Japanese Camellia, Camellia japonica. American gardeners in the South know and love the Camellia japonica, a landscape shrub, bush, or tree that can grow 20 feet tall. The Camellia japonica became an important garden landscape plant in the World War II war years in the 1940’s when Dr. Tom Brightwell collected a large Camellia cultivar planting at the University of Georgia Experimental Station at Tifton, Georgia, that is still actively maintained as a Camellia arboretum for gardeners to tour publicly and to compare varieties, color of flower blooms, flower size, and flower density studies. Several hundred Camellia shrubs, bushes, and trees are planted and growing at the Tifton, Georgia location. Camellia japonica was the favorite flowering plant of Dr. Tom Brightwell, although he planted Camellia Sasanqua trees and bushes also in the garden. Dr. Brightwell not only planted Camellia seed, but he selected the outstanding cultivars and grafted or budded those Camellia varieties named by him onto Camellia seedling rootstock.

Several other well known Camellia gardens are located in the United States; The Burden Center at Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Bellingrath Gardens at Theodore, Alabama; The City Park at New Orleans, Louisiana; Clemson, South Carolina Botanical Gardens; Atlanta, Georgia, Botanical Garden; Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida; The United States National Arboretum, Washington D.C.; Thomas H. Perkins III Camellia Garden, Brookhaven, Mississippi; Huntington Camellia Garden, California; Massee Lane Camellia Garden, Fort Valley, Georgia; and the Vale Camellia Garden, Waltham, Massachusetts.

The Massee Lane Camellia garden was donated as the headquarters for the American Camellia Society organized in 1945. The Camellia japonica shrubs, bushes, and trees are planted under the shade of pine trees and flowering Southern Magnolia trees as shading that is required for the best Camellia plant growth. The 9 acre Camellia tree garden is bordered by brick walkways, where over 1000 Camellia shrubs and trees can be viewed and enjoyed by the public during the fall, winter, and spring.

Dr. Tom Brightwell of the Tifton, Georgia Camellia garden exchanged Camellia plants with the land donor of Massee Camellia gardens, Mr. David C. Strother. Dr. Brightwell also researched the Camellia and exchanged Camellia cultivars with William Hertrich of Huntington Camellia Gardens in Los Angeles, California and with numerous Camellia researchers at Massee Lane Gardens, 100 Massee Lane, Fort Valley, Georgia, the headquarters of the American Camellia Society.

The Huntington Botanical Garden in Los Angeles, California boasts a Camellia garden of 1200 different cultivars of Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua that covers twelve acres for public viewing of the Camellia blooms during the flowering season. The superintendent, Mr. William Hertich, of the Camellia garden planted thousands of Camellia seed to be used as a rootstock on grafting superior Camellia cultivars. These seedling rootstock resulted in the growth and selection of hundreds of new hybrid Camellia selections, many of which still grow at the garden today. William Hertich devoted many years of his life growing and photographing the Camellia trees and flowers. Mr. Hertich published his work on the Camellia plant in 3 volumes at the Huntington Camellia Gardens.

Other very large Camellia gardens outside the United States are the Peter Fisher Camellia Garden in Hamburg, Germany and the Royal Botanical Camellia Garden in Melbourne, Australia. The Higo Camellia bonsai Camellia plants from Japan can be seen at the Huntington Camellia Gardens along with aromatic, fragrant Camellia cultivars and a large collection of Camellia Sasanqua introductions from Nuccio’s Nursery of Altadena, California. A new important book by Ann Richardson, A curator’s Introduction to the Camellia Collection, can be purchased from the Huntington Library Press for $14.95 and is filled with valuable information for any lover of the Camellia flower, tree, or plants.

Growing Camellia plants into trees takes many years unless you buy a large flowering size Camellia tree that can be very expensive.. Very few perennial evergreen shrubs display the beautiful form in the landscape and the massing flowering habit of the Camellia. The Camellia japonica has the flower colors of pink, red, white, purple, and peppermint. The Camellia japonica can begin blooming as early as December and continues into March and April on some varieties, depending on weather warm-ups during the winter. Camellia shrubs and trees resent being transplanted in the landscape from one spot to another, and often die unless transplanting takes place during the winter. Even then, the Camellia does not transplant well, and can sit inert in a location showing little growth, if any, and many times will decline in size or die unless a large root-ball is dug. Camellia plants should be purchased from a nursery growing in a container, so that a full root system can be planted and grown. Never buy a Camellia plant bare root!

Camellia shrubs and trees prefer light or heavy shade for growing, and pine trees or flowering magnolia trees are the perfect companion plants for the Camellia shrub. Full sun will burn the leaves of a Camellia shrub except for interior leaves and no one wants a plant looking like that in a landscape garden. The discovery of the plant hormone, gibberellic acid, with its accelerative growth effect on individual flowers of the Camellia became an important method of winning prizes at Camellia flower shows. A normal Camellia flower, teacup size, could be treated with a drop of gibberellic acid at an inferior (lower) bud, and the teacup size flower would continue to grow to the size of a dinner plate. This treatment process has become important in treating other plant products to increase growth size of flowers, fruits, leaves, and in rooting hormone mixtures and seed germination.

A unique characteristic of both the Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua is the beautiful and spectacular bloom-drop circle that forms beneath the tree, surrounding the plant after older flowers fall and shatter on the ground. The glow of the fallen petals in the circle increases as the season progresses and many gardener’s view the bloom-drop circle as fanciful and beautiful as the fresh flowers remaining on the tree. The Camellia Sasanqua is often and commonly called simply, Sasanqua. The Sasanqua flower colors of red, white, pink, purple, and peppermint are the same colors, but smaller than the Camellia japonica blooms. The Camellia Sasanqua can grow 16 feet tall and blooms earlier (October to March) than Camellia japonica. The leaves are a glowing waxy green and evergreen with a slight curving habit. Single red, white, or pink flowers of Sasanqua are preferred by most buyers, but double flowering Sasanqua is stunning when in full bloom. The Sasanqua provides a perfect specimen landscape plant that will tolerate full sun, and is most often used in Zone 6-9 as a privacy hedge for screening out noisy neighbors.

Pat Malcolm
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/the-amazing-flowers-of-camellia-japonica-and-camellia-sasanqua-74309.html

Most people seem to forget to water the trees in the house, especially those who have a busy life or leaving for work in the morning and returning home after endless hours and then cooking for the family. They seem to neglect the thought that their trees also need “food”.

There is a solution to that problem. Instead of having trees die two months after you buy them, try purchasing a few artificial trees. They have the same color and also have the same characteristics as fresh trees. Once a week, maybe on a weekend all you have to do while cleaning the house is walking up to your artificial tree and wiping it down with a wet cloth.

If you are not the kind of person that likes plastic trees, remember the artificial Christmas tree you had in your home last year and you spend countless amounts of minutes – maybe even hours – in front of it opening gifts with the family? Artificial trees are available in silk as well and they don’t only consist of a plastic trunk with a few plastic leaves. If you love cactuses, they are available in plastic as well; the nice thing about the cactuses is that they resemble the real thing.

Some of the arrangements and designs of these trees is just a grabber. They can easily be made and positioned as centerpieces in your home next to the television. What will probably grab your attention is the Bonsai Tree. We all know that they need attention and grooming to keep their beauty. Now you can have an artificial bonsai tree in your home and need not worry about trimming anything. It can stand right there where you want it for a very long time and it will guarantee you that the beauty and color will always be there tomorrow and the day after.

Jane Smithston
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/the-practicality-of-artificial-trees-125277.html

Most people seem to forget to water the trees in the house, especially those who have a busy life or leaving for work in the morning and returning home after endless hours and then cooking for the family. They seem to neglect the thought that their trees also need “food”.

There is a solution to that problem. Instead of having trees die two months after you buy them, try purchasing a few artificial trees. They have the same color and also have the same characteristics as fresh trees. Once a week, maybe on a weekend all you have to do while cleaning the house is walking up to your artificial tree and wiping it down with a wet cloth.

If you are not the kind of person that likes plastic trees, remember the artificial Christmas tree you had in your home last year and you spend countless amounts of minutes – maybe even hours – in front of it opening gifts with the family? Artificial trees are available in silk as well and they don’t only consist of a plastic trunk with a few plastic leaves. If you love cactuses, they are available in plastic as well; the nice thing about the cactuses is that they resemble the real thing.

Some of the arrangements and designs of these trees is just a grabber. They can easily be made and positioned as centerpieces in your home next to the television. What will probably grab your attention is the bonsai tree. We all know that they need attention and grooming to keep their beauty. Now you can have an artificial Bonsai tree in your home and need not worry about trimming anything. It can stand right there where you want it for a very long time and it will guarantee you that the beauty and color will always be there tomorrow and the day after.

Jane Smithston
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/the-practicality-of-artificial-trees-125277.html

The decorating trends for 2007 are re-introducing the simplicity and beauty of the Orient to American homes. The natural colors and textures are adding an earthy atmosphere that is letting homeowners explore the boundaries of home decorating like never before.

This has brought about a resurgence in the popularity of the bonsai tree. Many people choose the tree for its seamless blend of man’s intervention and nature’s dominant ability to survive almost anything, even having a naturally large tree potted and stunted.

While many commercial bonsai trees are made from hearty plants like the juniper, there are some beautiful bonsai trees available to those who take the time to look.

Miniaturization is accomplished through rigorous regulation of a bonsai tree’s growing conditions. Scaffold branches are allowed to prosper. Excess branches are pruned away. As Bonsai trees grow, they become root-bound in their containers. The roots are pruned slowing the tree’s growth.

Branch pruning is performed in spring, removing most of the new growth. Wires on the Scaffold branches control their shape and direction of growth. Bonsai tree wiring is an art, and should not be attempted by people who have not spent some time learning the skill from one of the manuals provided by bonsai tree clubs.

bonsai trees take years to grow. Never consult with the ‘how to’ books that are written by ghostwriters and sold by ‘mass market’ companies. Instead, look for websites dedicated to the growth and nurturing of Bonsai trees.

Fertilize bonsai trees with a water-soluble fertilizer once or twice per month during the growing season. It is important to choose a good quality sterile fertilizer. Apply fertilizer when the roots are wet, but do not use too much.

Replace the Bonsai every two years. The roots are then carefully brushed clean and checked for mold or disease. All weak and thin roots are trimmed away at this time. The tree should be repotted in a new pot, to avoid the risk of any contaminant continuing to grow in the old pot, and infecting the tree’s new roots.

The best way to water a bonsai is by weighing it. Keep track of the weighing process so you’ll learn how much water weight is optimal for your trees growth. It is also important to remember that seasonal and dry air can alter a tree’s demand for watering.

When it is time to water, soak the plant thoroughly making sure that all the roots are dampened. Weight the tree before and after watering, and then weigh it once a week. The soil should not be saturated as over-watering causes as much damage as under-watering.

One mistake some people make is over-watering when the plant sheds leaves. This is natural in a tree’s life cycle and should be expected, even in a pot grown plant.

While it may be tempting to transplant to an outdoor garden in the summer it is not advisable. The bonsai tree has trimmed roots that will not go down deep enough to draw water. The roots may turn, and grow to the surface, where they will become sun scorched.

These tips will help an amateur bonsai tree grower keep their tree thriving and healthy for many years.

Tina Timms
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/plants-for-the-oriental-decorator-104222.html

Help me out by sending details.

Stunt it!

I recently was given a mini bonsai tree, and it says to only water it every 2 weeks. But lately the top where the little grassy part is, dries out and I don’t know what I should do.. Should I water it as it says; every two weeks? Or should I keep the top of the bonsai tree moist no matter what? I’m not sure what to do, and I couldn’t find any answers.

http://www.bonsaisite.com/

http://www.bonsai4me.com

Flowering plum includes a variety of plum trees that are both native and introduced, and can be found growing on the low slopes and in valleys across the United States and southern Canada. They can even be seen by the sides of roads and along fences — especially in those parts of North America with moist soil that is made of clay, loam, and sand.

Flowering plums are largely grown for their ornamental value, though some species are also enjoyed for their tasty fruit, which can be made into jelly. They grow quickly and can reach a height of approximately nine meters.

The most common domesticated plum is the common garden plum that is found in Europe and western Asia. It was brought to North America by French and British colonists. Its gray bark may be either smooth or fissured.

The American plum has a scaly, dark brown bark. It is native to North America and is found throughout much of the eastern USA, western Oklahoma, northern Montana, and south-eastern Saskatchewan. The American plum grows throughout the entire state of Ohio, as well.

The Canada plum is found in North America, but grows best in southern Canada and the northern United States west of Minnesota and Illinois. In Ohio it can be found in a few of the northern counties. Some types of the Canada plum have been developed for fruit and others for flowers.

The leaf of the Flowering Plum is broad and usually less than 13 cm long. Leaves turn purple or bronze in the autumn before falling off. The flower bud is pink, but it turns white when it opens. The fruit pip is a little bigger than 3 cm and is red and blue. When it matures it hangs low on twigs which are only as thick as a pencil. The bark is furrowed and dark brown.

So you can see that you have several choices when considering planting and growing a flowering plum bonsai plant in your home. Choose based on your aesthetic preferences, and also on weather zone tolerances of the various types. And enjoy!

Barbara Williams
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/growing-a-flowering-plum-bonsai-110660.html

I’m thinking of putting a few in my room. How long does it take to grow at it’s full size?

Depends if you want to cheat or not and what the trees are. Some commercial growers plant the trees in the ground to get them to grow fast and get thick trunks, then chop them down. That way they can get a sellable tree within a few years.

I have a number of trees that have become good shapes within 5 years, growing in pots, but it depends on having good potential trees as saplings, feeding and watering them well and giving them PLENTY of light. Remember that they are trees (a bonsai simply is a stunted normal tree) and need more light than housplants. Generally even "indoor" species benefit from being outside during the warmer summer months.

You can bonsai most trees, I have bonsai oaks, elms, maples, cedar and native species grow into good shapes fast. Find out all you can about the variety of species you have it will help you turn them into trees to be proud off.

Good Luck

-Michael

I have recently purchased the new flourescent spiral flood light bulbs for grouwing date trees indoors. I’m going to make a indoor bonsai date tree. The lumens on it are somewhere around 1500. Am I good to go?

I would agree with Alterra. Lumens aren’t the only consideration for growing. Check out your local lighting store

I just need to know the basics. I don’t want links to websites, I already looked at those. All the leaves are turning brown and falling off mine.

My friend had a bonsai tree, and I took care of it for her fora while, when she was on vacation, I’ve found that if you give them a litle water, and make sure they have sunlight, ‘mist’ the try with one of those little like water bottle squirters. pick of f the brown leaves.