What's eating my camellia 'donation'?

Camellia 'Donation' (Camellia × williamsii) is susceptible to tea scale, vine weevil, and aphids — the standard camellia pest trio. Tea scale is the most serious threat, causing yellow leaf mottling and reduced flowering. As a williamsii hybrid it drops spent blooms, which reduces petal blight risk compared to japonica types.

Masses of white waxy scale on leaf undersides cause yellow-mottled upper leaves, dull foliage, fewer blooms, and gradual decline if left untreated over multiple seasons. Apply horticultural oil spray to leaf undersides at the crawler stage in late spring. Repeat treatment 3–4 weeks later. Thin congested branches to improve airflow and light penetration.

Root-feeding larvae cause wilting and shoot die-back, particularly devastating for container specimens. Adult feeding produces characteristic scalloped notches on leaf edges. Drench compost with Steinernema kraussei nematodes in late August/September when soil is still warm. For garden plants, cultivate soil around roots in winter to expose larvae to predatory birds.

Feed on tender new shoots in spring, twisting and yellowing young leaves. Honeydew and associated sooty mould coats glossy foliage and is unsightly on a specimen shrub. Remove by hand or blast with water early in the infestation. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil if colonies are established. Ant barriers on stems help prevent aphid farming.