not only have ornamental value, but also can be used in medicine; camellia also has ornamental value, with roots, flowers into medicine, with astringent cool blood, hemostasis effect, external use can treat burns, trauma bleeding; camellia leaves on the cilia can intercept dust and impurities in the air, have the effect of purifying the air, its branches and leaves have diffuse reflection, can reduce noise.
Flower appearance: tree height 2 to 4 meters, leaves alternate, leathery, dark green, inverted ovate, small serrations on the edges, flowers single or 2 to 3 clusters of flowers born at the top of the branches or between the leaf axils, there are single petals, heavy petals, etc., the flower color is red, purple, white, pink and variegated.
Variety selection: there are many varieties of camellia, for beginners, you can choose Hualuzhen, Red Dew Zhen, Hexagonal Big Red, Chidan, Snow Tower, Sailangyang for maintenance, these varieties of survival rate are relatively high, simple maintenance. For people with certain experience in raising flowers, according to their actual environmental conditions, they can appropriately choose to plant hair edge big black red, hair edge black agate, flower fairy, beautiful white gear, fragrant sun, huangda, flower peony, crown and so on.
Plant selection: General cuttings are better than the genetic stability of grafted seedlings, and grafted seedlings are prone to mutation; potted plants can choose large seedlings, because large seedlings are easier to survive than small seedlings, large seedlings are earlier than small seedlings, and some can bloom in pots that year.
Choice of pots: Cultivated camellias can choose tile pots, which are very good in drainage and air permeability, and the price is low, which is most suitable for family potted flower cultivation. The size of the pot is generally equal to the height of the pot, if it is used for sowing, cutting camellia, the pot should choose a shallow pot, potted camellia can be used to use a deeper pot. Cultivated camellia can also be made in wooden pots.
Preparation of cultivated soil: Camellia has stricter soil requirements, and it is better to use pine leaf humus soil for cultivating camellia, or it is also possible to use other loose and fertile mud and sandy soils. Camellia sinensis is afraid of alkali, so do not use alkaline and calcareous soil, the pH of the soil is most suitable in 4 to 5, if the pH to 6.5 is not suitable for camellia. To increase soil acidity, you can add some sulfur, alum or ferrous sulfate to the soil and mix.
Preparation method 1: Red loam soil, humus soil and fine river mud are mixed according to the ratio of 6:3:1.
Preparation method 2: Saprophyll soil, garden soil and river sand are mixed according to the ratio of 5:4:1.
Preparation method 3: use fully decomposed saprophyll soil and garden soil, supplemented by some compost, horse manure, river sand. Do not use human or poultry manure so as not to make the soil too much fertilizer.
Flower cultivation: Generally the time of potting is best in November or February to March of the second year, when the buds are enlarged and the flowers begin to bloom, which is the most suitable for potting. Do not pot in high temperatures, cold seasons or when flowers are in full bloom, so as not to cause the plant to wilt and die. After the pot, the first time to pour enough water, to the bottom of the basin out of the water is appropriate, usually watering should be appropriate. Plants that have just been potted should not be exposed to the sun, but should be placed in a cool place, and after half a month, they should receive some sunlight, but also do not expose themselves to the sun.
For seedlings with damaged roots, do not apply basal fertilizer when potting, because fertilizer is not conducive to root recovery and new root growth.
Fertilization: Camellia is more like fertilizer, but avoid large fertilizer or thick fertilizer, the principle of fertilization of camellia should be "thin fertilizer diligent application".
Although camellia does not like large fertilizers, it still needs a small amount of base fertilizer when potting or changing pots. The base fertilizer of camellia is best to use organic fertilizer, such as fermented animal organs, soybean cake, fish bone meal, etc. These organic fertilizers have sufficient nutrients and comprehensive nutrients, with various components such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and the fertilizer effect is very long. When applied, these fertilizers can be dried and crushed into a powder, and then mixed with 5 to 6 times the dry soil and sprinkled 2 to 3 cm from the roots of the plant.
Prefer cool fertilizer and avoid hot fertilizer, April to May, it is the camellia leaf bud germination and growth of branches and leaves, this time, you can properly apply nitrogen-based decomposition liquid fertilizer, such as rotten bean cake, peanut cake, sauce residue, etc., generally 3 to 4 times can be applied, about every 7 days or so. You can also pour some alum fertilizer water, alum fertilizer water is made by adding 100 grams of green alum to 10 kilograms of water, and then adding 200 grams of soybean cake powder and 1000 grams of dried poultry manure. In general, when the weather is hot, it can be ripened in a month, and when the weather is cold, it takes 3 to 4 months to cook. When watering, add 10 to 20 times of water, generally once every 15 days. It can also be used to water the decomposing liquid fertilizer and alum fertilizer water in turn.
From June to July, camellia flowers should be differentiated into flower buds, and nitrogen and phosphorus mixed fertilizers can be applied during this period, and phosphorus fertilizers can be used in fishy water, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc. Do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer at this time, so as not to cause the phenomenon of camellia branches and leaves growing.
August is not suitable for fertilization.
From September to November, camellia enters the gestational bud stage, at this time to apply a mixed fertilizer, at this time should be mainly phosphate fertilizer, nitrogen fertilizer as a supplement, to ensure that the plant has more buds, large buds.
By the end of November, an additional amount of rotting fishy water will be applied, which will allow the flowers to bloom more fat and colorful.
In early January, after moving the pots indoors, apply alum fertilizer water and 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution again, and then fertilize after the spring of the following year.
Stop fertilizing during the flowering period of the plant.
Watering: Camellia is a moist plant, but because it is a tender fleshy root, the absorption is not strong, so it can not be watered too much, otherwise it is easy to accumulate water, resulting in a decrease in pot soil permeability, insufficient oxygen will cause root rot, plant leaf wilt. However, it is not advisable for the potting soil to be too dry, and the plant will dry up when it lacks water, so the watering must be appropriate, and the water should be stopped when the drainage hole is generally seen.
Before and after the Qingming Dynasty, the plant is in the growth and germination period, the water demand increases, and by the end of May, after the new shoots stop growing, it is necessary to properly control the watering in order to promote the differentiation of flower buds. June is the rainy season, the amount of rain is large, pay attention to prevent water accumulation. During these months, in addition to rainy days, water is sprayed on the foliage of the plant once a day to maintain a moist growing environment.
After the summer, the temperature increases, the soil is dry, in addition to watering once a day in the evening, you can also spray water on the leaf surface 2 to 4 times a day according to the temperature and the degree of dryness of the air, and the foliar spray water should be carried out in the early morning or evening, avoid spraying water at noon, which can play a role in cooling and humid environment.
In the winter, the plant gradually enters a dormant state, and watering should be controlled, watering every 3 to 5 days, and the amount of watering each time should not be too much. The watering time should be preferably around 10 a.m. to prevent the water from freezing and preventing the plant from safely overwintering.
Water for camellias, preferably with rainwater or water from a pond. If you use tap water, you can first put tap water into the cylinder or barrel for 1 to 2 days, let the chlorine volatilize, impurities precipitate, and at the same time let the water temperature not be too cold, do not pour cold water under the hot sun, so as not to cause the roots to be unsuitable, and produce physiological leaf fall. If you add 0.2% ferrous sulfate to the water and then water, you can appropriately increase the acidity of the potting soil to prevent the potting soil from alkalizing.
In case of strong winds, the amount of foliar evaporation will also become larger, so water or spray more water. When the air humidity is high, reduce the amount of watering. If a plant is found to be dry and dehydrated, the branches and leaves are wilted, and it should be immediately placed in the shade, watered thoroughly, and the foliar spray is carried out at the same time.
Pruning: Camellia pruning can be done all year round.
Winter and spring pruning mainly lies in shaping, and the germination of the pruned branches will be enhanced, and often after pruning, more young shoots will be produced. Therefore, pruning the plant in winter and spring is suitable for dwarfing, shaping, retracting and restoring the tree shape.
Summer and autumn pruning, the purpose is to thin the shear, to ensure the light and breathability of the plant. The pruning objects are mainly those branches with weak germination ability, inner branches, cross branches, diseased dead branches and some residual flowers and leaves.
From the perspective of improving the quality and amount of camellia flowers, it is best to prune after the flowering period and before the spring shoots germinate.
Let's take a closer look at dwarfing and thinning the plants.
In order to dwarf the shape of the plant, pay attention to the direction and position of the buds when pruning. Because the inner bud of camellia branches upwards, the outer bud branch outward, so you can design the tree shape accordingly, truncate the buds, the buds left behind, should be opposite the knife edge, the top of the slope should be about 3 mm higher than the bud base, to prevent too high or too low. The main branches should be balanced between them, so that the stems, branches and leaves of camellia flowers can be reasonably developed.
Thinning is to cut off the branches of diseased branches, dense branches, dead branches, intersecting branches, parallel branches, inward branches, overlapping branches and other branches in the dense branches inside the plant, and it is necessary to pay attention to cutting these branches from the base, leaving no stumps, and the wound should be smooth, which is more conducive to healing.
When pruning, you should pay attention to selecting the lateral buds of the branches outwards, so that the whole branch is more and more compact.
For some camellias with disorganized growth, to make it take a certain shape, it is necessary to insist on frequent pruning. However, like the Yunnan camellia, its branches grow sparsely and irregularly, and it is easy to get blight if the pruning is too heavy, so do not re-prune when pruning. Each camellia has several main branches, and cutting off the top of the main branch will prompt its base to germinate lateral buds and form side branches. After several years of repeated pruning, it can create a dwarf crown tree shape.
Light and temperature management: Camellia is a long-day semi-negative flower that prefers a warm, moist environment.
The leaf surface of camellia is phototropic, both need sunlight and are not tolerant to strong light, long-term exposure to sunlight, will burn the leaves, and the plant lacks vitality. Therefore, it needs sufficient diffuse light, and there must be about 25% direct illumination, and the length of light should be more than 12 hours, so that the environment is suitable for the growth and development of the plant.
Spring, autumn and winter can be unshakeled, and summer can be treated with 50% shading. After the temperature drops in autumn, the camellia flowers enter the bud differentiation period, at which time the whole plant should gradually receive sufficient light. In winter, it should be placed in a sunny place indoors, if the indoor light is too weak, camellia growth will be poor, and it is very susceptible to disease and pests.
During the growth period, it should be placed in a semi-shaded environment, and it is not suitable for receiving too strong direct sunlight. Especially in summer and autumn, shade should be carried out, or placed under the trees for shade. On cloudy days, uncover shade nets and increase light.
Temperature directly affects the growth and development of camellia flowers. Camellias are afraid of extreme heat, avoid cold, and like warmth. Generally, the most suitable temperature for its growth is 15 °C ~ 25 °C, the most suitable flowering temperature is 10 °C ~ 20 °C, and the temperature is higher than 35 °C will burn the leaves.
Flower and fruit period management: camellia flowers generally bloom from December to March to April of the second year, after the winter, most of the buds of camellias have expanded, at this time can be applied to phosphate fertilizer-based decomposition of organic fertilizer, generally sprayed every 7 days, until the flowers open to stop fertilization. Camellia flowers during the flowering period, the water demand is larger, see the pot soil dry, you must water at noon, must not let the plant lack of water, otherwise it will lead to early flower thanks.
Camellias are very delicate, so during its flowering period to move less, especially from indoor to outdoor should pay more attention, such as to move flowers outdoors, you must put the flowers that have been opened or are opening with nylon bags to tie up, in case the cold wind blows, the flowers fall early, no open buds do not need to be bagged.
Camellia varieties with larger potted plants, such as small peach, when several buds bloom at the same time in a short period of time, it is easy to cause the whole plant to die due to excessive nutrient consumption after flowering. Therefore, when there are more flowers blooming at the same time, it is necessary to control the flowering period not to exceed 10 days, and to apply thin fertilizer in time after flowering, and carefully protect it so that it can recover its "vitality" as soon as possible.
In order to make the camellia leaf color evergreen, the flower color is rich, you can take measures to increase the color of the green, the method is to use ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate in accordance with the ratio of 2:1, formulated into a 15% mixed solution, when in use, diluted by 1 ml of mixture plus 99 ml of water, with the resulting dilution of the camellia foliage sprayed, once a month; can also be poured until the bottom of the pot seepage.
Generally, it is watered 1 to 2 months before flowering or sprayed once a week to make the flower color deepen and the leaves bright green and shiny. Some camellias are treated in this way, the flower color may change, such as the color may be deepened, after the plant is treated, even the flower color has changed, such as pink to dark pink, brown red to black red and so on.
Many flower farmers want camellias to open during the National Day, which requires catalytic technology, regulating the flowering period, allowing it to open early, regulating the flowering period of camellias, and can use methods such as regulating temperature, light, using hormones, and regulating cultivation management.
For example, you can gradually increase the light time, increase the indoor temperature, and increase the number of watering and fertilization times in advance. You can also use plant hormones to induce flowers, such as 40 to 60 days before the flowering of camellias, using 1000 to 2000ppm gibberellin (GA) liquid for bud axillary drip, to drip in the small pit at the bud stem, so that you can flower 30 to 50 days earlier; you can also use gibberellin 25ppm plus naphthaleneacetic acid 10ppm mixture, use the cotton ball to dip the mixture to wrap the buds, change the package once a day in the morning, wrap 5 to 6 days continuously, you can make the camellia flower 15 to 20 days earlier.
On the contrary, if you want the flowers to delay flowering, you can reduce the temperature, shorten the length of light, reduce the amount of watering and fertilization, etc., so that it enters a semi-dormant state, and then gradually increases the number of watering and fertilization times 2 to 3 months before it needs to flower, so as to promote its punctual flowering. Delaying its flowering can also be treated with hormones, for example, when there is no obvious sign of flower bud expansion on the flower bud scales, irrigate the camellia soil with 0.3% chlorphyrin, or apply the buds with 0.5% to 0.8% dwarf essence water once a week. After several treatments, the flowering period can be postponed by 5 to 14 days.
Pay attention to the use of hormones to induce flowers or delay the flowering period, to follow the principle of low concentration and multiple treatments; do not adjust the flower heart, the use of improper concentration, which will often cause damage to the plant.
Pot change: Camellia because of the lack of root system, growth and development is relatively slow, so you do not have to change pots every year, but over time, the nutrients in the soil will gradually decrease, and the pot soil will gradually alkalinize, so after 2 to 3 years, it is necessary to change the pots and soil of the plants.
Potted camellia, every spring after the flower or in September to October to change the pot, in the pot change can be cut off the long branches or dead branches, replaced by fertile saprophyll soil.
The new pot used for changing pots should be slightly larger. When changing pots, the whole camellia plant should be made out together with the pot soil, and the soil close to the edge of the pot should be loosened with a small wooden stick to stretch its root system, and cut some whiskers with longer roots.
Before changing the pot, a tile should be placed at the bottom of the newly implanted pot, which can prevent water seepage and prevent the leakage of potting soil, put a 2 cm thick fine furnace ash residue on the tile, and then add a layer of newly prepared pot soil, and finally put the camellia with soil mass into the pot, and then use the newly prepared pot soil to fill the gaps around the pot, compact and water.
After the spring camellia is changed, it is not necessary to fertilize immediately.
Propagation: Camellia sinensis is propagated by cuttings, grafting, striping and sowing.
Cuttings propagation Camellia is best used for cuttings during the rainy season in June and September. Choose 1 to 2 years of growth semi-woody robust branches, cut off 10 cm long branches, the branches of the cut section should have 2 to 3 leaves, the cutting bed should choose a sand bed or vermiculite seedbed, the temperature of the cuttings is appropriate at 18 ° C ~ 20 ° C, the relative humidity is 85% to 95% is appropriate, the cuttings should be covered with curtains after inserting the insert bed, and the foliage spray should be sprayed every day to ensure that the insert bed is moist, generally after 6 weeks, the cuttings can take root, when the roots grow to 3 to 4 cm after transplanting. In order to promote the rooting of the cuttings before cutting, the cuttings can be soaked in the rooting solvent for a period of time before inserting into the insertion bed.
Graft propagation Grafting propagation should be carried out most appropriately before the germination of spring plants or between May and June, and the temperature of grafting should be between 25 °C and 30 °C.
Camellia grafting mostly uses a plug joint. It is best to choose a solid seedling with robust growth or camellia or camellia oleifera as rootstock. Then, in the appropriate position of the rootstock, a knife is carved on the left and right sides, reaching a depth of the xylem, and then the skin is pulled down, and its length is consistent with the scion cutting surface. Then paste the scion on the inside of the rootstock skin, cover the scion with the skin, and then tie it with plastic film to strengthen, pay attention to exposing the bud head, and moisturize it in a plastic bag to promote its rapid healing. After grafting, pay attention to shading and moisturizing.
After a month, when the scion has drawn out the new shoots and gradually lignified, the binding can be loosened, and the buds that sprout on the rootstock should be erased in time.
Strip propagation Can be selected from the previous annual robust branches of the plant, peeled with a knife ring 1 cm, then tied with saprophyll soil, and then tied with plastic film to strengthen, about 2 months later can take root, and then cut down and transplanted into pots. During this 2-month period, if swelling is found in the area of ring peeling, it means that the strip propagation is about to succeed.
Seed propagation Seeds or wet sand are sown until February of the following year.
Wintering: Camellias are afraid of severe cold and are prone to frostbite, so in the early winter, be prepared for overwintering, generally in early October to enter the room, you can put it indoors to get light There is a place that can avoid direct sunlight at noon, and the indoor temperature cannot be lower than 0 ° C to overwinter. Pot soil should not be too wet, otherwise it is easy to rot roots, the water temperature should be consistent with the pot soil, it is best to add 0.05% ferrous sulfate to the water. And the foliage is sprayed frequently to maintain a fresh and thick green.
In the event of a sunny winter day, it can be moved out of the outdoors at noon, subject to short periods of sunlight and ventilation to make up for the shortcomings of insufficient light and poor ventilation.
You can leave the room in mid-April of the following year.
Pest control: The main pests and diseases of camellia are brown spot disease, anthrax, mesozoites, aphids, rust ticks, leaf curling moths, red spiders and so on.
Prevention and treatment of brown spot disease,
Anthrax can be done with a solution of ammonium desen or a solution of carbendazim.
Control of red spiders and mesenchymal insects
It can be sprayed with 1000 times the liquid of oxidized Leguo, or sprayed with iminothion 800 to 1000 times liquid, sprayed every 7 days, and sprayed 2 to 3 times continuously. For leaves or branches that already have mesozoans, they can be removed manually and rubbed with a cotton pad dipped in alcohol to remove the insect spots.
control of rust ticks,
It can be used to use trichlorocarbicol and bacteriocin, and the leaves that have been infected with rust ticks can be cut in time, rust ticks usually multiply rapidly in high temperature and dry weather, so the plant can be sprayed to cool down to prevent plant infection.
Pests such as aphids and leaf curling moths can be sprayed with general insecticides such as Leguo and Dichlorvos.
Best placement: can be placed in the living room, study, or window, balcony and so on.