Yellowing Camellia Foliage

Camellia japonica is a very tough plant in the landscape which is why so many people love them. However they have a great habit of telling you that they are unhappy with something culturally in a very visible way. This can be due to a number of factors that you can check for yourself and either see that this IS or IS NOT the root cause of what the plant is trying to tell you.
1) Camellia japonica prefers the cool morning light of an either eastern or northern exposure where they won’t fry in the hot afternoon sun. In that case you would see sun scald on the foliage and distinct yellowing on the sunny side of the plant and more green on the shaded side.
2) They prefer well drained, but moist soil in the summer so they can keep nice cool roots. A 1-2″ application of compost, top dressed with a light bark mulch is ideal to help moisture retention in summer. Drainage and good air circulation helps to keep common airborne diseases at bay like “Blackspot” which can be a routine NW problem for Camellia.
3) Fertilizing in spring, once per year with an organic granular rhododendron food will help the foliage stay a deep green, provide additional micronutrients and help the plant avoid other stress like diseases. Just like vitamins for people!
4) Insects love to chew on stressed plants. By following the above directions, Camellia can avoid many insect problems easily.