Camellia - black spots

[Maggiethecat]

Have had this for years in a pot and finally am looking to put it in the ground but wondering if these spots suggest it’s unhealthy, may be on its way out?

Are these part of the leaf or do they rub off?

Just tried, it rubs off!

So that is often a sooty mould growing on sugary excretions from a different pest. Look on the leaves above the ones with black spots to see what. Possibly aphids (greenfly) or scale insects - little brown lumps on the veins on the underside of the leaves.

There are some white spots on the underside of leaves - aphid or some other insect eggs?

forgot photo

They look like butterfly or moth eggs, but I don't know which one lays on Camellia. Might be something else. Not aphid

I’ll wipe the leaves, back and front before transplanting and then see how it gets on.
Glad that it’s not diseased.

Leaves look pale/yellowish. Could try a plant food with chelated or sequestered iron. Camellia don’t like alkaline soils. The alkaline soil inhibits the take up of iron, which then inhibits the production of chlorophyll, which gives plants their green colour and absorbs light energy to drive the creation of glucose for plant growth.

I keep forgetting to top up with ericaceous compost too.
It’s not done well in that pot, see the flower in the first pic looks a bit brown.
I’ll finally find a good spot in the garden for it as it was a gift from a friend and I’d hate to lose it.