7 Reasons Camellia Leaves Turn Yellow and How to Fix it

Camellias are a stunning fixture in many of the most noteworthy southern gardens. They boast an impressive variety of different species and hybrids, with a wide range of colors and petal formations. From white, yellow to more commonly seen pink and red varieties, it’s no wonder these winter-blooming beauties are so popular.

In addition to their grand and gorgeous blooms, one of the most striking qualities of the camellia family is their glossy, modeled, dark green leaves. These popular perennial shrubs flower prolifically from late fall through early spring if planted and cared for in the proper way.

But it is their dense evergreen leaves that create a beautiful hedge or backdrop year-round for gardens in zones 7-10. Naturally, when camellia owners see these gorgeous green leaves start to fade and yellow, it is a concern that must be dealt with, and quickly. 

Yellowing camellia leaves are usually caused by nutrient deficiency. This can be the result of a surprising number of different factors. Let’s dive into some of the most common reasons why you might be seeing the leaves on your camellias turning yellow and see what we can do to restore that beautiful, green gloss.

Soil Alkalinity

The most common cause of nutrient deficiency in camellias is soil pH. You may notice that your camellia’s new growth is coming in yellow, but the older leaves retain their usual dark green. This indicates an issue with the acidity of your soil.

That may sound like a complex problem. But there are actually simple solutions that can remedy the issue in just about any circumstance.

Camellias prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5 is ideal).  When the soil is too alkaline, they will have difficulty absorbing adequate levels of certain nutrients. More acidic soil helps to break down nutrients like iron and manganese. In turn, these minerals become more available for the plant to absorb.

When the soil is too alkaline, the plant will struggle to absorb the nutrients it needs. The newer growth will let you know this by its lack of the signature dark green color of its leaves.

How to Fix It

There are several ways to rectify a pH issue in your soil. The method you choose should largely depend on the surrounding plants. If your camellia is located near other plants that thrive in alkaline soil, you can use an acidic fertilizer to concentrate the effect on that specific plant. This helps prevent unintentional harm to neighboring plants.

If your camellia is planted alongside other acid-loving plants, amend the soil with one of the following methods to lower the overall pH.

The Location has Poor Drainage

Camellias like to be watered regularly, but their roots don’t like to stay wet. If you notice entire camellia leaves turning yellow and your plant beginning to wilt as a whole, there is a chance you may have root rot.

If the issue is simply a lack of proper drainage and no other infection has taken hold, relocating the plant to a well-drained location may help it recover.

In addition to root rot caused by poor drainage, there is a more serious form caused by a fungus known as Phytophthora cinnamomi. I’ll address this below in the section on fungus and disease.

This type of root rot is more serious than that caused by poor drainage. A plant can often recover from the latter, while Phytophthora typically leads to whole plant death. To determine which type of root rot you’re dealing with, examine the roots: with poor drainage, the roots will appear white, whereas Phytophthora causes the root system to turn a reddish-brown color.

How to Fix it

Mixing some sand or sphagnum moss into the soil may help alleviate the issue if it’s not severe, but this is not a great long-term solution. In this case, location is everything. When planted in the right spot, a camellia can be a low-maintenance plant.

However, if you plant a camellia in a marshy area, you’ll encounter drainage issues throughout the plant’s lifespan, which will likely be significantly shortened. Replanting in a location with proper drainage will make a world of difference.

Not Enough Water

If your camellia leaves are wilting, turning from yellow to brown, and generally looking a bit crunchy, they probably need water. Camellias like well-drained soil, but they do need to be watered regularly. For mature plants, regular amounts of rain may be sufficient.

Another culprit of underwatered camellias is soil that is made up of a majority of clay (North Florida/Southern Georgia, I’m looking at you). Water may have a difficult time absorbing into this type of soil to adequately reach the roots. Lack of water means a lack of nutrient absorption.

How to Fix It

If you’re experiencing a dry spell lasting two weeks or more, make sure to water your camellias to help them through the dry weather. If your soil is heavy clay or consists mostly of sand, you may need to enrich it.

Replanting and mixing in topsoil is one solution, though it can be labor-intensive. A simpler method is to apply a thick layer of wood chips, which will enrich the soil as they break down. Pine bark mulch is ideal, as it also adds the acidity that camellias love.

Lost Nutrients Due to Pests

There are a handful of pests that can affect camellias, among them scale, spider mites, and aphids. These may leave your camellia leaves looking more moldy than yellow, but they’re worth discussing because they are fairly common—and also fairly easy to treat.

Scale can be identified by the white, moldy residue they leave behind. This is relatively easy to spot and treat, and treatment is usually very effective. Scale infestations can also inhibit new growth. Powdery white patches under the leaves, yellow mottling, and a lack of new growth generally indicate a scale problem.

Spider mites can be recognized by gray or bronze markings on the tops of leaves. To test for spider mites, hold a sheet of paper beneath an affected leaf and give it a few taps—the mites, visible to the human eye, will drop onto the paper.

Aphids are a common garden nuisance that affects a wide range of plants. They prefer tender new growth, so the issue is most often found on young leaves. Aphids leave behind a black, moldy substance on the leaves they visit. This mold must be wiped away to prevent further damage.

How to Fix It

My favorite insecticide, as a beekeeper, is neem oil. It can be sprayed on the affected plant in the evening or early morning, when pollinators are at rest. Once neem oil dries, it is no longer harmful to insects, so by morning,g it should be safe for pollinators to return to your plants.

Neem oil is safe for people and animals and has a wide range of useful applications. There are also other approved insecticidal soaps and oils that can effectively rid your plants of pests.

The best way to prevent insect infestations is proper pruning. By thinning out the inner branches of your camellia each year, you allow sunlight and airflow to reach the interior of the plant—greatly reducing the chances of an infestation in the first place.

Disease or Fungus

The predominant fungal and viral issues that cause yellowing leaves are Phytophthora cinnamomi root rot and yellow mottle leaf virus. The more serious of the two is Phytophthora cinnamomi, a fungus known to cause both yellow camellia leaves and root rot.

A Phytophthora infection can be confirmed by examining the roots, which will turn a reddish-brown color instead of the healthy white typical of an unaffected plant.

Yellow mottle leaf virus presents as irregular yellow splotches on the leaves. It is generally spread through unhygienic propagation practices, and unfortunately, there is no remedy. However, it causes no lasting harm to the plant aside from the discoloration, which can actually be quite attractive.

For this reason, some growers intentionally propagate plants with the virus purely for the signature mottled leaves. Talk about finding the silver lining!

How to Fix It

Sadly, there is no cure for Phytophthora infection, and you are likely to lose the affected plant. It should be removed and discarded in a landfill, away from other plants, to prevent the infection from spreading.

However, there are preventative measures you can take to protect your other plants. Camellia sasanqua is more resistant to the fungus than C. japonica, making it a better choice in areas where Phytophthora is a concern.

Planting camellias in locations with adequate drainage is also an important preventative step. Root rot caused by poor drainage weakens the plant’s root system, making it more susceptible to Phytophthora infection.

Too Much Fertilizer

Camellias do not require much fertilizing. If they are happy with the amount of water and the type of soil they are planted in, they should only need a light fertilizing at most, 3 times per year. Too much nitrogen can burn the leaves and cause yellowing and brown spots.

How to Fix It

Young plants need a bit more nitrogen than mature plants, a 10-10-10 formula should be just about right. A mature plant will need about half the nitrogen to thrive.

Once your camellia reaches that 4-year maturation mark, reduce to a 4-8-8 formula no more than 3 times per year, and you should be able to avoid this issue. If you’ve already encountered this one, hold back on fertilizing for a few months to see if the new growth appears healthy.

Lack of Nutrients in the Soil

Although camellias only need occasional fertilizing, they do benefit from some added nutrients. If you haven’t fed your camellias in a while, a light fertilizing with a 4-8-8 formula may do a world of good.

As I mentioned earlier, the wrong pH level in your soil can contribute to this problem. Certain important nutrients are not broken down adequately in alkaline soil. A proper balance of acidity and light fertilizing will keep your camellia leaves dark green and glossy.