How to Plant Camellia Seed

Camellia is prized as an ornamental shrub for its deep green foliage and profusion of blossoms. While usually grown from cuttings or purchased as a transplant from nurseries, it is possible to germinate and grow camellia from the seeds produced on your existing shrubs. Check the flowers after they have withered for the brown, round seeds and plant them immediately for best germination. Not all seeds are viable and some may produce inferior plants, so plant several camellia seeds for the best chance at success.

Things You'll Need

• Metal file
• Seed pots
• Potting mix
• Plastic bag
• 4-inch pot

Instructions

1. Grasp the seed between two fingers then sand one side of the seed with a metal file. Sand just until the tough outer coat is worn away and the lighter inner coating begins to show.

2. Fill individual seed starting flats with a quality potting mix. Water the mix until it is evenly moist throughout.

3. Sow the camellia seed to a depth twice that of the seed's width, approximately ½ to 1 inch deep. Sprinkle water onto the soil to moisten the soil surface.

4. Cover the pot with a plastic bag to hold in moisture. Place in a warm (65 to 70 degrees F) room to germinate. Germination may take as long as two to four months.

5. Check the pots each week for sprouting. Water when there is little to no condensation showing on the plastic bag, never allowing the soil to dry out completely.

6. Remove the bag once sprouts appear and move the camellia seedlings to a warm, brightly lit area. Keep the soil moist at all times.

7. Transplant the camellia to a 4-inch diameter pot when it produces its second set of leaves, indicating the main root is about 2 inches long. Pinch off the very tip of the tap root then plant the camellia in the new pot in sterile potting mix.

8. Transplant the camellia outside once it is one year old. It will bloom within three to five years.

Tips & Warnings

• Examine the seed for the dark spot or slight bump that indicates the eye. Plant with the eye facing down as this is where the roots will emerge.

• After transplanting into a larger pot, fertilize camellia every two weeks with a half-strength liquid fertilizer while it is actively growing.

• The longer you store seeds before planting, the harder the seed coat becomes. This may slow or inhibit germination.

References

• University of Florida: Camellias
• Alabama Cooperative Extension: Culture Of Camellias