Camellias at the Missouri Botanical Garden Introduction Our Collection The Linnean House Indoor Camellias Hardy Camellias

Indoor Camellia Cultivation

Most camellias make lovely container plants, but must be moved indoors in winter if they are not one of the few hardy cultivars. Plants must be kept below 55 degrees at night during the winter, even indoors, or the warmer night temperatures could cause their buds to drop. Camellias exert a powerful fascination for their growers, and substantial “how-to” literature exists on the genus. Here is just a brief overview of care and maintenance required.

Camellias grow best in most well-drained slightly acid soil. The soil should be kept moist, not soggy, all the time. Fertilize your plant in the spring after flowering. Organic fertilizers such as cottonseed meal are often successful. If you wish to use commercially prepared inorganic fertilizers (such as 10-10-10), follow instructions carefully. Judicious pruning may be recommended to control insect and diseases by thinning out dense interior leaves or as a spur to vigorous growth, which produces the best blooms. Prune after blooming and before new growth begins, so as not to remove next years’ flower buds. Disbudding (the removal of some buds) may also help to concentrate the plant’s energy on the development of fewer, but more spectacular, flowers. Camellias are susceptible to a number of fungal diseases including leaf spots, black mold, flower blight, canker, and root rot. Scale can be a troublesome insect pest.

Camellias at the Missouri Botanical Garden
Introduction      Our Collection      The Linnean House      Indoor Camellias      Hardy Camellias