DISEASE
 
   NAME
     Bud Problems with Camellia
     Environmental

Description
Non-pathogenic, Environmental problem

Symptoms
Certain Camellias cultivars flowers suffer from bud drop or bud balling or fail to open. Bud drop, simply immature buds fall from the plant and bud balling affect the opening of flowers, either partial or to one side. 

 Failing to open

Favoured Conditions
There are many factors contributing to bud drop or bud balling these include to much or too little watering, over fertilising or a lack of nutrients. Positioning the plant where the morning sun strikes dew covered buds or where the buds rub against each other when they are crowded on the plant.
Other cultural causes of bud drop are insufficient light or when a potted plant is root bound and when a plant has experienced a heavy frost, especially during spring or a very cold winter.

Affected Plants
Camellia species with some cultivars more susceptible than others.

Non-chemical Control
Select planting positions with little morning sun and disbud certain cultivars in order to allow remaining buds to develop with more space.

Chemical Control
Not Applicable