Camellias are quite robust potted plants. Care errors are almost exclusively responsible for illnesses. Even a pest infestation that occurs occasionally can hardly cause any real damage to a well-cared for Camellia japonica. Which diseases and pests affect camellias.
What diseases are common in camellias?
Camellias can be affected by camellia plague, bud and leaf drop, leaf and flower rot and weak shoots. Care errors are usually the cause, although pests such as weevils, scale insects and thrips can occasionally occur. Appropriate care and biological pest control protect the plant.
Diseases of Camellia japonica
Only one disease is really dangerous for the camellia. Other abnormalities are not illnesses, but rather symptoms that indicate incorrect location or poor care:
- Camellia Plague
- Bud and leaf fall
- Leaf and flower rot
- Weak budding
What you can do against camellia plague
The camellia plague has only recently appeared in Europe. You can recognize the disease because the flowers rot from the inside and fall off after a few days. Always cut off rotting buds immediately and dispose of them with household waste.
Rot or falling leaves and flowers
A camellia leaf grows on the plant for about three years and then falls off. That is normal. Only when buds and leaves fall off or rot in large numbers is something wrong. These are almost always care errors. The cause can be a location that is too dark or too warm, too much or too little moisture or a soil that is too calcareous.
Affected plant parts are cut out. Place the Camellia japonica brightly enough, but avoid excessive sunlight. Check the planting substrate to see whether it contains enough nutrients. Sometimes it is enough to repot the plant in fresh potting soil.
Watere only moderately from late summer onwards and avoid waterlogging the rest of the time. Apply liquid flower fertilizer without lime according to the instructions.
Pests that can occur on camellias
- Bigmouth Weevil
- Scale insects
- Thrips
The larvae of the black weevil can cause lasting damage to the camellia. When the beetle appears, you should search the soil well and remove all larvae.
Scale insects can be rinsed off with a strong jet of water. Soft soap broth (€4.00 on Amazon) or lacewings and ladybirds as natural enemies help against thrips.
Tips & Tricks
Nematodes, small roundworms, are also suitable for biological control of black weevils and thrips. They eat the pest larvae from the inside and destroy them. You can get nematodes from specialist retailers.
