The process of asexual reproduction, used to create new camellia plants from existing parent plants, is a key horticultural technique. Methods to achieve this include stem cuttings, grafting, and air layering, each offering specific advantages depending on the camellia species and the desired outcome. Successfully multiplying camellias allows for the preservation of desirable traits and the efficient expansion of plant collections.
Multiplying these prized flowering shrubs provides several benefits, including maintaining genetic purity, speeding up the plant maturation process compared to seed propagation, and enabling the creation of identical copies of exceptional cultivars. Historically, these methods have been essential for commercial nurseries and avid gardeners alike, contributing significantly to the availability and diversity of camellias. Securing desirable traits, like bloom color or disease resistance, is a significant motivation.
