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growing in south florida...
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Posted by radhavall z10fl (My Page) on Wed, Jul 13, 05 at 22:31
It is hot and humid. The lows are 60 s for a few days on and off dec to feb. Do any camelias grow here? Ilove the shape of these flowers but I don't see them in local nurseries.
PS: What is the variety that is seen on Am. Camellia society page. It is goreous. Thank you all.
Radha. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: growing in south florida...
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| You may not see them in the nurseries because they hard to keep healthy in that kind of climate....in the nursery environment. JThe heat can take a toll on Camellias and they are too expensive to chance that they might not do well. I expect that they get in their orders in the fall....in full bud and ready to sell throughout their blooming season. It takes some special planning to grow happy camellias in your climate, but it is very possible. You might want to do a search on Florida Camellia societies. I'm not positive, but I think the Camellia pictured in the ACS website is Pink Perfection. Hopefully, someone will correct me on that....as well as give you some other good advice. |
RE: growing in south florida...
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| In regard to extreme South Florida, where your winter lows are in the 60's, the problem is not really the hot weather of summer, but the lack of sufficient cold weather in winter. Believe it or not, camellias need a certain amount of cold weather to open their buds. As an example, I saw some nice camellias in Hawaii recently. But unless they were at a sufficiently high altitude (to get some cooler nights) they could only bloom the singles and doubles. A formal double like Pink Perfection (yes, that is a P-P on the ACS website) will not open. I will try to locate an article to send you by email about the temperature variations needed, and some varieties that may do better in your climate. Some of the tenderest species (like the magnificent reticulata) may actually do best! And you are right, camellias are wonderful and certainly worth a try there. I say, go for it! Take some risks. |
RE: growing in south florida...
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| Thank you ForrestAL. Regards,
Radha. |
RE: growing in south florida...
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| One problem you may run into is soil pH. Camellias grow better in acidic soils. If you have a shallow soil over lilmestone or a fill soil with a lot of limestone rock in it, you should plan to dig a large hole and fill with a good organic soil. |
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