winter Camelia didnt bloom winter Camelias didn't bloom winter 2017-18

6 years ago

i'm in Zone 7a. None of my 3 winter Camellias (japonica) bloomed this year. the Camellia Society advised me on Transplanting, and we were mindful to get a good root bulb spring 2017 when we moved 2 of them. Those 2 were prune by 1/3 the week we prepped soil before digging. They now get afternoon sun (as they did before). Even the 3rd one didnt bloom so im believing this had more to do with the bitter cold Jan weather (many weeks at single digits). What do i do now ? prune more? azalea/camellia food?

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luis_pr

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hello, 1818 Federal. If your camellias still have good buds and -I think- I was able to see some... then everything is fine and no action (no fertilizing, etc) is needed to force blooming. Totally browned out buds means dead buds though.

Cold weather through the winter season causes "delays" in blooming at times.

My normally December/January blooming japonicas got delayed when temps went down a lot in Jan too and they started blooming in March instead. They are about done blooming now or in the next week. Since you are further north, your blooms should open after mine do.

It even turns out that my sasanquas were not done blooming either! We had another cold spell in the Fall. I thought they were 'done'. I did not see any unopened flower buds so I assumed they were finished blooming. And, in March, the sasanquas started blooming with just a few flower buds (3)... buds still left from last year's buds. I had not noticed those 'leftover' buds in the Fall.

Your current buds should soon start to increase in size. That will be a hint that blooming will soon follow.

Flower buds typically develop in the Fall so, you moving the shrubs in Spring 2017 would not have affected bud production much, all else being equal.

The only thing that concerns me a little is that you have japonicas in Zone 7b that will be getting summer afternoon sun. I am kind of in the edge of Zones 7b and 8a and some of my shrubs' leaves are sensitive to sun. Will your leaves be sensitive to their summer sun too? I guess we need to wait until summer to know for sure.

Some years, the leaves make it known to me that they do not like getting 1-2 hours of sun around the lunch time period. They get sunscorch. Only a handful of leaves usually 'complain' so I have taken no action for that reason. Hopefully your summer sun exposure in this new location will be 'ok' too.

Oh, one question. What is your zone? I now noticed that you said you were in Zone 7a but your name 1818 Federal displays 'Zone 7b'. In zone 7a, the summer sun may be weaker enough to be 'ok' to get a tad of afternoon summer sun.

Luis

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Comments (18)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
First, the zonal designations have absolutely no bearing on the strength (or lack) of the summer sun, the degree of summer heat the plant may receive or any other climatic factor other than winter cold. That is ALL they reflect. And it is not even reasonable to make some sort of extrapolation to that effect. I live in a very mild winter climate (Z8b/9) and yet my summers are very cool. And because I am quite far north as well, summer sun here is not very intense. Camellias can grow well here in full sun.

When discussing these issues, it makes much more sense to provide a general geographic location, as that will define what spring or summer conditions can be expected.......rather than a hardiness zone.

In my area, C. japonica is not a winter bloomer. It is a spring bloomer, typically staring in early March (depending on variety) and continuing as late as May. In more southerly locations that bloom period can be earlier.

If the plants were transplanted last spring (when exactly?) and were pruned at that time or even a bit later, that combination of events may have impacted this season's bloom cycle. There may have been sufficient transplant disturbance - plus the late pruning - to prevent the shrub from forming flower buds during the remaining part of the growing season. Neither more pruning now or fertilizing will assist with that. Just leave them be, making sure they have adequate water.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
What do i do now ? prune more? azalea/camellia food?

==>>>

with that size transplant.. and the fact that you probably cut off 50 to 75
% of the root mass .. i would simply be happy that they lived thru winter ...

and if they had to sacrifice a year of flower.. meanwhile growing a new root mass .. so be it ...

they are incredibly stressed ... they are not hungry.. they do not need to be fed ...

and since leaves are food making machines.. to grow the roots .. so cutting off more might seem counter indicated ...

see link on proper watering ... take a hand trowel or spoon or something.. and dig into the glob you moved ... and the surrounding soil.. and FIND OUT ... when it needs water ... deep long infrequent waterings would be better than surface sprays [or lawn irrigation] ... as you need to keep the whole glob MOIST [not wet] all season long ...

in the heat of summer ... or if any drought occurs.. make sure to supplement water ...

it looks like you used landscape fabric ... i would suggest you get rid of that .... completely ... but for sure.. in a 3 to 4 foot circle around the plants .. it interferes with proper watering ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
6 years ago
1st: thank you BOTH! Houzz has been such a wonderful source of expertise and opinions across so many areas of home life. Answers: 1) My hardiness zone is 7A. 2) afternoon sun is filtered/ dappled with shade from 7 ft fence and carport. 3) the transplanting began about a month after 2017 blooming: (began March, complete in April). I contacted the state and American Camellia Societies (and was shocked they existed LOL) on timing the transplant with when next season's buds form. i just found this from their website (yay):

"If severe, pruning is necessary, it must be realized that the plant will shift its focus in the short-run from setting flower buds to growing vigorously, and it is very likely that the camellia will have few if any bloom buds during the season following the major pruning."

So, since the foliage is green, and there are new limbs, i will trust the 3 camellias are responding to the PRUNING. American Camellia Society's general southeastern fertilizer recommendation is March, April, May. When we get a warm day, I'll rake back mulch and do that.

here are pics of the 3rd camellia 2017 after pruning. (this one was not transplanted). its 2018 buds as of March, have not blossomed. So again i surmise the delayed blooms are from the pruning.
luis_pr
6 years ago
If you have buds that have not browned out, they will normally open and bloom. Just give them time. How big are the buds now? Contact the local ACS and ask how their members bloomage is doing this year and when do they typically report that they have blooms.
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
6 years ago
thank you again. as of today: the 2 pics with red buds are from the 1 camellia that wasn't transplanted (before and after pruning pics are above). The other 2 pics are from the 2 camellia that were transplanted.
luis_pr
6 years ago
Looking good; looks like big ole flower buds getting ready to open! Enjoy and get the camera's battery ready!
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
6 years ago
i think thwy look kinda - well- drunk... scrangely. (yes i made up that word). luv my camellia!
luis_pr
6 years ago
Hee hee hee! Love it. I will have to remember that!
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
6 years ago
"Sometimes It Snows In April", and it did last night. look what appeared as 12noon sun filtered in: new blooms on the two camellias transplanted last year!. can we say YAY...

3rd pic: of the existing 3rd camellia, just pruned in 2017.
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
6 years ago
"Sometimes It Snows In April", and it did last night. look what appeared as 12noon sun filtered in: new blooms on the two camellias transplanted last year!. can we say YAY...

3rd pic: of the existing 3rd camellia, just pruned in 2017.
luis_pr
6 years ago
Good news! Enjoy those nice blooms. No snow here but it got down to 38 and windy. Too chilly for the dogs this morning. Ha!
tobybul2 - Zone 6 SW MI
5 years ago
Hi All. I am interested in trying "Winter" Camelias and am wondering if they will survive in Zone 6. I live in SW Michigan (Grand Rapids). Do any of you with Camelias live in Zone 6 or colder?
luis_pr
5 years ago
See this post:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/1778024/any-experience-with-camellias-in-zone-6a#n=20
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
5 years ago
march 2, 2019. beloved camellias have been fully budded since early January; sparse blooms tbough. Color is a lighter green than the summer. any ideas on what may help bloom cycle?

btw, all landscape fabric was removed (when Ken mentioned LOL). i watered deeply 1/wk during last summer. Fed 1 time after last years late (march) blooms.
luis_pr
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Blooming can get interrupted by cold temperatures. How long will depend on the weather. The plant may restart again in 2-4 weeks. Or if the timing of additional cold spells is right, it may take 1-2 months. For example, after a single drop into the low 20s, the shrub may take 2-4 weeks to restart blooming. But like I said before, one of my December-January blooming japonicas once got interrupted for 2 months and restarted blooming in mid March. During that 2 month period, we got several below freezing drops that stayed "on" for a while so I suspect that this prolonged drop made the shrub delay blooming more and more. Water deeply before these drops to prevent bud browning/drop.

The color change may either be iron chlorosis or too much sun. When the tree canopy that provides shade looses all the leaves in the Fall/Winter, for example, they get more sun than normal and in mid-winter, I notice a tendency for the leaves to turn lighter green with bronze. If it appears to be chlorosis, amend the soil with a soil acidifier. I do not take action when bronzing due to the sun as the leaves turn darker green several weeks later, all on their own. Do not forget to water if the soil feels dry and it has not rained recently.

Nice bloom in the middle picture!
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
5 years ago
@luis_pr - thanks! i will check soil for dryness; never thought to water in winter. as for starting over, temps are often below 30°. one day this week is forecasted for 19°. so i guess March to April may be these camellia japonica's bloom cycle vs (Jan- Feb).

yes - the single bloom was lovely
luis_pr
5 years ago
I watered mine today as we are having a few nights in a row with lows in the 20-25F range.

Of course, if your soil freezes, there is no need to water. Just check that it has 2-4" of mulch.