A Question about Camellia Flowers

just.wing.it

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My 2 Camellia Shishigashira plants are about to bloom....and we had a mean frost this morning.
What can I do to protect the blooms if it gets too cold?
Are the flowers that tough?.....I doubt it somehow.
This is my first full year with them, I picked them up last year around Christmas time and it was already in bloom.
Any advice is appreciated, ¡Gracias! As we say in MD.20201119_153555.jpg20201119_153718.jpg20201119_153732.jpg20201119_153742_Burst01.jpg20201119_153802.jpg
 

0soyoung

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Keep the roots cold for as long as you can --> pack them in ice.

Cold roots don't do much in the way of adsorbing anything, water most importantly. Flowers open largely by a process of osmosis inflating cells, so low water availability will keep them from opening. Also put in shade to forestall desiccation.

I'm not sure that it is worth the trouble for anything other than postponing blooming for a couple of weeks or so for a formal showing.
 

Carol 83

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At the Botanical Garden in St. Louis they keep the Camellia's in a heated greenhouse. Not much help to you. Where did you get them, I want one!
 

just.wing.it

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Keep the roots cold for as long as you can --> pack them in ice.

Cold roots don't do much in the way of adsorbing anything, water most importantly. Flowers open largely by a process of osmosis inflating cells, so low water availability will keep them from opening. Also put in shade to forestall desiccation.

I'm not sure that it is worth the trouble for anything other than postponing blooming for a couple of weeks or so for a formal showing.
Thanks 0so!
That's interesting.... But if I stall it, it will only get colder outside....right?
Or am I missing something?
 

Glen Y

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Nuts, never seen any at our HD. Just Norfolk Pines and Poinsettias at Christmas time. I think it really gets too cold for them here anyway. :(
Carol... I have about a dozen seed that just sprouted. If you are interested, remind me in about 6 months I’ll be happy to share.
 

Pitoon

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@just.wing.it we had a light frost in my area so this weekend I plan on bending some conduit to make a hoop tunnel. Got to get ready now as the frosts will continue and worsen as the time goes by.
 

0soyoung

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But if I stall it, it will only get colder outside....right?
Yes. Then keeping the roots cool and stalling blooming will be ezpz.

The objective is to keep the cells of the flower from filling up with water, which raises the freezing temperature of the cellular fluids. Then they will remain as resistant to cold as they can be.

Puffed up with water, the cellular fluids will crystalize near 32F/0C. The ice crystals puncture the cell walls --> cell dies --> bud dies.
 

Carol 83

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Carol... I have about a dozen seed that just sprouted. If you are interested, remind me in about 6 months I’ll be happy to share.
Thanks Glen, maybe we can trade some stuff.
 

River's Edge

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My camellia " Yuletide " do very well all winter except in more extended cold periods. The blooms are often affected by heavier frost at the wrong time.
When that happens the outer covering turns brown quickly and the blooms fail to open properly. Generally the blooms developing later are fine and open normally! Protection from wind seems to help in location!
 

Carol 83

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I was going to post here, won't let me delete, will post on you other Camellia thread.
 
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Leo in N E Illinois

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Camellia buds that are "tight" all green, no petal colors showing, should be about as hardy as the tree itself. This means down to +10 F or even zero F if it is one of the more cold hardy Camellia, they should be okay. ( -12 to -18 C ) should not hurt tight Camellia buds. As the buds approach opening, and color begins to show, they become more and more freeze sensitive. Once you begin to see petals, you need to protect them from freezing, even a few degrees of frost will cause brown "burning" of the petals.
 
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