Camellias Under Glass

Before we had our greenhouse we missed the greenery and flowers through the winter months.

Now, at the far end of our 150-foot lot our greenhouse provides us with spring every morning through the bleak months of winter. We now say that we like winter best and are sure that the camellias are responsible. Flowers begin just before Christmas and end only when the spring sun on the glass gets too hot, which is sometime in April or early May. Have we made a lot of money from our camellias? No. We do not sell the plants unless someone begs so hard we cannot resist him; nor do we sell the flowers but we have had ample return from growing them.

Many folk think a greenhouse a pretty expensive proposition. However, they cost hardly more than a good car and there are sorts for every need. The fuel bill for the rice coal that we burn is relatively low as camellias do not require much heat. They like a cold house with a thermostat set near 40°. Chemical reactions and coal bills double with every 10° rise in temperature, so growing roses at 60° costs considerably more than camellias at 40°.

Camellias are not our only crop. In fact our first love, the chrysanthemum, was the reason for our owning a greenhouse. The best varieties of chrysanthemums are worthy of the protection given by glass. They bloom in November and would be ruined outdoors. The stock plants for spring propagation are safe over the winter in the protection of the greenhouse as many varieties are not hardy. Camellias dovetail nicely with the chrysanthemums since their needs are similar. Both thrive in low temperatures with medium to low humidity and neither needs pampering. Camellias commence to flower as the chrysanthemums end and fill out our cycle of bloom for the year: spring bulbs, azaleas, irises, roses, lilies and chrysanthemums.

We welcome the camellias when the chrysanthemums are over. There is no truly pink chrysanthemum so the blooms of camellias offer a great contrast in color and form. Is there a more delectable pink anywhere than that which we see in the camellia Debutante?

When grown in a cool house the color deepens toward the center, passing to white at the edges of the petals. New varieties come and go but Debutante is ageless and our first choice. It is often the first to bloom in early December, and we count ourselves fortunate if it is ready to decorate the Christmas dinner table together with forest-green candles, crystal and fine linen. There is nothing more exquisite.

Alba Plena is our next love and is reputed to be among the first camellias introduced into this country, probably about 1800. The exquisite form of Alba Plena and the purity of its white-ness justify its claim as the best white. Well grown to full size, its beautifully imbricated petals and ethereal whiteness make it the favorite of the connoisseur.

If there could be but two camellias these would be sufficient, but there are many others that are nearly as beautiful.

Mathotiana Rubra is outstanding for size. Petals are carmine-red with noticeable veining and edges that purple as they age. As it opens, the cluster of golden stamens at the center adds to its beauty. A large plant of this variety, covered with blooms, is something to see. Our plant started flowering early in December this year and finished in April. It must have borne well over a hundred blooms which were from 4 to 5 inches across, each lasting from two to three weeks and giving us a show all winter. In other years we had considered it a late bloomer, beginning not before March. Camellias are interesting, behaving somewhat differently from year to year.

Multiple naming of a variety is a nuisance among the camellias. Mathotiana Rubra was originated by the Belgian breeder, Mathot, and named after him, but it also goes under the name of C. M. Hovey, and we have heard it called julia Drayton, but this latter must be a mistake.

The question of fragrance is always brought up when camellias are men-tioned. Many confuse gardenias with camellias and are disappointed to learn that the latter are generally not fragrant. The Sasanqua type is slightly fragrant with a woodsy smell and, of the japonica type the variety, Herme, a variegated pink and white semi-double is definitely fragrant. Herme is a nobly growing plant, very generous in bloom and a variety that everyone should have in his collection. We can hope that sometime in the not-too-distant future breeders will be able to breed varieties with greater fragrance.

In selecting varieties it is helpful to visit collections in nurseries, parks or private gardens. When buying you will find that grafted plants are relatively expensive but may be more reliably named. Varieties grown from cuttings are less expensive and perfectly all right as to their ability to grow, but chances of being mislabeled are often greater since they are handled in large quantities. When one must wait several years for a cutting to bloom there is an irreparable loss of time if it turns out to be a worthless variety. A reliable source is your best assurance of quality.

Disease and Pests

As to pests and diseases? We have never seen an insect pest on a camellia although occasionally they are trouble-some. Fortunately they can usually be eliminated with a good spray program. Be extra careful when you bring in a new plant. We bought some plants with scale once but eliminated it by scraping it off.

For many years our plants were apparently disease free. At present, we have some sort of foliar disease that we have found no way to control. Shade cloth that cut out 50 per cent of the light seemed to be connected with the origin of our trouble and at present this has been discarded for a shade cloth that cuts out only 10 per cent. This is not sufficient to completely preserve the blooms from burn, but the foliage seems better.

Acid Soil Lovers

An acid soil seems to be best for camellias. In mixing soil for potting, a combination of two parts each of peatmoss, compost and soil works well with the addition of one part sand if the soil is heavy. A good camellia fertilizer should be thoroughly mixed in at this time. All our plants are grown in pots and they are given fertilizer at least twice a year, once as vegetative growth starts in early spring and again before they bloom.

Repotting may be done just after the blooming period. Vegetative growth starts soon after flowering, and new soil in the pot aids growth. Each plant must be considered individually and, in view of its past performance and present condition, the grower must decide whether potting into the next size pot or tub is advisable. Changing the soil every two years is common practice among some growers, although pot size is not always increased with each change merely removing some of the old soil is often sufficient.

Proper watering is of great importance. Over-watering is to be avoided as camellias do better if kept somewhat on the dry side. Water thoroughly and then allow the soil to become partly dried out.

Buds set early in camellias, earlier in some varieties than in others. Some appear in May, many in June and most are set by July and August. It is wise to remove flower buds when more than one appears at the end of the shoot or in the axils of the leaves. Sometimes the plants bear so heavily that they are weakened. The individual blooms will be larger and more perfect if disbudding is done. Use a sharp knife and remove the unwanted buds as soon as they are large enough to work with.

Bud drop can be troublesome. Regular disbudding of the lateral buds at an early stage of development is a good preventive step. Sudden changes in temperature, as well as extremes of wet and dry soil, should be avoided. Often plants are allowed to stay out in the autumn until the weather chills, and flower buds drop when the plant is brought into a warm greenhouse.

Breeding is becoming more and more of a pastime among gardeners. Hand pollination is easy to accomplish in camellias but the seed set is not often generous. In looking over a house of camellias, it quite often happens that one notices a fruit that has set spontaneously. The fruits are the size of a large marble but pear shaped and with a green shell that opens to show three to five seeds. They generally ripen in October. Seed is planted 1/2 inch deep in 4-inch pots and will germinate sometime in early spring. Flowering from seed usually takes three to five years. Parents must be selected from the single or semi-double varieties. We have a dozen or more seedlings but only three are from a cross where both parents are known.

Visitors often ask if we sell the blooms. There is good reason not to do this when they are being grown for pleasure. A house of camellias specially grown for sale shows very little bloom, as blossoms are cut as soon as they begin to open.

by Aleita Scott

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