Camellia Black Leaf Deposit

Question

My camellia has a powdery black deposit on some of its leaves. It also appears to drop its flowers too readily. It is a mature plant, about 20 years old, and otherwise appears to be happy. Can you advise please?

Answer 1

This is called sooty mold, which more often than not is brought about by some type of pest, like aphid or mealybug. I would recommend neem oil. We have found it to be very effective against these kinds of pests and will also help treat the sooty mold. These articles will explain more: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/pests/neem-oil-uses.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/camellia/sooty-mold-on-camellia.htm