Ever seen camellia seedpods? They look like miniature apples and are quite lovely. They are easy to overlook so you must look for them closely. Seeds are not the best way to propagate camellias (my opinion layering is the best way) but when given the right conditions camellia seeds should germinate and grow. I hope I have the right conditions....in the garden....
Happy Birthday to my niece 'Madame'! And to Dave's Daughter too! And anyone else who has a birthday today!
Hello there Tina : )
ReplyDeleteI have never seen these way up north here ? LOL
They do look like perfect little apples .. do birds try to eat these things ?
How many did you plant? What will you do with them if they germinate?
ReplyDeleteExciting, Tina! I'm thrilled that my camellia, slowly but surely, survived last winter and there's healthy growth on it but not sure it'll bloom this year. I'll have to remember to protect it better. Hope your seed matures but won't it take years to mature to bloom size?
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of the seed pods in the Learning Garden, of course they are on an unnamed camellia. Is yours a Sasanqua? I think the seed pods are a nice feature for the late summer.
ReplyDeleteJoy, Camellias barely grow here so unfortunately you won't see them in Canada. Now if you did, we need to talk! I don't think the birds eat them but I'm not sure honestly.
ReplyDeleteDawn, I haven't done anything with the seedpods. I let them stay on the shrub and hope for some offspring. I always find spots for my camellias-somewhere.
Lynn, Totally yes. Years and years to mature that is why seeds are not the best way to propagate camellias. I think it great your camellia survived way up there:) Some camellias bloom in the late winter/spring and some in the late fall/winter time frame. My camellias that bloom in the winter have buds, but the ones for spring bloom do not. You are a little bit behind us so keep looking. You'll know when those buds come and it is most exciting to have flowers at periods nothing else blooms!
Janet, This particular one is a sasanqua and has been growing here for several years. It is over 10 feet tall and about 6-8 feet wide. I do have one japonica but I am not real enamoured of them. The apples do add interest. I never knew what it was when I first found one. They are most pretty and work well in arrangements. Hmmm, I think I have an idea for garden club..
It just figures the beautiful camillia would have an lovely ornamental seed pod. Good luck if you try germinating them!
ReplyDeleteHi Tina -and good luck with your seed pods:)
ReplyDeleteHi everyone -have a nice day -getting ready to walk two small people off to school.
Thinking about trimming my hedges?? Two neighbors have done there hedges and mine surely need a haircut -we'll see how Lil Bundle likes that idea -his choice, hehehe. Ciao
Happy Birthday to your niece! She gets to share the day with my daughter!
ReplyDeleteThat really does look like a perfect little apple. Now I have to go look at my Camellia and see what I can find.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina, I admire your ability to even grow the Camellia, and get it to flower and even produce a seed! Well done! I wonder if some varieties are sterile and that is why more seedpods are not seen? I get seedpods on some of the deciduous azaleas and have planted them with zero success rate. I think you should let this one mature and plant it nearby, write it down of course and maybe mark it somehow. You might get lucky! :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Lzyjo, Thanks! I am leaving it all alone and keeping fingers crossed:)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, Have fun and good luck! I'll be outside trimming wisteria:( and tying it off. What a rampant ole thing it is as you know:)
Dave, Happy Birthday to your daughter? I think Grace? I just can't remember:(
Linda, Look hard as they camoflage real well.
Frances, I don't know why more seedpods don't develop but I am so happy to have a few as they are so pretty. I may try growing it but I doubt it. Too much to worry about. I've been layering my deciduous azaleas and that works well! I love those guys and like to have more. Sorry your seeds have not germinated. Most unusual for you as you are so good with growing plants!
Cool. I never noticed them before, I'll have to crawl back to my one remaining camelia currently behind a protective layer of weeds, and see what's going on.
ReplyDeleteI planted my first camellia this past spring, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Can't wait to see its blooms this winter. Why don't you like the japonica? I can't remember if the one I planted is or not. I'll have to try and find the tag. Happy Birthday to your niece. Daughter just celebrated her 27th (?!) one this past Sunday, and her mom's is just around the corner...
ReplyDeleteThey remind me a little of rose hips.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the germination!
Rosey
Good luck with germinating the seed, Tina.
ReplyDeleteDonna
LOL, I've never even seen a camellia, one zone too cold for it here! (OK, I lie. I saw them in bloom in spring in England. The seed pods are cool, too!)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to the birthday girls!!! Have a great day with lots of sweets and treats:) Ciao
ReplyDeleteVery neat seedpod.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to the 2 cuties!!
What a lovely plant Tina. I have one that blooms in the late winter & I have found seed pods on it. They do look like apples.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to madame & Dave's daughter & anyone else that is having a special day.
Happy Birthday to the cutie pie birthday girls today! August is the month for lots of girl birthdays in my family :-)
ReplyDeleteI remember you showing me this neat pod when I was at your house! How cool indeed! I have 4 Camellia bushes that were planted here when we bought the house so dont know what type plant. They dont produce any of these neat pods. They probably never will as I must keep the bushes clipped back as they are in front of the porch. Silly place to plant them if you ask me. I do enjoy them and they seem to thrive in that spot. If only I could let them grow tall but then I would loose the view plus they would consume the house. If only they had planted them on the East side of the house, then they would be huge like your Camellia and maybe I would have those neat pods…
I've never seen them on my camelias. I wonder if it's because the whole flower falls off? I hope you can start them from seeds, how neat would that be!
ReplyDeleteI just root mine in sand with some rooting hormone!
ReplyDeletePretty! No luck with camellias. Too hot, I think. The buds refuse to flower. One half-hearted attempt had a lovely shade of (dark) pink. Sigh!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to the girls. Hope they have a great day!!
I'm jealous of anyone who has camellias in their garden, let alone seed pods from them! That means they must have flowered for that and I think camellia flowers are right at the top of my favorites list! Seriously tho, I didn't know they had these, it's attractive tho and interesting looking.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a little apple. I haven't planted any camellia's yet but will soon. Love your blog. I am now following you.
ReplyDeleteThose do look like miniature barely ripening apples. I've grown C. sasanqua (the species) from seed. I need to see if it's still alive, lol. It's currently being smothered by a big stand of Joe Pye.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I see camellia seedpods, it looks cute! I wonder how is the taste?
ReplyDeleteHey all, Late night and I am sitting here trying to figure out how I got so behind. Please forgive me for not responding to all comments. I am only going to respond to questions here but thanks all who take the time time to say hello!
ReplyDeleteCatherine, My flowers fall off too so I think this does not have an effect on the seed formation. It might be like Frances said and some are sterile or they need another pollinator? I have half a dozen sasanquas and one japonica. The japonica has not formed seedpods so maybe it is pollination. I am not sure. I need to research it more.
Vuejardin, I don't know how they taste. I may investigate by cutting the pods open and try them:) We'll see how brave and I am and whether I admit to it.
Becca, Welcome to In the Garden. I hope we don't let you down! Camellias would be a great addition to your garden-if only for the green glossy leaves all year.
I didn't know that! They really do look like apples, don't they? I wonder how many squirrels / birds they've fooled ;)
ReplyDeleteWow they do look like miniature apples. Do the birds enjoy them?
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