Camellia is a symbol of callousness and soullessness. At all times, camellia has been the emblem of proud beautiful insensitive women who lured men, not loving.
The Greek legend about camellias says that when Eros was fed up with ordinary earthly women, he flew to another planet. And there he met unprecedented beauties with silver hair, a white body and bright eyes. These women were made of ice, they did not know passions and desires. They remained indifferent to the well-aimed arrows of Eros, who in desperation complained to his mother Aphrodite. And then Aphrodite lowered them to the ground, turning them into beautiful, but soulless flowers - camellias.
Today, camellias are quite common in Russian gardens. Caring for this plant requires careful observance of all necessary conditions, otherwise the Japanese beauty ceases to bloom or drops leaves. Experienced flower growers will be able to grow this flower in their own house in a pot. The camellia indoor blossoms from January to April. But if necessary, the flowering time can be moved. How to care for camellia in a room?
What could be more beautiful than a cold gloomy winter than a camellia blooming in your room? Caring for this difficult crop requires strict adherence to temperature conditions. In winter, camellias should grow indoors with a temperature of 18 degrees. Do not place the plant in direct sunlight. At a higher temperature, camellia drops buds, and you will not wait for its bloom.
They pour the camellia with very soft water, which they defended for a couple of days at room temperature. Watering should be very neat and economical. It is only necessary to slightly moisten the soil to avoid root decay. But at the same time, camellia needs high humidity. It is recommended to regularly spray the leaves of the plant and the air around it. The pot is placed on a pallet containing moistened pebbles. Camellia is fed from the beginning of flowering until July. When the plant stops blooming, fertilizer is applied every four weeks.
Not a single lover of flowers can leave indifferent a bushy, plentifully blooming camellia. Care of the plant during flowering involves the timely pruning of wilted buds. In addition, if many buds formed on one of the shoots, it is better to cut off the less developed ones, leaving only one or two of the healthiest. This will make them bloom brighter and warn against premature wilting. If you would like to move the flowering time of this spectacular plant, put the camellia pot in a dark place and keep it at 8 degrees. A couple of weeks before the desired flowering period, expose the plant to the light.
In the spring after flowering, camellia needs to be transplanted. To do this, choose a soil mixture for rhododendrons, which contains peat, turf, leafy soil and sand (2: 1: 2: 1). Before transplanting, the plant needs to be trimmed - so it will become lush and bushy. Be sure to remove all the shoots on which the flowers were. In no case should you postpone pruning, as late pruning may result in a lack of flowers next year.
Camellia is propagated by both seeds and cuttings. But it is best used for propagating cuttings. In January or July, cuttings with 3-5 leaves should be cut from the top of the plant. Planting material is planted in a mixture of peat and sand and placed in a room with a temperature of 20 degrees. Landings are often recommended for spraying. As soon as the roots appear, they are transplanted into a pot for an adult plant.
What else should you know for those interested in camellia? Caring for a beauty may seem to beginner gardeners too complicated, but professionals know several nuances. If the camellia buds fall off and the leaves turn brown, there are two possible reasons - waterlogging and improperly selected substrate (heavy, with an alkaline reaction). Brown spots on the leaves indicate sunburn. Often the cause of leaf falling is a lack of moisture or its excess.
Be patient and over time you will learn to understand the needs of your camellia.