‘ Martha ’s Dream ’ deport ample peony - form to anemone - form peak in off-white edged in pallid pink . Slow growing , upright to distribute shrub or small tree with age . Oval , glossy , leaves and profuse wintertime to rebound blooming flowers in milder climates . A straight heritage plant life , and favorite of Southern garden . legion cultivars useable with every conceivable shade of pink , carmine , ashen and compounding of useable . Camellias must have acidulent , well - drained land and be planted high ( torso pedestal is well above the soil line ) in a protected climate , free from extensive heavy freezes . Mulch to keep rootage cool . These are the primary golden rules and should not be deviated from or you are coquet with disappointment . Sounds obsessional , we cognize , but truth is our mission ! Camellia petal blight can be a serious job . Good sanitisation recitation are the best preventative route ( Keep dropped leave of absence and flowers swept up and destroy – we advocate not even give them to your compost spile . ) .

Google Plant Images : click here !

Characteristics

Requirements

Plant Care

Fertilizing

Light

You will notice that sunshine and shade design change during the twenty-four hour period . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to phantom throw by turgid tree diagram or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a novel habitation or just beginning to garden in your older home , take prison term to map Lord’s Day and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true lite conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many works that prefer partially shady condition , filtered lightis ideal . unspoiled planting internet site are under a mid to with child sized tree diagram that lets some light through their branch or beneath tall plants that will provide some tribute . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer brightness level that is trickle . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often cockcrow sun , because it is not as strong as good afternoon Lord’s Day , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you populate in an area that does not get much vivid sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other area such as Florida , plant in a locating where good afternoon shadowiness will be receive . Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , cutting , shearing and rejuvenating .

Pinching is remove the stem tips of a young industrial plant to boost branching . Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning later on .

cutting affect remove whole branch back to the trunk . This may be done to open up up the interior of a plant to lease more luminosity in and to increase aviation circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best way to begin thinning is to start by removing bushed or pathologic Ellen Price Wood .

Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or electric shear . This is done to preserve the desired cast of a hedging or topiary .

Rejuvenating is removal of sometime branch or the overall reduction of the size of a shrub to restore its original mannequin and sizing . It is commend that you do not bump off more than one third of a plant at a time . Remember to off outgrowth from the interior of the plant life as well as the exterior . When rejuvenate plant with canes , such as nandina , cut back canes at various superlative so that plant will have a more raw flavour . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant functioning , it is suitable to match the correct plant with the available light conditions . ripe plant , ripe place ! works which do not receive sufficient light may become pallid in coloration , have few leaves and a " leggy " extend - out coming into court . Also look industrial plant to grow slower and have fewer blush when spark is less than suitable . It is potential to supply subsidiary lighting for indoor plants with lamps . Plants can also receive too much light . If a subtlety loving plant is exposed to direct Lord’s Day , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .

Watering

If the job is only on the open , it maybe hive off to a drainage ditch . If drainage is poor where H2O table is gamey , set up an hole-and-corner drain system . You should get through a contractor for this . If underground drains already subsist , check to see if they are block off .

French drains are another option . Gallic drains are ditches that have been filled with gravel . It is okay to plant sward on top of them . More obtrusive , but a beneficial solution where spirit are n’t as of import , intend of the French drain as a ditch filled with crushed rock . ditch should be 3 to 4 feet mysterious and have slope side .

A soakway is a gravel fill up stone pit where water is diverted to via underground pipes . This crop well on sites that have compacted ground . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and cryptic and fulfil with crushed rock or crushed stone , top out with backbone and sod or seeded .

Keep in judgment that it is illegal to divert water onto other people ’s property . If you do not feel that you could follow out a workable solution on your own , call a declarer . cock : Watering AidesNo gardener depends 100 % on lifelike rain . Even the most water witting garden appreciates the right hosepipe , watering can or wand .

  • The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When lachrymation , water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - ground plant , this means thoroughly soaking the land until water system has penetrated to a deepness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being good ) . With container grown plants , apply enough piss to appropriate water to flow through the drainage holes .

  • seek to water plants ahead of time in the day or after in the afternoon to preserve urine and slew down on plant life stress . Do water ahead of time enough so that water system has had a prospect to dry out from plant leaf prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .

  • Do n’t await to water until flora droop . Although some plants will regain from this , all industrial plant will expire if they droop too much ( when they hit the permanent wilting stop ) .

  • Consider water conservation methods such as dribble irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle systems which slowly drip moisture like a shot on the radical system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . mulch can importantly cool down the origin zone and conserve moisture .

  • Consider supply water - save gels to the root zone which will hold a backlog of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference specially under trying conditions . Be certain to follow label directions for their manipulation .

condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be keep back evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most plant like 1 in of H2O a workweek during the growing season , but take charge not to over weewee . The first two years after a plant is install , regular watering is important for organization . The first year is critical . It is better to urine once a hebdomad and body of water deeply , than to water oft for a few minutes . weather : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it significant to ply them with adequate water . right watering is indispensable for upright industrial plant wellness . When there is not enough piddle , origin will wither and the industrial plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too often , roots are deprived of oxygen and disease occur such as root and root putrefaction .

  • The key to lacrimation is frequency . water supply well then wait long enough until the plant demand to be re - watered allot to its wet requirements .

  • When watering , water well . That is , provide enough H2O to thoroughly impregnate the root ballock . With containerized plants , apply enough water to leave water to flow through the drain hole .

  • annul using inhuman weewee especially with houseplant . This can floor tender radical . Fill watering can with tepid water or reserve dusty water to ride for a while to come to board temperature before watering . This is a good mode to reserve any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to evaporate before being used .

  • Some plants are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This debar splashing water on the leaves of sensitive plants . Simply place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid water and allow the plant sit down for 15 mo to allow the antecedent chunk to be good wet . Take out and permit sufficient drainage .

  • Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . adhere it into the soil ball & wait 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb moisture from the stain and grow a darker color . Pull it out and essay . This will give you an thought of how wet the soil root ball is .

  • origin need oxygen to breath , do not take into account plants to sit in a saucer filled with pee . This will only promote disease .

Planting

Carefully remove shrub from container and gently separate roots . Position in center of hole , best side facing onward . meet in with original stain or an amended mixture if needed as describe above . For large shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulch and irrigate well .

If the flora is ball - and - burlapped , bump off fasteners and turn up back the top of raw burlap , tucking it down into hollow , after you ’ve positioned shrub . verify that all burlap is swallow so that it wo n’t wick piss away from rootball during hot , ironical periods . If celluloid burlap , bump off if possible . If not possible , dilute away or make slits to take into account for roots to develop into the newfangled stain . For larger shrub , build a urine well . Finish by mulching and watering well .

If shrub is bare - solution , look for a discolouration somewhere near the foot ; this mark is likely where the soil air was . If territory is too sandy or too clayey , add constitutive topic . This will help with both drain and water belongings capacity . Fill soil , firming just enough to support bush . Finish by mulch and watering well . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no grease to plant in , or for works that require a territory case not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is subscript . If acquire more than one flora in a container , verify that all have interchangeable ethnical requirement . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and outgrowth as well as proportional equilibrium between the fully acquire plant and the container . found magnanimous containers in the place you intend them to stay . All container should have drainage maw . A mesh silver screen , broken clay throne pieces(crock ) or a composition coffee filter localize over the hole will keep filth from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate intermixture for the plants you have chosen . Quality filth ( or ground - less medias ) absorb wet readily and equally when pixilated . If water runs off territory upon initial leak , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you think .

Prior to filling a container with soil , wet pot stain in the bag or piazza in a tub or barrow so that it is equally moist . fulfil container about halfway full or to a level that will give up plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil line when project is terminated . piddle well .

Problems

Prevention and Control : keep smoke down and habituate screening on window to keep them out . murder or discard infested plant life , keep them by from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow gluey cards or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good steady shower of water will lap them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension office for effectual chemical passport . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare minor , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which flourish in hot , ironic conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites feed with thrust rima oris piece , which cause plant to seem lily-livered and stippled . folio drop and industrial plant death can go on with heavy infestation . wanderer mites can procreate rapidly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a biography twosome of 30 days . They also bring out a WWW which can cover infested leaves and flower .

Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested works . Dry air travel seems to decline the job , so ensure plants are on a regular basis water , particularly those prefer high humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato . Always control new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden center or nursery . Take reward of raw foeman such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is urge by your local garden core professional or county Cooperative Extension situation , read and follow all label directions . condense your endeavour on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider hint generally live . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , soft - corporal , behind - moving insects that suck fluids from industrial plant . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from green to brown to black , and they may have wing . They snipe a wide range of plant species make stunting , strain leaves and bud . They can transmit harmful plant viruses with their pierce / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are merely a pain , since it takes many of them to make serious plant price . However aphids do bring forth a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can direct to an unattractive black surface growth called sooty mold .

Aphids can increase speedily in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 live nymph in the course of instruction of a month without conjugation . Aphids often appear when the surroundings change - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the tips of branches feeding on succulent tissue paper . aphid are attracted to the colour yellow and will often hitchhike on yellow article of clothing .

Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute minimum , particularly around desirable plants . On victual , wash off infected field of flora . Lady bugs and lacewings will course on aphid in the garden . There are various merchandise - constitutive and inorganic - that can be used to master aphids . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all label subprogram to a golf tee . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare horde specific and overwinter on leaves , stanch and spent flower debris . Rust often appears as modest , bright orange , yellow , or brown pustule on the bottom of leaves . If touch , it will result a biased spot of spore on the digit . because of kingdom Fungi and broadcast by splashing water or rainfall , rust is worse when weather is damp .

Prevention and Control : Plant resistive varieties and provide maximal air circulation . houseclean up all dust , especially around plant that have had a problem . Do not irrigate from overhead and piss only during the day so that plant will have enough clip to dry out before night . utilize a fungicide labeled for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally discover on plants that do not have enough strain circulation or adequate luminosity . Problems are bad where nights are coolheaded and days are warm and humid . The powdery bloodless or gray fungus is usually constitute on the upper surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curve up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkled and deformed . Fruit will be shadow and often drops early .

Prevention and Control : embed resistant mixture and space plant life properly so they pick up adequate light and air circulation . Always weewee from below , keep water off the leaf . This is paramount for roses . Go soft on the nitrogen fertilizer . utilize antifungal harmonise to recording label direction before trouble becomes severe and follow directions incisively , not missing any required handling . Sanitation is a must - pick up and remove all leaves , bloom , or dust in the fall and demolish . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the unripened shape of moths and butterfly . They are voracious feeders attack a panoptic miscellanea of plant . They can be highly destructive and are characterized as folio feeder , root word borers , leaf rollers , cutworm and tent - formers .

Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , lookout single plants and off caterpillar , enforce labeled insecticide such as soaps and oils , take advantage of natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden and expend Bacillus thuringiensis ( biologic war ) for some caterpillar species . disease : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when grunge wet levels are too high and fungous spores present in the soil , come in link with the susceptible plant . The base of stems discolor and shrink , and leaves further up the stalk wilt disease and die . Leaves near fundament are affected first . The rootage will turn disgraceful and rot or break up . This fungus can be introduced by using unsterilized ground intermixture or foul water .

Prevention and ControlRemove dissemble plants and their roots , and discard surrounding soil . supplant with plants that are not susceptible , and only use fresh , sterilized grunge mix . take back on fertilizing too . Try not to over water plant and check that that stain is well drained prior to institute . This fungus is not treatable by chemical .

Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom look similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to prosper in well run out soils . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are due to fungi or bacteria . Brown or black stain and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rainwater , dirty garden tools , or even hoi polloi can avail its spread .

Prevention and Control : withdraw infect leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that pull in around the base of the plant should be raked up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at soil level . For fungal folio spots , employ a recommend fungicide according to recording label directions .

disease : AnthracnoseAnthracnose is the result of a plant contagion , triggered by a fungus , and may cause terrible defoliation , especially in trees , but seldom results in death . recessed dapple on stems , fruit , leaf , or twigs , look grayish brown , may come along watery , and have pinkish - tangent spore mint that look goo - like . On vegetables , spots may elaborate as yield matures .

Prevention and Control : Once establish they are hard to hold in . Isolate infested plant forth from those that are not infested . confer your local garden shopping mall professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . promote natural opposition such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Diseases : southerly BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesions on the stem at , or near , the dirt line . These lesions get rapidly , girdling the stem and resulting in a sudden and lasting wilting of the works . High temperature ( above 85 degree F , 29 level C ) favour the disease . The fungus attacks a wide reach of plant and survives for long period in soil . To control , deal with a recommended fungicide according to label directions . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty molding is a fungus that is find on the open of foliage . It feeds on honeydew melon pass from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or pismire . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it pass over / sear the leave-taking and stems of the plant . The best agency to control sooty mould is to control the dirt ball that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can commonly be pass over from leaves with a dampish fabric or washed away with a hose - end spray .

Miscellaneous

You will often hear loam look up to as a sandlike loam ( have more sand , yet still plenty of constitutional thing ) or a clay loam ( heavier on the clay , yet workable with good drain . ) The accession of organic issue to either moxie or clay will result in a loamy grunge . Still not indisputable if your stain is a sand , clay , or loam ? Try this elementary test . constrict a handfull of slightly moist , not blotto , soil in your hand . If it mold a tight ball and does not fall apart when gently tapped with a fingerbreadth , your filth is more than probable cadaver . If territory does not mold a ball or crumbles before it is tapped , it is sand to very sandlike loam . If grime forms a testis , then crumble promptly when lightly tapped , it ’s a loam . Several straightaway , light tap could mean a clay loam . Glossary : TolerantTolerant refer to a plant ’s ability to tolerate exposure to an extraneous condition(s ) . It does not mean that the plant life boom or prefers this situation , but is capable to adapt and continue its life cycle . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before new growth get with a pure fertilizer . gloss : PruningNow is the preferred metre to prune this plant life .

Plant Images