Master gardeners offer helpful tips about native plants, camellia branches

Bibb County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers are trained in horticulture by the University of Georgia. Below, they have answered two recent gardening questions for Macon and Central Georgia. 

Question 1: What are the weird growths on the tips of my camellia branches?

Answer: As the last of the camellia blossoms fades, several residents have contacted the Extension Office to ask about unusual, malformed leaves on the growing tips of their branches. These leaves are much thicker and lighter in color than the usual green, healthy leaf growth. The culprit, a disease called camellia leaf gall, is caused by the fungus, Exobasidium camelliae. It can attack any of the Camellia species, but is most prevalent on sasanquas (C. sasanqua), the earlier-blooming, smaller, dark green plants. 

As with most fungal diseases, it is found more often in humid, shady areas of the landscape. If the galls are already appearing on the leaves, the best treatment is to cut them off, bag them, and discard them in the trash. Do not add them to compost bins or piles! If the undersides of the infected leaves already have a white coating, then the spores have formed and may be dropping to the ground to overwinter in the mulch. These can infect next year’s new leaf flush. In this case, you might want to dispose of the mulch and dead leaves under the plant. The good news about this fungus is that it rarely causes permanent plant damage. While chemical controls have limited effects, pruning to increase air flow and sunlight may be helpful in controlling the disease.
— Answered by Lynn H.

Question 2: We are hearing a lot about native plants these days — how will they benefit my yard? Are there local examples of native gardens? 

Native plants have developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a specific area. For Middle Georgians, this means plants that were here before the first English settlers established Fort Hawkins in 1806. Many familiar and favorite plants are natives, including white oak, Southern magnolia, and flowering dogwood. 

Native plants provide tremendous benefits! As these plants evolved, other living creatures evolved alongside them for mutual benefit. Each native creature and plant play a part to keep the ecosystem working smoothly. 

For our landscapes, we find that native plants mostly take care of themselves once established, if they are selected carefully for their habitat. Choosing different native plant species increases the biodiversity in the landscape. These attract insects that prefer that plant, and then more creatures arrive that eat that insect — making life more interesting for nature lovers. A yard with a variety of native plants will form part of a network of natural waypoints for migrating creatures to visit for food and shelter. 

In Macon, there are two local native plant gardens that are open to the public during daylight hours: the Sweet Gum Trail at the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the Native Plant Garden at Amerson River Park. Bibb County Master Gardeners maintain the one at the Museum – it is in the area around the Kingfisher Cabin. The Fringed Campion Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society maintains the one at Amerson, between the playground and the Great Lawn. Both gardens feature a variety of labeled native plants to help guide you selecting plants for your own landscape.
— Answered by MaryAnn F.

Please send your gardening questions to bibb.extension@uga.edu or call 478-751-6338.