domingo, 30 de julio de 2017

Camelias: Aristócratas del mundo de las flores


Fue en mi primer dia en la escuela cuando vi por primera vez una Camelia, un recuerdo imborrable: en un pequeño y umbrío jardín delante de mi escuela había una esplendorosa Camelia, un arbusto de forma redondeada, compacta con hojas de un brillante verde oscuro y flores muy dobles, casi como pequeños coles, rosadas claro en la base y mas intenso en la punta de los petalos.. una belleza indescriptible.. fui ocho años a esa escuela y la visión de esa Camelia me fascinó durante todo ese tiempo. Jamas volví a ver una Camelia así, de flores tan dobles, tan redondas! Pasarían muchos años desde aquella primera vision de una Camelia hasta que finalmente tuviese una en mi Jardín. Cuando pienso en esto me resulta increíble e imperdonable haber vivido tantos años sin Camelias! Desgraciadamente no son plantas muy populares en los jardines de mi zona. Siempre que camino  por la calle  miro las plantas y los jardines de las casas y muy rara vez he visto Camelias, lo cual es extraño teniendo en cuenta su increíble belleza y lo bien que se dan en este clima.


Las Camelias son originarias del sudeste de Asia, la mayoría de las variedades ornamentales proceden de China y Japón de zonas subtropicales húmedas en aquellos países donde suelen crecer en areas semi sombreadas especialmente en bosques de coníferas. Las camelias son plantas acidofilas que prefieren la semisombra y la mayoría no toleran frios intensos y prolongados. Aquí al norte de la provincia de Buenos Aires el clima es ideal para las Camelias: veranos largos y lluviosos e inviernos suaves y cortos. El suelo también parece ser el indicado, si bien yo nunca hice una prueba del PH de la tierra de mi jardín mis Camelias nunca se ponen cloróticas (mis hortensias si, un misterio que algún dia trataré) Las flores de las Camelias no tienen perfume y varían enormemente, según el cultivar pueden ser dobles, semidobles o simples en colores que van del rojo intenso al blanco pasando por toda la gama del rosado en colores uniformes y matizados.


Las Camelias han sido cultivadas en Asia durante miles de años pero llegan a Occidente en el siglo XVIII causando furor entre los nobles y adinerados quienes las mantenían en invernaderos ya que se creía que por venir de tierras tan lejanas y exóticas las Camelias debían ser muy sensibles a los inviernos europeos. En el siguiente siglo se descubriría que algunas Camelias eran más resistentes al frio de lo que se pensaba y podían cultivarse en el exterior todo el año, esto popularizó su cultivo en los jardines de todas las clases sociales.


La fascinación por las Camelias se trasladó a las artes rápidamente y fueron tema recurrente en la pintura y la literatura. El escritor Francés Alexandre Dumas las inmortalizó en el título de su novela "La Dama de las Camelias" que luego serviría de inspiración para películas, ballets y operas.


En lo personal tengo verdadera adoración por las Camelias. Existen otras plantas que me fascinan de igual modo pero el clima de mi zona se interpone entre ellas y mi jardín: Tulipanes y Peonias son imposibles y mis amadas Rosas son un una agobiante lucha sin cuartel contra enfermedades y plagas de todo tipo pero la Camelia es una planta de belleza sublime que no da problemas (salvo un ocasional ataque de mosca blanca en plantas jóvenes.) Para despedirme queridos lectores les dejo una aria de la Ópera La Traviata de Giuseppe Verdi cuyo argumento se inspiró en la celebre novela de Alexandre Dumas: La Dama de las Camelias.




Hasta la próxima!


19 comentarios:

  1. Wonderful Camelias! I guess they grow directly in your garden? How big are there bushes? Sorry I don't speak Spanish. Maybe you mentioned it. But do they smell?
    Greetings from Germany
    Sigrid

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  2. Hello Sigrid! Camellias are seductive creatures, I love them madly! and yes some of my Camellias are planted in the ground others are kept in pots and waiting to be planted in the garden. I don't have to worry about cold here (frosts are rare and far between) but they dislike direct harsh summer sun, dappled shade is the ideal for them. My Camellias are still young, the oldest bush is 1,50 tall or so the others are smaller, not fast growers but can reach considerable size 4-5 meters. Camellias are scentless, they don't have perfume at all. I don't know how cold and long the winter is in your area to grow camellias,they can withstand some frosts but long periods of cold damage them (especially the japonica varieties) do you see Camellias in gardens in your town? I've read that the Berlin Botanical Garden has a big collection of Camellias under glass. Greetings and thanks for visiting!

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  3. I can understand your love for Camellias. They performed well in my former shady garden; however, they have a far harder time in my current garden, where shade is scarce and it is hotter and drier. The water restrictions that started with our most recent drought added to the problems in growing them. That said, several well-established Camellia sasanqua came with the house and I introduced another, Camellia hybrid 'Taylor's Perfection', shortly before the drought began. All are surviving, if not exactly thriving. I wish I could grow more! You are right - they are aristocratic beauties!

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    Respuestas
    1. Kris, Camellias are really wonderful plants and yes, they appreciate shade and humidity athough the Sasanquas have a higher degree of drought/sun tolerance than Japonicas but even these can survive on their own once they are stablished. Have a great week!

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  4. hello MDN,
    I love the Camelia's. I wish I had more space in my little garden to plant this beauty's.
    Have a wonderful day.
    Rosehugs Marijke

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    1. Hello Marijke! Camellias a gorgeous and I wish I had more space for more of them too, my garden is getting too small for all the plants I would like to have! Thanks for visiting!

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  5. Stunning camellias, MDN. I love them and I've seen them at the first time in The Netherlands, in Keukenhof. It was amazing impression. It's pity camellias aren't enough hardy in our climate. I'd plant one if I would sure it overwinter here.
    Your post is very interesting, thanks!

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    1. Hello Nadezda! Camellias unfortunately could not survive in your climate unless you keep them in a greenhouse during winter which is precisely when they bloom. Some days ago I found this article about a gentleman who grows Camellias indoors in Sweden:

      https://www.funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk/tage-andersen%E2%80%99s-camellias

      I imagine the climate must be similar to yours, have a great day!

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  6. Your Camellias are beautiful and you are so lucky to have so many. I had one in a pot once as a gift on Mother's Day but sadly I failed to keep it alive.
    Have a wonderful fun filled week :)

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    1. Prunella, Camellias are fantastic but have a fame for being "all or nothing" plants: when something is wrong (water, temperature,soil) they go to pieces. Thanks for visiting!

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  7. São lindas!
    Adorei conhecer seu blogue.
    janicce.

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    1. Ben-vinda Janicce! Vou visitar seu blog! Tenha um bom dia.

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  8. Camellias are a favorite of mine as well. What a treat to see yours in bloom as it's summer here and camellia time has long passed. Beautiful flowers and a lovely aria have made this a wonderful treat. Thank you.

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    1. Hello! Camellias are fantastic today I had to move all my potted Camellias to a more shaded area because sun is getting too hot and their leaves might turn brown, the springtime is coming sonner this year...Thank you for visiting!

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  9. What a wonderful post! Fortunately Google translates rather well from Spanish, I think, and I can read the interesting text too. It's fascinating how long time you have loved Camellias. :)
    They are extraordinary plants, I had two in Italy, but obviously not here in Finland. It would be lovely to have a heated greenhouse...
    The photos are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing!
    Have a lovely weekend!

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    1. Sara, thanks for visiting and taking the trouble to translate the whole post, I think I will write in english from now on. Unfortunately there are not many gardening blogs in spanish and most blogs I visit belong to people from english speaking countries or people who post in english. As for Camellias, yes I have unrestricted love for them and it's been so for years! sometimes.. ok ok very often I despair because I can't grow lupines, peonies and tulips but when I think that in a cold climate I could not have Camellias outdoors the frustration subsides. I read about a man from Sweden who owns a huge collection of Camellias under glass, you can see the wonderful story here:

      https://www.funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk/tage-andersen%E2%80%99s-camellias

      Thanks for visiting, grazie mile!

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  10. Your camellias - beautiful! I do not attempt to grow them here; with the sun and dryness it would be a struggle such as you have with roses... But they must be among the most perfect flowers when growing happily! Traviata makes a lovely accompaniment to your post! Hope you have a great weekend!

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    1. Amy, thanks for visiting! Camellias are very beautiful flowers and fortuntately they like the local climate. Happy weekend to you too!

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