Camellia Sinensis leaves are suddenly wilting

[BlackThumb]

I have a camellia sinensis, which is 1-2 feet high. I mist it twice a day with water from the water but, and water it once a week. It stays indoors close to a window, but out of direct sunlight.

I have had it for about a month, and so far a leaf bud has opened, but it this morning I noticed that the leaves (including the new one) are wilting. They aren't completely hanging, but there is a noticeable difference.

Also, I have had a coffee arabica for a couple of weeks, and the leaves seem to be wilting a bit as well. It is kept with the camellia sinensis and is looked after the same way. They have an Aloe Vera in-between them, as I thought they would help each other breathe lol.

[David E. Ross]

Camellias are not house plants. Often, the air indoors is too dry because it is heated. Also, certain pests -- especially scale, spider mites, and mealy bugs -- proliferate indoors because their insect enemies stay outdoors.

Wilt can indicate over-watering. Camellias need constant soil moisture but cannot tolerate wet soil. Their natural habitat is in the southern foothills of the Himalaya Mountains. Almost constant rain falls as warm moist air from the tropical south rises towards the mountains, cools, and drops its water content. This erodes the mountains, leaving a soil that is primarily decomposed granite. Water from the rain drains quickly away through the grit and is just as quickly replaced by more rain. Thus, the soil is always moist but never soggy.

Wilt can result from over-feeding. As the rain falls on the decomposed granite, it leaches away most nutrients. Thus, camellias evolved in a soil that was quite lean.

Much of the above might also apply to coffee plants. I'm not sure. I have camellias but no coffee plants.

[BlackThumb]

Thank you very much for your reply. I tried giving it some more water, and the next day it was back to normal. However, a couple of days later it is suddenly wilting again. I wonder if I gave it too much water. The soil drains quickly though.