My Camellias Aren't Developing Well. What Are The Most Common Problems That Camellias Face?

Are the leaves of your camellias yellow and are the leaves and stems covered with small bumps?

Are the flowers of your camellias turning brown and falling off?

Do the leaves of your camellias have notched holes on them?

Have the branches of your camellias suddenly wilted and do the have gray colored blotches on them?

Are the leaves of your camellias enlarged and fleshy with small greenish-white galls on the undersides?

Do the leaves on your camellias have a black coating?

Are the leaves of your camellias yellowing, the growth is poor and the plant is wilting?

Do the leaves have irregular yellow patterns on them?

Yellow leaves covered by small bumps are caused by scales. These tiny, shelled insects often feed on the undersides of the leaves, causing an unhealthy appearance with yellowish blotches on the upper leaf surfaces. Scrape off minor infestations with your fingernail. Prune out badly infested growth, or use a soft brush and soapy water to gently scrub the scales off the stems. Control scales by spraying insecticidal oil during the growing season.

Flowers turning brown and falling off usually indicate fungal disease - Flower blight. This fungus causes small brown spots that expand to cover entire flower petals. Setting out only bare-root plants and picking off all blooms as they fade will prevent problems. In the case of disease remove and destroy all the flowers. Use a preventive spray of Bordeaux mix in the spring. Surround plants with a 3” layer of mulch to keep spores from splashing up from the soil to the flowers.

Notched holes on leaves are usually caused by insects - Fuller rose beetles. This small, grayish-brown beetle has a cream-colored stripe on each side of its body. It feeds on foliage usually at night time. Larvae usually feed on roots. You can handpick the adults as they hide in foliage during the day. The application of sticky substance at the base of the plant should prevent adults from climbing up the plant. Introduce parasitic nematodes to the surrounding soil to control larvae.

These symptoms usually indicate Canker disease. Prune off and destroy all affected branches and make sure to cut several inches below the affected area. Spraying fungicide in the spring will help in preventing canker. Young camellias should be planted in well-drained soil.

These symptoms usually indicate Leaf gall or Oedema. Remove and destroy all affected leaves and spray the plant with a fungicide. Thin your camellias to ensure good air circulation around them.

Black coating on the leaves is caused by a fungus Sooty mold. This fungus grows on honeydew produced by whiteflies, aphids, scales or mealybugs. The black coating doesn't harm the leaves directly but it does reduce the intensity of photosynthesis. Sooty mold is best controlled by dealing with the insects that are producing honeydew. Remove honeydew and sooty mold from the leaves by wiping it with the damp cloth.

These symptoms usually indicate fungal disease - Root rot. Root rot often results from overwatering or poor soil drainage. Make sure that the soil around your plant dry before watering and use mulch around the plants to ensure evenly moist soil.

Irregular yellow patterns are caused by the Yellow mottle leaf virus. There is no cure for the yellow mottle virus so you should remove and destroy infected plants as soon as possible.

Environmental issues could have caused your camellias sickly look. If camellias receive too much direct sunlight their leaves will be scorched. If camellias receive too much or too little water their buds may drop. Plant camellias in partial shade and make sure the soil is only moist but not flooded.