camellia, buds but won't open
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
by flwrgrdnmom on March 14, 2006 05:21 AM
I have a nice camellia bush, that I believe has dark pink flowers. I can't tell for certain though bc the buds have never opened. The first 3 years I thought that frost had gotten them and that's why they just kind of rotted on the branches and/or fell off. So I moved it to a more sheltered area. This year, once again, the buds are all over it, but not a single one has opened. Any ideas why this would happen??
by flwrgrdnmom on March 16, 2006 07:34 AM
anyone???
by markr on March 16, 2006 08:51 AM
i cant tell you why.
all i can say is now you have moved it, it still has time to flower.
they all seem to have there own flowering time,
mine is a white and it still has'nt opened yet!
i saw one in flower over 6 weeks ago,and its now completly finished.
i did notice it had a lot of frost burn this year! shame because its a nice red.
i did have a good look at mine 2 weeks ago and the buds are still small and tight.
also the soil was very dry, so i gave it a good soak with rain water! (they dont like tap water).
sorry i cant help more, but like i said theres still plenty of time.
* * * *
Mark
all i can say is now you have moved it, it still has time to flower.
they all seem to have there own flowering time,
mine is a white and it still has'nt opened yet!
i saw one in flower over 6 weeks ago,and its now completly finished.
i did notice it had a lot of frost burn this year! shame because its a nice red.
i did have a good look at mine 2 weeks ago and the buds are still small and tight.
also the soil was very dry, so i gave it a good soak with rain water! (they dont like tap water).
sorry i cant help more, but like i said theres still plenty of time.
* * * *
Mark
by flycats on March 21, 2006 01:15 AM
My mom used to raise camellias..she said this is called "bullnosing" and it just happens with some varieties of camellias. She said just get rid of it and get another variety. Probably not what you want to hear but according to her there's not really a "cure". sorry!
* * * *
The cat's asleep, I whisper "kitten", until he stirs a little and begins to purr.
* * * *
The cat's asleep, I whisper "kitten", until he stirs a little and begins to purr.
by loz on March 21, 2006 01:22 AM
quote:Hmmm, I'm not sure...mine fell off the first year without opening but since then they've opened up fine.....wish I could help you out more....
The first 3 years I thought that frost had gotten them and that's why they just kind of rotted on the branches and/or fell off.
![[dunno]](im/graemlins/dunno.gif)
by obywan59 on March 21, 2006 02:58 AM
I looked this up in my book about rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias. Constant bud drop could be a water problem, either too little water, erratic watering or poor drainage. Also, buds tend to drop on plants that are in climates where they are poorly adapted for flowering, although I would think being in the southeast, your climate would be suitable.
Extreme weather can also cause bud drop--an unseasonable hotspell or sudden hard freeze--especially a sudden freeze followed by bright warm sunshine. They also say if you have a variety that consistently drops buds to replace it with another variety.
Do you fertilize at all? I've found that the plants I fertilize well seem to have much fewer insect problems and they probably stand up better to environmental stress also.
I fertilize all my azaleas and rhododendrons with Holly-tone both spring and mid fall. Holly-tone would also be suitable for your camellia.
The camellias I saw yesterday at the Norfolk botanical gardens were in full bloom. The only drop I noticed was spent flowers, not buds.
* * * *
Terry
May the force be with you
Extreme weather can also cause bud drop--an unseasonable hotspell or sudden hard freeze--especially a sudden freeze followed by bright warm sunshine. They also say if you have a variety that consistently drops buds to replace it with another variety.
Do you fertilize at all? I've found that the plants I fertilize well seem to have much fewer insect problems and they probably stand up better to environmental stress also.
I fertilize all my azaleas and rhododendrons with Holly-tone both spring and mid fall. Holly-tone would also be suitable for your camellia.
The camellias I saw yesterday at the Norfolk botanical gardens were in full bloom. The only drop I noticed was spent flowers, not buds.
* * * *
Terry
May the force be with you
by flwrgrdnmom on March 22, 2006 04:24 AM
Well, I think I may ditch this one if the buds don't open within the next week or so. They've not open yet and it's been a good month now since I noticed them on there. I guess I'll just try another plant. I recently bought an "Apple Blossom" camelllia, but I planted it in a different place already. I'll just find another one for that spot.
Thanks for all the help!!!
Thanks for all the help!!!
by flwrgrdnmom on April 03, 2006 09:33 AM
Hey! Just wanted to let you all know that one of the buds finally opened! It is a beautiful dark pink flower! I'm so excited! Maybe it just needed a bit of extra time. I think almost 6 weeks from bud-to-bloom is a bit much, but as long as it opens!
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