Quote from Lee Garden Ninja on 17th May 2024, 9:03 am

Hi @mrp

Thanks for your question and pictures, along with the patience in waiting for my reply. It's been incredibly hectic filming Garden Rescue and managing the forum at the same time! Sadly, I believe that it's Camellia blight. The base news is it's infectious, and even with severe pruning, your plant will still probably die and then maybe infect your other camellias.

Brutal news time, but I would remove it, dig it up and burn it or green bin the Camellia. Don't compost it or reuse it as chipped bark around the garden.

Sometimes your plants just get sick, it's not necessarily the fault of the gardener. The fact you have other fabulous Camellias shows you're skilled at looking after them. I would dig up and then leave the space empty for a year so the winter frosts can blast off any potential lurking pathogens before planting something else there.

How to spot and treat Camellia blight

Spotting and treating camellia blight is essential to maintain the health and beauty of these beloved flowering shrubs. Here's a guide to help you identify and address camellia blight:

Symptoms of Camellia Blight:

Brown or black spots on leaves: Look for irregularly shaped spots or lesions on the leaves of your camellia plants. These spots may start small but can enlarge and merge over time.

Blighted flowers: Infected flowers may turn brown or black and fail to open fully. They may also appear water-soaked or mushy.

Twig dieback: In severe cases, camellia blight can cause twig dieback, leading to the wilting and death of affected branches.

Inspect Your Camellia Plants Regularly

Make it a habit to inspect your camellia plants regularly for any signs of disease or infection. Check both the leaves and flowers for symptoms of blight, especially during the growing season.

Practice Good Sanitation

Remove and destroy any infected plant material, including blighted leaves, flowers, and twigs. Prune affected branches using clean, sharp pruning tools, making cuts at least 6 inches below the visible symptoms. Dispose of the pruned material away from your garden to prevent further spread of the disease.

For heavily infected Camellias, remove the entire shrub and destroy it. Don't replant with another Camellia in the same place; choose something else to break the disease cycle.

Improve Air Circulation

Camellia blight thrives in humid and poorly ventilated conditions. Improve air circulation around your camellia plants by pruning nearby vegetation and thinning out crowded branches. This helps reduce humidity and creates a less favourable environment for fungal growth.

Apply Fungicidal Treatments

In severe cases of camellia blight, fungicidal treatments may be necessary to control the disease. Choose a fungicide labelled for use on camellias and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. Apply the fungicide as a preventive measure or at the first sign of disease symptoms.

Preventive Measures

To reduce the risk of camellia blight, avoid overhead watering, especially during humid weather, as wet foliage can promote fungal growth. Plant camellias in well-draining soil and avoid overcrowding to minimize the risk of disease spread.

I hope that helps Mel and enjoy the process of picking a new shrub or plant for that area!

All the best

Lee Garden Ninja