How long does it take a camellia to reach full size?

I have had 3 pots of some camellia and 2 have reached a fully mature size, about 1.

5 times bigger than the first pot and they are now growing on.not too big, just out of reach on the floor. I didn't realize they grow that fast. Will they continue to grow or are they done?

Re: ? The biggest challenge when trying to determine how old a plant is trying to compare growth rates between species. A plant with very rapid growth might only double in size once a year while a slow grower will produce several growth cycles over a year.

Even in a single species different varieties will grow at different rates and different stages of maturity. Some are large at the first sign of bud swell while others won't really grow until the leaves turn bronze. You can grow them for years after bloom and the leaves will never look like they are past their prime and in good shape for many more years.

The best way to tell when a plant will be fully mature is simply by observing growth rate. If a flower has been growing for over a year and is about half the size it was the previous year that means it is probably ready to harvest. If it grows but never gets past two thirds the size of the plant it grew from then there may still be time left.

If you want to grow from seed it is not hard to find germination records for the cultivar you want to grow and see what the germination rate is for the date you plan to sow. The best way to get multiple sows and save seeds from one plant is to wait until the leaves are turning greenish-bronze and look for a healthy seed head in a strong stem. Cut that stem off with a pair of clippers (don't take off any leaves), put the head in a container and let it dry for several days. You should be able to count the number of seeds in the head with a lens to make sure you get one. The more healthy the stem, the more likely you are to have a good head of seeds. A stem that appears weak and thin with little or no seed heads on it is a sure sign the plant is done producing seeds.

In most areas of the country there will be plenty of local nurseries where you can buy top quality transplants to start your garden.

What is the best camellia for pots?

Answer.

Camellias are grown as ornamental shrubs for landscape, but you can grow them indoors or in pots in the garden. You can have two styles of plant growth, dwarf or standard. Dwarf, or low maintenance, camellias can be cut back to just 1.5 inches of growth to keep it neat and tidy. The other style is a standard camellia that will grow to about 1.75 feet tall.

The best style is a combination of these options. Some growers plants in a 4- to 6-inch pot so it's easy to take it outside or bring it inside on a hot day. This style requires little water. A well-drained container soil will keep the plants well-supplied with nutrients as they mature and bloom.

How tall do camellia plants get?

How much do they bloom?

What variety would you recommend?

The height of your camellia plants will vary with its variety. But we do recommend you to choose a variety that is more appropriate to your area. This will avoid water and insect problems as well as make your camellias to grow in good condition.

If you are going to keep your plant in the city, we suggest choosing: 'Rosea' - Height 6ft, 'Chiffon' - Height 5ft, 'Empress of Scotland' - Height 5ft 10in. These varieties are more suitable to a humid or warm climate. However if you wish to grow it in the garden where it will have less light, we recommend choosing 'Red Robin' which is a larger sized shrub than other varieties, thus giving you larger flowers.

How much do camellia trees cost and what are the advantages of growing them? As a rule camellias trees cost only a few pounds per tree to buy. It depends on how long you want the tree to grow before planting it. Most nurseries sell them for about three months. And by looking at the tree before buying you can determine how you want the tree to look when it is flowering. For example, you can choose one in which its branches will be straight with no twists. If this is the case, then you do not have to pay for any soil treatment. But if you wish your tree to have a twisted shape, then you will need to pay for it. When buying camellias in a nursery, we recommend you to look out for the most appropriate size for you based on your available space. They come in various shapes, colours and sizes and you can adjust them according to your desired style.

How many days are your camellia plants flowering for? Depending on the variety, your camellias may bloom once or twice a year. We recommend you to look up your variety when you buy it.

Is there anything I should know when purchasing Camellia? A few days before buying you can look around in nurseries to see if anyone has already bought theirs. You can ask for advice on this to get the right size for you and to prevent them going to flower the next year.

Do camellias do well in pots?

Well, in the pots we have, and in the woods we'll plant again.

My friend, Mary, has had a go at growing an ornamental Japanese plum this year. It's looking good. She also had a go at growing camellias, which she planted in a bucket! I have visions of my own garden, with camellias in buckets in the woods.

Camellias in buckets? No, I don't think so, but come on down to my garden and I'll let you see the buckets. The plants Mary has grown were bought by a local horticulturalist a couple of years ago from a lady in France who has a small wholesale nursery. She was growing them and doing well. Her plants are so tiny, like the ones you might find in a fairy tale book. I think the name is Fiddle-dee seedlings. I'm sure it was a bit of horticultural tomfoolery - and quite possibly for a sale! We can't know.

After the success of our buckets, it seems that the next thing in Mary's list was to get a bag of ready-made compost and start some more plants. She has taken some great ideas from 'A Bit of Everything', a magazine I enjoy and follow religiously.

If you think that your compost heap has gone to the dogs or that you'd rather make your own, why not take a look at the compost making plans in Chapter 6? The rest of you, if you are just thinking about how you might get some good compost to use, here are some tips for a home made one. Throw it all into a bucket. Also make sure they are dry before putting them in a bucket. If you have no idea how to do this, ask at your local library or a bookshops to see if they have any books or pamphlets on the subject.

Where Do You Put Potted Camellias?

This is a forum for exchanging ideas, information and gardening stories.

We don't all live in the same town, therefore, we would get too many "lifer" posts if they were allowed.

Forum rules are the same as Yahoo's so please read them. Posting is not anonymous. If you don't like to reveal your name, please say so. And do post on their own topics.

If you only have your own topic on your profile, please do that. I am trying to grow Camellias in a patio garden, where the temperature varies from 8 to 50 degrees at night. They have done well, but today (afternoon) I noticed several leaves are beginning to brown. I thought it was frost but when I looked at the weather it did not seem severe enough to have killed some of my flowers. Have you experienced anything like this?

We had a hard freeze last night (4 degrees), but other plants like the iris and hosta have no problem with it. The leaves of the camellias are browning on about half of our 3 plants, but none of the other flowers have been affected, as far as I can see. Perhaps the freeze only touched a few leaves?

If leaves just begin to brown they should just get better - there will be no damage. Some plants can survive a night of frost as long as the water supply is not frozen (as in a garden sprinkler system).

There is nothing worse than a garden that is beautiful but not a success. It may even cost a fortune and a lot of effort. So to avoid such problems, we should at least know how to maintain and care for beautiful gardens. Michael Hsu

Thank you both for your responses. My plants have been doing well thus far, and they have not been growing that much during the day, so perhaps I was looking too early and had not seen them bloom. I'll try to go look later today.

Last night it was a full moon, and the temperature was around 1-3 degrees. My wife thinks it was the combination of the moonlight and low temperature. But, this morning, I found camellia's leaves were turning orange or brown. It makes me feel uneasy. This is definitely something I need to correct.