Garden Q&A: Why has my Camellia changed from pink to red?

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

Many pink Camellia blooms start off paler in colour to attract pollinating insects

Why has my Camellia changed from pale pink when planted several years ago to this year producing red flowers. What can I do to change it back to pink?

I don’t have any simple answer for your, more just some possible reasons for this. It’s quite common for a Camellia, to produce stems that produce blooms of a different colour to the main plant. 

These mutations are referred to as “sports” and are very noticeable when you have a white or bi-colour sport on an otherwise red flowering plant. It’s possible that this is what has happened here and if this is the case then there is nothing that you can do. 

Many pink Camellia blooms start off paler in colour to attract pollinating insects and once pollinated the blooms will turn a deeper shade of pink as a type of indicator to bees and other insects not to call, so to speak. It’s also possible that this is what is happening. 

Finally, it could be a nutrient or soil pH issue. Perhaps the pH has changed a bit over the intervening years or the rooty system is now in an area richer in a particular nutrient which is changing the colour.

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