Garden Q&A: Why are my camellia leaves turning yellow?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Question

Why are my pink and white camellia leaves going yellow and how do I treat them?

Answer

Camellias are ericaceous plants, which means they require acid soil, that is a soil with a pH of seven or lower. They can grow in slightly alkaline soils but the tell-tale sign of a camellia growing in the wrong pH is a yellowing of the leaves. 

It’s referred to as lime-induced chlorosis and is caused by the plant’s inability to absorb iron from the soil due to the pH being too high. You can counteract this by applying iron to the soil in a formulation that is available to the plant roots. 

That is chelated or sequestered iron. It may be branded an acid plant food or ericaceous tonic. 

There are many different formulations and brands on the market but all are based on chelated iron. 

Apply several times during the growing season and the leaves should develop the dark green hue, over the next few months.

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