Question
Camellia Black Tie
Hi Kathy
My second quetion concerned Camellia Black Tie (or could be Box Tie). Again with this plant some of the flowers are opening but some buds have reained small and don't open. They seem to wither and eventually fall off. I have 3 of thse in the garden all about 10 year old. One plant is perfect and the other 2 have varying degrees of this issue.
I have attached a pic to show you.
Thanks again
Stephen
AnswerHi Stephen,
Bud drop occurs when plants receive too much or too little water, insufficient light, or extreme cold temperatures. They may also suffer from nutrient deficiencies or mite problems. Unopened buds typically drop off plant prior to blooming and may turn brown.
Petal blight affects camellia flowers, causing them to turn brown. This fungal disease generally occurs in spring and is usually due to abundant moisture. Petals develop small brown spots that quickly enlarge until the entire bloom has browned. The infected flowers will usually drop within one to two days. Dark brown veins in the petals are a good indication that a camellia plant is suffering from petal blight. Pull off and dispose of infected flowers and treat with a foliar fungicide every one to two weeks.
As I am not familiar with Australia conditions one of the two above may answer your problem. kathy
