OCALA CAMELLIA SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

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1 NEWSLETTER Patrick Andrews, Editor HAPPY NEW YEAR! January 2018 NEXT MEETING SET FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018 The next meeting of the Ocala Camellia Society will be on Thursday, January 4, 2018, at the Community Room at the Ocala Police Station located at 402 S. Pine (Pine Plaza) in Ocala. Park in front of the police station and enter in the side door to the right before you get to the main front door. We will meet at 6:30 for light refreshments, and the meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Our January speakers will be Marge Hendon and Laura Perdomo, who will discuss how to prepare and enter flowers in our camellia show. We will finalize plans for the upcoming annual camellia show, which will be a two-day event on Saturday, January 27, and Sunday, January 28, at the Paradise Ballroom at Silver Springs State Park. Please bring any flowers you have in your garden to share and talk about with others, and to use in practicing how to enter them in the show ANNUAL CAMELLIA SHOW This year s show will be a two-day event, open to the public from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 27, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 28. Setup will be on Friday, January 26, starting at 2 p.m. Teardown will be on Sunday, January 28, starting at 4 p.m. We need as many members as possible to accomplish the many chores required to put on a show. See Jill Reed, Marge Hendon, or Susan Dunn to sign up for your favorite activity. PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Jill Reed This season is a time of reflection for most of us, and among other things, I have been reflecting on the many fine qualities of camellia lovers! Patience. The ability to wait patiently must be common among camellia growers. We plant these slow-growing plants that usually take years to come into their own, whether we plant 3-gallon potted plants, 1-2 year old airlayers, or cuttings. We patiently water, fertilize, prune and tend through the year, waiting for the winter flowers. Now we walk our gardens every day, watching the buds form and waiting for a new flower to open each day. Optimism. Hope and confidence in the future goes handin-hand with the patience of waiting for new camellias to grow and mature to their full glory. Even more inspirational is the optimism and hope of those that start new camellias from seed! What new flower will come after 3, 4 or more years of caring for a small plant while waiting for that first bloom? Generosity. Sharing time, knowledge and plant material is a constant among our camellia friends and acquaintances. I think of endless examples. How many of us have benefited from the generosity of others in our group, who teach us how best to grow and propagate camellias, who invite us to their homes to see their camellias and to air-layer their plants, who propagate plants for the club, who purchase auction plants only to give them away to a friend, who care for the camellias at Silver Springs, who organize, advertise, and serve to make the camellia show possible, and who educate and advise newcomers so they can be successful in growing camellias? Joy. It is a great gift to find joy in simple things, especially in nature, as we find in our beautiful camellia flowers. It is also a great gift to be with people that share that joy. Gratitude. No doubt we all are thankful not only for the pleasure we enjoy in our camellias, but also for the fine people we have come to know through the pleasure and passion for camellias we hold in common. For myself, I thank you all for your companionship, guidance and service, and look forward to sharing another wonderful year of camellia growing with you!

2 Ocala Camellia Society Newsletter January 2018 Page 2 Minutes from December 2, 2017 Ocala Camellia Society Meeting Zlata Sabo, Secretary The December meeting started at 6:00 pm with an abundance of wonderful food served at our holiday dinner. At 7:00 pm Jill greeted the attendees and thanked all who brought food. Susan introduced the speaker for the evening club member Joe Sabo. Joe has great insight on growing camellias. The topic of Joe's presentation was in two parts - introductory information on choosing the right location and properly planting the plant, and how to successfully grow camellias from seeds. Bob Weidman was the recipient of the night's door prize and will be featured in the next newsletter. Minutes were accepted as written in a newsletter. Laura presented a treasurer's report- the present balance is $6, Susan gave a report on the work done at Silver Springs State Park, and stressed the importance of working at the Springs in order to maintain a good relationship with them. Marge, Patrick, and Bob made arrangements with Silver Springs to have a two days show. Silver Springs will cater lunch for our judges, and Patrick suggested that Laura provides a succulent plant as a thank you for every judge. Plants will be entered on Saturday starting at 7:00 am. Sign-up sheets were passed around for members to sign for different positions to fill at the show. The show time will be Saturday 1:00 p.m. - 5:00p.m. and Sunday 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Friday setup will start at 1:00 pm. Jill's 2-minute tip was a summarization from various websites on how to care for camellias grown in containers. Next month s presentation will be by Marge Hendon and Laura Perdomo on how to prepare camellias for the show. The plant auction followed, and the meeting was adjourned.

3 Ocala Camellia Society Newsletter December 2017 Page 3 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Bob Weidman! I was born in Millbury, MA, a small town outside Worcester. I went to college at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA, then moved to Gainesville, FL and finished school in Before I started college, I managed a convenience store, and after finishing school in Gainesville, I worked at the University of Florida for 30 years. Most of my time at UF was spent working in the Environmental Horticulture department where I worked with flowering potted plants. I have always been interested in plants, and started growing them when I was about six years old. When I decided to go to college I decided to study something I liked, which was plants. I got involved with camellias in 1982, shortly after moving to Gainesville. I had seen them in Massachusetts at the UMASS Conservatory and fell in love with them then. The garden I share with Patrick Andrews consists of about 2500 camellias, with around 900 varieties of japonicas, reticulatas, hybrids, sasanquas, and about 36 different species. We planted the camellias in informal beds with pathways between them, none of them in rows. My favorite camellia moment was when the final design of our sasanqua garden came to me after many attempts. My worst calamity since I started growing camellias was Hurricane Irma, which caused extensive damage to our trees and destroyed about 16 of our camellia plants. My favorite camellias are the last camellias that I saw. Seriously, my list of favorites changes all the time. I suppose my favorites include Elegans Supreme, Ray Gentry, and Betty Sheffield White. I get most of my information on camellias from other camellia growers and the ACS publications and website. Joining the Ocala Camellia Society was a major breakthrough in my thoughts on growing camellias. It was then that I met some local camellia gardeners who opened my eyes into the possibilities, and it was then that I met the Gordys, from whom I was able to propagate camellias in great numbers. I am interested in plants of all kinds. Our garden contains a citrus grove, extensive palm garden, a native plant garden, a holly garden, and numerous other trees and shrubs. I am also interested in orchids and other tropicals. Camellias have taken center stage though, and I love to share the garden with others who have a passion for gardening.

4 You Are Invited to Our Sixteenth Annual Camellia Open House Please join Bob and Patrick on Sunday, February 4, 2018, at 1:00 p.m., for the sixteenth annual tour of our Camellia and other gardens -- rain or shine! The camellias are really growing strong, and we are always planting new cultivars and other types of plants, so there are plenty of new plants and flowers to see. We ll have plenty of delicious food and refreshments, so come hungry! Our address is 950 NE 189th Lane, Citra, FL. From Gainesville: Go south on US 441, go east on CR318, and then left on NE 10th Avenue. Follow the paved road around (it changes name three times in a few short blocks) until the pavement ends. Take a sharp right onto NE 189th Lane (dirt road), and our house is the third on the right (you will pass a tall Red Cedar hedge). From Ocala: Go north on US 301 to intersection with CR 318 in Citra, go west on CR 318 about a mile, and then right on NE 10th Avenue. Follow the paved road around (it changes name three times in a few short blocks) until the pavement ends. Take a sharp right onto NE 189th Lane (dirt road), and our house is the third on the right (you will pass a tall Red Cedar hedge). The house is white with dark green trim. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes. We hope to see you! Bob Weidman and Patrick Andrews

5 Ocala Camellia Society Newsletter January 2018 Page 5 UPCOMING ACS COOPERATIVE SHOWS AND EVENTS ACS ANNUAL CONVENTION, COVINGTON, LA, Northshore Camellia Club, 1/6/2018, at Southern Hotel, 428 East Boston Street, Hunter Charbonnet, , hcharbo1@gmail.com GAINESVILLE, FL, Gainesville Camellia Society, 1/6-7/2018, at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 4700 SW 58th Drive, Bruce Cavey, , brucecavey@gmail.com TALLAHASSEE, FL, Camellia & Garden Club of Tallahassee, 1/13-14/2018, at Doyle Connor Administration Building, 3125 Connor Boulevard, Stewart Tomlinson, (850) , stewarttomlinson@outlook.com WINTER PARK, FL, Camellia Society of Central Florida, 1/20/2018, at Mead Botanical Gardens, 1500 South Denning Drive, Katie Ferguson, (407) , camelliacfl@gmail.com OCALA, FL, Ocala Camellia Society, 1/27/2018, at Paradise Ballroom, Silver Springs State Park, 5656 East Silver Springs Blvd., Patrick Andrews, (352) , patrickandrews@att.net LAKELAND, FL, Lakeland Camellia Society, 2/3/2018, at Abundant Life Church in the Fellowship Hall, 6725 North Socrum Loop Road, Brian Dick, (853) , brian.dick@lakelandgov.net QUITMAN, GA, Quitman Garden Club, 2/3-4/2018, at Brooks County Extension Office, 400 East Courtland Avenue, Nancibeth Shealy, (229) , nursenbs@windstream.net THOMASVILLE, GA, Thomasville Garden Club, Inc., 2/10-11/2018, at Thomasville Garden Center, 1002 South Broad Street, Annelle Lauder and Carol Selph, (229) , 2015quitmancamellia3000@gmail.com ATLANTA, GA, North Georgia Camellia Society, 2/17-18/2018, at Atlanta Botanical Garden, Piedmont Park at the Prado, John Newsome, (404) , newsomecawthon@aol.com FORT VALLEY, GA, Middle Georgia Camellia Society, 2/24-25/2017, at Fetterman Building, Massee Lane, Tommy Martin and Jo Creel, (478) , tommymartin0096@gmail.com

6 Ocala Camellia Society Newsletter January 2018 Page 6 CAMELLIA CULTURE WINTER PLANTING: This is the best time of year to plant camellias. They are dormant now, so they won't be putting on leaf growth. The roots, however, will continue to grow all winter. You may want to add a little Super Triple Phosphate fertilizer to the hole when planting, but don't overdo it. This fertilize promotes root growth but not leaf growth. Be sure to plant them above the soil level to allow for settling. Never plant a camellia at a level lower than it is growing in the pot. Keep newly planted camellias well watered. WATERING: Watering is critical in November and December, since these can be very dry months. It is very important to water regularly during any dry periods. Camellias should receive a deep watering (1 inch) once a week. This is true year-round, but is more crucial during dry periods. SPRAYING: Spider mites and scale insects can still be a problem at this time a year, so keep a close eye out for them. Spider mites cause the leaf to appear bronze, particularly along the central rib, and can ruin the look of the foliage. Scale insects can be seen on the lower surface of leaves and result in yellowing and dropping of the leaves. You can spray with chemicals such as Orthene to control mites, but a better, more environmentally friendly solution would be to spray with insecticidal oil (such as Ultra Fine or Ultra Pure). These oils kill mites and scales but be sure to coat both sides of the leaves, and do not spray during hot temperatures. Check with local camellia growers for other spraying tips and to find out what they spray with to control these insects. GIBBING: You can still gib blooms to make sure you have blooms to enter into specific shows this winter. Gibbing is the process of removing the growth bud next to a flower bud and filling the "cup" with a drop of gibberellic acid. This causes the remaining flower bud to swell and bloom much earlier than it normally would, and in most cases the flower is much larger. Be sure not to gib more than one or two buds on small bushes, if at all. You can order a gib on the web; just Google Progibb. DISBUDDING: Continue disbudding if you find more than one bud at the tips of branches to ensure that the remaining bud will open larger and more beautiful. ATLANTIC COAST CAMELLIA SOCIETY You might want to consider becoming a member of the Atlantic Coast Camellia Society. This is a regional camellia society, consisting of members from throughout the eastern United States, from Virginia to Florida. We even have members from other regions. The purpose of the Atlantic Coast Camellia Society is to stimulate and extend the appreciation of camellia cultures and to promote the science of camellia culture; to bring together in friendship and fellowship those interested in camellias; and to undertake and carry on such other business, enterprises and pursuits incidental to the purposes of the society as herein expressed or as may from time to time seem desirable by the Executive Committee or the membership at large. Membership is open to anyone and everyone! Check out the ACCS website at Of particular interest is the outstanding camellia list and encyclopedia (to view it, click on This incredible camellia resource contains pictures and information on hundreds of the most commonly researched camellias. The ACCS meets once a year on the third weekend in September for two days. The meeting consists of a brief business meeting, a barbecue, a terrific plant auction, and a banquet. It s a great opportunity to visit with camellia friends from all over the United States, and to make new friends.

7 Ocala Camellia Society Newsletter January 2018 Page 7 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The officers of the Executive Committee of the Ocala Camellia Society for are: President: Jill Reed, Vice-President: Susan Dunn, Secretary: Zlata Sabo, Treasurer: Laura Perdomo, Directors: Patrick Andrews, Charlotte Bunyan, Ann Greenwood, Marge Hendon, Joan & Don LaClair, Judy Vaughn, Bob Weidman, The Ocala Camellia Society meets on the first Thursday of each month, September through March, at 6:30 p.m., at the Community Center of the Ocala Police Department, 402 S. Pine, Ocala, Marion County, Florida. Members, friends, and interested gardeners from the general public are invited to attend. Members are encouraged to bring friends. January 4, 2018, Ocala Police Department January 27, 2018, Ocala Camellia Show, Paradise Ballroom, Silver Springs State Park, 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs, FL February 1, 2018, Ocala Police Department March 1, 2018, Ocala Police Department APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP FOR The Ocala Camellia Society is a local society, affiliated with the American Camellia Society, whose members meet the first Thursday night of the month, September through March, and presents an annual camellia show during January. The monthly meetings are devoted to various cultural aspects of camellias. Annual dues are $10 for individuals and $15 for couples. Dues are collected in September for the camellia season. Please complete the application below for membership in the Ocala Camellia Society. Single Membership ( ) $10.00 Couple Membership ( ) $15.00 Corporate Membership ( ) $50.00 Total Enclosed $ Date of Application Name: Mr. Ms./Mrs. Address City State Zip Code Telephone Number: Home ( ) - Cell ( ) - Please make your check payable to and send to: Laura Perdomo, Treasurer, Ocala Camellia Society, NE 52nd Place Road Silver Springs, FL