What is wrong with my camellia?

Question

It is a reasonably established plant, about 6-7 years at least, and has always flourished in the past, flowering well every spring etc.
However, just over the last 2 or 3 weeks, the leaves have started turning brown at their bases, quickly spreading through the leaf and the plant looks really sick! We have been suffering a drought for some years now, so it might have got too dry, but all the other plants around it look okay - fuschias, a bouvardia and a couple of small conifers.
What should I do? Grateful for any green fingers advice anyone can offer...

Wouldn't moving it to a pot disturb the roots really badly, given that it's been in the same spot in the garden for over 6 years. Would soaking the ground around the plant regularly acheive the same result, or have I got some sort of drainage problem which is starving the plant of water?

Answer 1

Do not move it, that will not be helpful at all.

The symptoms you describe do not correspond with any of the usual problems that generally crop up with camellias.
Drought does sounds as if it the most likely culprit. Luckily the plant is well established but it will probably take a while before it recovers.

Saturate the ground around the root area but do not feed the plant yet, it is obviously stressed and you do not want to encourange it to make any new growth at this stage.

Camellias have quite a shallow root system so it should not be too difficult to keep it well watered but do be careful not to go too far and drown the poor little fellow.

Spray mist the plant as well, this will help to up the humidity around the leaf area and reduce transpiration thereby assisting the plant to retain the moisture that it already has.

Good luck.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/camellias/camellia.asp

Answer 2

Sounds like drought. You must water your plant all through the summer months. Why dont you try the web. this is a good place to start. Good luck.

Answer 3

Sprinkle Epsom salts around the drip liine, aerate (poke holes in the soil) and water in the E Salts. Iron replacement: poke rusty nails in the soil around the trunk.

They root in water, or take cuttings and pot using rootone.

Answer 4

I agree that a deficiency in soil moisture is the most likely explanation, and that ensuring the bush is well-watered is the most likely cure. The bush should be getting 6 gallons of water a week and if there is inadequate rainfall, then you must maintain that level.
Camellia are plants that grow on forest margins. Thus they naturally grow in leafmould, which is a moisture retentative medium.
To dismiss some of the previous answers: 1. if it was iron deficiency, then the leaves would show a solid yellow colour with dark green veins
2. If it was lime induced chlorosis, then this would show as for iron deficiency, because the lime is locking up the iron and making it unavailable to the plant for the manufacture of chlorophyll.

Answer 5

Camellias are lime hating plants,which require an ericaceous compost.As yours has been in position for some time,it's likely that that the roots have grown out of the root ball into the surrounding soil,which is lime bearing.
In the short term,water the plant with sequestered iron,obtainable from garden centre,which will correct any imbalance.
Next spring,gradually replace the soil around the base of the plant with ericaceous compost.
It is unlikely that an established camelia is suffering from drought,especially during the winter,bur a mulch of peat will keep the soil moist.

Answer 6

try a systemic fungicide

Answer 7

Sounds like iron deficiency, you can get a special fertiliser for camellias from the garden centre, try this. Also have you done anything to alter the pH of the soil? Such as putting cement powder or lime down around the plant.

Answer 8

move it to a pot and water everyday until its healthy again.