Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Why are my Camellia leaves yellow?

sadhbhgogginssadhbhgoggins Posts: 5
in Problem solving
My Camellia has produced yellow leaves every year. It flowered each year except this year so I thought maybe it wasn't getting enough sunlight. I moved it from my north facing garden to a south easterly position but it's leaves are still yellow with some brown curling. I keep it watered and it's in ericaceous compost. Any thoughts on why?

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Sorry- but there's so many things wrong there.
    They aren't great in pots, and if they're in pots, they need to be big, and that isn't anywhere near big enough.
    They need to be in a shady site. They can manage some sun if in the ground. That's been fried. A west facing site is ideal, as it prevents buds/flowers from being damaged after a frost. East is the worst aspect, for that reason. 
    They also need soil - not compost on it's own. A loam based compost is what you need - you can get that at GCs.
    They also need good drainage. 
    If you're in a hard water area, you'll need to collect rainwater, as they won't tolerate alkalinity.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • sadhbhgogginssadhbhgoggins Posts: 5
    Thanks for your response. The plant was in a north facing garden with no direct sunlight so it definitely hasn't been fried. I've only just moved it so it gets some direct light. I'm in a soft water area too. I'm pretty sure when I bought it, it said suitable for pots  because the instructions were to just replace the top two inches of compost each spring, but i could get a bigger one and see if that helps.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's clearly not in the right conditions if it's had yellowing leaves for a long time. The condition of the foliage hasn't just happened recently I'm afraid. Healthy Camellia foliage should be dark green. They can suffer from a bit of chlorosis, where you get yellowing of foliage, but that's well beyond a bit of chlorotic yellowing.
    They can't stay in the same soil and the same pot long term. The rootball becomes too big over time. They certainly need the top layer refreshing every year, as any potted plant dose, but if the soil medium isn't right, they won't thrive. They will also need feeding with a suitable product to help produce healthy buds and flowers. Compost is only of nutritional value for about 6 weeks. 
    Drainage is very important, and the browning ends can also be from waterlogging - the same symptoms as too much sun/wind damage. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • sadhbhgogginssadhbhgoggins Posts: 5
    Ok thanks for your advice.
Sign In or Register to comment.