When I moved into my current home , I became the accidental step - parent of a proud Camellia japonica bush .
The woman who was proceed out estimated the camelia was about seven years old and she made me promise that I ’d take good concern of it .
niggling did she know that I was plant life - possessed . Not only did I lavish my love on the existing camelia , but I set out to enlarge my assembling by sourcing more variety that would do well in my cervix of the woods .
Pink Camellia japonica shrub in bloom.
Along the way , I ’ve become a camelia know - it - all by researching how to get beautiful camelia blooms from all the trusty sources I could find – mainly university extensions and Master Gardener programs in my area , as well as the American Camellia Society .
If you , too , desire to give camelia a go in your garden , or if you caught the camellia bug a prospicient time ago and are just looking for a refresher , here is my advice on how to get abundant and beautiful camelia bloom .
Oh , and just so we ’re all on the same page here , we ’ll be babble about Camellia japonica and its southern sis Camellia sasanqua , the two types of camelia that are unremarkably grown by gardener for their ornamental sweetheart .
Pink Camellia japonica shrub in bloom.
What’s the difference between Camellia sasanqua and Camellia japonica?
Sasanqua camellias (Camellia sasanqua)
get ’s start with Camellia sasanqua because they are the first ones to bloom , unremarkably in mid - drop to early wintertime . They range in size from a foot - marvelous succinct industrial plant to up to twelve feet tall .
The more compact mixture are staring for placement in urban gardens , small front gardens and decorative container . Both the leaf and the bloom typically stay smaller than those of its japonica counterpart .
Here are a few popular Camellia sasanqua cultivar to look for :
Camellias are beautiful evergreen garden centerpieces during winter.
Camellia sasanqua ‘ Yuletide ’ – unmarried cherry flowers that bloom in December ;
Camellia sasanqua ‘ deb ’ – blush - pink blooms that resemble peonies ;
Camellia sasanqua ‘ Setsugekka ’ – a semi - two-fold snowy variety with fray petals ;
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ has bright red single blooms with large yellow stamens.
Camellia sasanqua ‘ pinkish - a - boo ’ – fragrant pastel - garden pink flower with gilt stamens ;
Camellia sasanqua ‘ Kanjiro ’ – a fuchsia - colorize forked blooms that are slightly fragrant .
Japanese camellias (Camellia japonica)
These camellia bloom in wintertime and early spring . They ’re typically mid - sized to bombastic shrubs , but they can also be shaped to resemble small trees . This type of camellia can grow up to twenty infantry tall and ten feet wide , so keep that in mind when you choose its last locating in your garden .
The bloom , which can attain six inch across , come up in a variety of color , ranging from red to pinkish , white-hot and dandy . The flowers of the camellia japonica may be individual , semi - dual or dual . Some varieties can blossom as ahead of time as December while others will spread out as late as April .
Here are a few popular Camellia japonica cultivar to expect for :
Camellia japonica ‘Pink Perfection’ has been a popular cultivar since the early 1900s.
Camellia japonica ‘ Pink Perfection ’ – an older cultivar that give rise wan pinkish double blooming ;
Camellia maule’s quince ‘ Mrs. Tingley ’ – dual blooms in salmon - pink chromaticity ;
Camellia japonica ‘ Swan Lake ’ – creamy white bloom with golden stamens ;
Camellia japonica ‘Margaret Davis’ has variegated white and pink blooms.
Camellia Camellia japonica ‘ Seafoam ’ – an abundant bloomer that produces large white flowers ;
Camellia Chaenomeles japonica ‘ Margaret Davis ’ – stun white blooms with pinkish frilly edges .
Camellia japonica ‘ Professor Sargent ’ – gorgeous deep - red double blooms ;
The vanilla blooms of Camellia Japonica ‘Jury’s Yellow’ resemble those of peonies.
Camellia japonica ‘ Jury ’s Yellow ’ – large buttery - whitened twofold blooms ;
There are even varieties of camellia loan-blend that have scented blooms :
Camellia williamsii ‘ Buttermint ’ – creamy chicken semi - two-fold efflorescence that smell out like mint ;
Camellia japonica ‘Mrs. Tingley’ is a prolific bloomer in most climates.
Camellia williamsii ‘ Good Fragrance ’ – pinkish single - bloom scented camellia with promissory note of honeysuckle ;
Camellia lutchuensis ‘ High Fragrance ’ – pallid - pink semi - three-fold bloom whose fragrance resemble that of roses .
Now that you know what types of camelia are useable for gardener , here are some tips on how to get an teemingness of beautiful camelia blooms that last for weeks .
Camellia ‘Winter’s Star’ will grow to about 10 feet tall at maturity.
1.Choose the right camellia for your climate and your garden.
In the United States , camellias have been bred and sold commercially since the 1810s . Even more surprisingly , the old document camellia japonica tree ( in Portugal ) date back to the 16th hundred . Having been around for so long , it ’s no admiration that there are 1000 of camellia cultivars on the market .
In the United States alone , the American Camellia Society ( based in Georgia ) has a database of over four thousand registered cultivar , go out back to the founding of the society in 1945 .
I ’m not bring up this bit of trifle to overwhelm you , but to reassure you that there is certainly a camelia cultivar out there for your specific position and mood .
A Camellia Japonica tree will stay in bloom for over a month in warmer climates.
When choose the right camellia for your climate , the key prospect to devote attention to is dusty hardiness .
Most camellias will do well in USDA zones 7 - 10 , where winters do n’t get very cold and temperature generally stay above freeze . If you ’re expect for hardier variety , pay attention to the name of the cultivar you ’re choosing . Names that hint at wintertime , will signal cold boldness ( but again , nothing is one hundred pct guaranteed when it comes to plants ) .
A few examples of cold - brave camellias admit :
The double buds of a Camellia japonica ready to open into blooms.
Camellia ‘ Winter ’s Star ’
Camellia ‘ Snow Flurry ’
Camellia ‘ Frost Princess ’
This Camellia japonica gets morning sun and dappled afternoon shade.
Camellia ‘ Ice Angels ’
Camellia ‘ Winter ’s Snowman ’
If it ’s the blooms you ’re after , and if you have the space , you could extend the bloom time of year by planting unlike varieties of camellia .
You should amend the planting site with organic compost before you transplant your camellia.
For declination and early winter blooms , you may choose a sasanqua cultivar . For late winter and early spring peak , opt for a japonica cultivar . Keep in mind that fall and winter - blooming multifariousness require a bit more sun in rules of order to have rich blooms , but springtime - blooming variety can handle some subtlety ( more on this below ) .
My advice is to seem for the right camellia for your ( micro-)climate at your local brick - and - howitzer plant greenhouse first . They ’ll know what does well in your especial surface area and broadly speaking give more personalized advice than you ’ll find at large - box retailers .
Another skillful source of individualised info is the agricultural annex of your nearest university or community college . And while you ’re at it , do a quick online search for “ camellia society ” or “ camellia club ” follow by your location .
Camellia japonica ‘Brushfield’s Yellow’ needs plenty of space to grow.
2.Place your camellia in a spot with sufficient sunlight.
Once properly demonstrate , camellias are long - lived plants that will keep going strong for decades . So it ’s deserving it to consider cautiously the most important aspects of the land site you pick out for them . Undoubtedly one of the most authoritative agent , and one that ’s very hard to shift , is the amount of sunlight your flora will get .
A common misconception is that camellia should get as much sunlight as potential . Yes , it ’s true that camellia plants should be planted in a sunny spot , as long as they get a number of good afternoon respite from the hot rays . Camellias will do well in a sheltered location that gets plenty of morning sun balanced by afternoon shade . This is especially important for new camelia that you ’re just taste to get set up . As the plant matures and grows , the canopy will act as an umbrella for the radical and your camelia will be able to take more sun .
Having bountiful sun is essential for bloom formation while getting some tint is important for overall plant health . Too much unfiltered sunlight can dry out the plant life tissue paper over fourth dimension and get scorch farewell and bleached salad days which may shrivel up and come down before opening . On the other manus , too much shade can head to stunted growth and poor blooming .
Some camellia varieties can also be grown in pots, but they will not get as many blooms.
Some sasanqua camellia varieties are a little more sensitive to cold than their japonica similitude and thus can do by more sunlight if you irrigate them properly ( always read the grower ’s labels for personalized instructions ) .
As a general ruler of thumb , the hotter the clime you ’re garden in , the more ghost protection your camelia need .
3.Amend the planting site before you transplant your camellia.
Thorough pre - planting preparation is the key to a good heading start for any raw plant that takes residence in your garden .
In most gardening zones , fall planting works better than trying to get a camellia plant in any other season . Both summertime heat and winter frost bring unneeded stress to the newly engraft bush , so if possible , hold off until early- to mid - go down to get a new works in the earth . However , if you have really short and cool falls and early winters , you’re able to also plant your camelia in spring .
In their native home ground ( in eastern Asia ) , camellias grow in rich , well - draining grime on slope and often under pine trees . That mean the filth that they ’re anchored in is of course acidic .
Camellia buds form during the summer prior to blooming.
Ideally , we should replicate these conditions as much as potential in our own gardens , although breeders have been creating new cultivar that are a bit more flexible in their demand .
Before you found your camelia , you may amend the planting site with organic matter such as constitutional compost , folio mold or of age manure . If you may , endeavor to improve your web site pre - set with constituent material that will slowly decompose and feed the ground . play the constitutive matter into the soil about ten inches deep to meliorate its structure .
If your filth is too alkaline , remains - grievous or pack , here ’s a just guide on how you canmake your grunge more acidic(and what not to do ) , the old - fashioned way . Camellias do well in an country where the pH stay between 5.0 and 6.5 . In oecumenical , if you ’re mature azaleas , rhododendrons and berry successfully , you ’ll have no problems growing camelia .
Large fluctuations in moisture will impact blooming time.
4. Help your camellia get established.
In addition to being plant in the right type of soil ( which we ’ve covered above ) , this advice covers so much more ground . So here are a few top to make certain your young camelia gets the right way plant in the first couple of days in your garden .
First of all , do not bury your camellia ’s radical too deeply . You should bury them enough to be fully covered , but not so deep as to commence covering the root . The deeper the planting hole , the longer it will take for your camellia to start showing sign of growth . If your site allows , embed your camellia slightly above the surrounding class , and slope the soil up to compensate the root ball .
Once you ’ve planted your camellia , you could total a thin level of mulch ( bark , leave of absence or worm cast will work ) over the planting area to aid the ground hold back its wet and keep the temperature around the rootage constant . However , attempt to keep the mulch from arrive at lineal contact with the theme .
You can prune your camellia before the onset of new buds.
Secondly , always ensure you depart enough quad around your camellia . Even though it ’s not a fast - growing industrial plant , it ’s an ever - growing plant with a really racy form . camelia have a go at it being able to blow up and do n’t wish to be smother by other green brother . So take into account twenty to thirty inches around the jacket of the industrial plant .
Along the same lines , do not cram your camellia into a very small locating , unless you ’ve specifically bought a small variety intend for growing in a container , such as Camellia sasanqua ‘ Mignonne ’ , Camellia sasanqua ‘ Dream Angel ’ and Camellia sasanqua ‘ Paradise Petite ’ .
Next , camellias should be shelter from windy location , as both cold and hot winds may interfere with flora growth and bloom production . Both winter winds and summer wind , if strong enough , will make the plant front sickly and sear . Place your camellia next to a fencing , a wall or another sturdy body structure that can keep it sheltered .
Camellias grown in small spaces will need a low dose of slow-release organic fertilizer.
5. Keep your camellias on a consistent watering schedule.
The thick glistening leaves of the camelia may trick you into believing that this plant life does n’t take too much weewee and that it can handle drought .
But if you require to get beautiful camelia blooms , you have to keep to a consistent watering agenda . Of of course , as gardener , we work with Mother Nature to keep our gardens profuse and generative . And as in every unspoiled team , collaboration and complementing each other is crucial for achiever . But do n’t just swear on Mother Nature to replenish the water in your garden .
In the first class , you should irrigate your camelia regularly to help it get established . Once your camellia bush feel its metrical unit , rainfall will be enough . But you should go back to watering at least a couple of fourth dimension a workweek if you ’re going through a dry spell .
In the right conditions, camellias don’t need a lot of fertilizer.
Speaking of feet , camellia do n’t like to have soggy foundation , so verify the site is draining the right way before you give it more water . If you followed the soil amend advice that we mention above , you should be o.k. .
Of course , rain is slimly acidulous , and your camellia will prefer it to tap water ( which in some areas might be a number too alkalic ) . If you have the space , consider setting up a rainfall barrelful to gather up rain for all your acid - loving garden plant life .
Camellias set their buds during the previous summer , so keeping them well - irrigate , particularly in July , is very important . expectant fluctuation in moisture will also touch on bloom , so endeavor to avoid permit it dry out for too long if you ’re experiencing a dry summer .
Camellia japonica buds damaged by frost. These buds will not open into blooms.
6. Prune your camellia lightly, if at all.
Due to its bloom geological period , very different from almost everything else in the garden , the common pruning advice does not lend oneself to camelia . The works sets buds for the come after time of year sometimes as too soon as mid - summer ( the year before ) , so if you ’re waiting too longsighted to prune it , you may end up cutting off next twelvemonth ’s buds .
The best clock time to prune your camellia is right after the bloom are spent . However , if your plant bloom really early in the year , wait until the last expected frost date has legislate before you prune .
Again , contrary to common pruning advice , camellia only need a visible radiation pruning , just enough to contour and defend their shape . you could edit out back the lower branches to encourage perpendicular growing or trim the top growth to encourage a fuller - front works . If the branches are thick and packed in , you’re able to also cut them down to better airflow . Camellia sasanqua variety develop faster in warmer climates , so you may take to prune them more often .
Camellia japonica blooms affected by a late spring frost.
However , always remember to always keep your pruning on the light side with camelia bushes .
7. Don’t fertilize too much or too often.
One of the thing I wish about camellia is that they are not particularly gravid feeders . In this sense , it ’s the perfect plant for the overwhelmed nurseryman . ( And believe me , I count myself as one , peculiarly in summer when so many other horticulture jobs contend for my aid . )
This may get as a surprisal to some of our readers who may be used to feed flower plant with a bit too much of a lowering hand .
If you ’ve engraft your camellia in rich soil amended with the much - needed nutrient we ’ve mentioned above , you do n’t need to give it too often . On the other bridge player , if your camellia is growing in a container or in arenaceous soil , it may benefit from an extra superman of nutrients .
If you really want to fertilize your camelia , you should pick out a slow - release organic fertilizer designed for acid - loving plants . To save money and save on the hassle , you could buy the same character of fertilizer for your camellias , rhododendrons and azaleas .
The trick for get down beautiful camelia blooms is to use a fertiliser that has a broken nitrogen content . How do you get it on if you ’re buying low-spirited - nitrogen provender ? Easy : you ’ll see on the label that the first routine of the successiveness is lowly than the other two number . For exercise , a 4 - 8 - 8 fertilizer is low in N and a unspoiled selection for a blooming plant life . Nitrogen , while good for a plant that ’s still getting established , advance foliar growth , often at the disbursement of blooms .
The best meter to feed your camellia is once the bloom have died and the flora is take up to accumulate energy for next year ’s flowers . For most gardeners , that would be in March , April and early May , depending on your mood . you may give your camellia a 2d stave of feed in late summertime .
Do not fertilize the plant later on in the time of year , in ordering to avoid encouraging new development that will be more vulnerable to small temperatures .
8. If possible, shelter your camellia plant on really cold days.
This is a tricky one , because the last thing you want to do in the dead of wintertime is to go alfresco and tuck your flora in every Nox . But it ’s worth knowing that the buds of camellia japonica can not handle temperature that go much below freezing . The buds are not liberal of extreme temperatures , so they will just shrivel , become brownish and fall if debunk to sustain period of rime .
If you ’re pay cheeseparing care to the weather and to your plant as well , you should be able to cut a few buds and bring them indoors to enjoy as a tabletop arrangement .
Another choice is trying to wrap up the plant with horticultural fleece to shelter it from the cold . However , if temperatures stay below freeze for too farseeing , even this answer will not help isolate your camellia long - condition . Ideally , you require the protective cover to levitate above the blooms , rather than rest on them . So even a fleece setup may backfire , as it ’s tricky to set up a collapsible shelter - like structure to avert the bud relate the fleece .
If you decide to cut across your flora , just think of to take the covering during the daytime , if the sunlight is shining . Keeping the plants covered long - term leads to poor aura circulation and promote the growth of mould and other fungal disease .
Now you know all of my enigma for beautiful camellia flower . My camelia flora , with their deep gullible lustrous leaves and pink blooms , are such a sight for sensitive eyes on sorry wintertime solar day . I mean that if you choose to originate camellias , you ’ll be exhaustively rewarded every wintertime .
