Camellias
Camellia ‘Vestito Rosso’ (Photo courtesy Monrovia Nurseries)
Camellias are one of our most popular shrubs. The beautiful flowers and thick dark green evergreen leaves are effective as focal points, hedges, screens or container plants. The flowers, usually in shades of red, pink or pure white, come in single, double and semi-double forms (depending on the variety) and bloom from fall through spring.
There are two major types of camellias – “sasanqua” and “japonica”.
Japonicas bloom mainly in early spring although some varieties can bloom earlier in the season. The flowers are large and unscented. The leaves are thick and glossy.
Sasanqua camellias bloom from October through February. The flowers and leaves are smaller than japonicas and some have a light fragrance. These camellias also adapt better to sunnier locations.
Camellias are easy to grow when placed in an appropriate location. Ideally, morning sun and afternoon shade is best. An area with dappled shade is also fine.
They prefer a well-drained soil that is enriched with organic matter. If your soil is heavy clay, mix in compost or 3- way mix. It is good to add a layer every spring and fall. Add a generous mulch around the plant to keep the roots cool but do not pile it up against the base of the trunk. Fertilize with a product formulated for acid-loving plants a few weeks after blooming. As always, follow directions precisely when using fertilizer products. Water new plants deeply once per week. After the plants have become established, they are drought tolerant.
Yard N’ Garden Land offers a wide range of camellias varieties. Here are a few:
‘Yuletide’ is one of the most popular varieties. Bright red flowers with yellow stamens bloom before and after Christmas. This sasanqua variety grows to 8-10 feet with age and is also a good container plant. (Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nurseries)
‘Nuccio’s Pearl’ has double blossoms of white that are edged with pink. Grows 6-8 feet tall and wide. (Photo by Phillip Oliver)
‘Setsugekka’ is one of the most popular camellias. White flower with ruffled edges and yellow stamens appear in late fall and last into winter. This makes a tall, robust plant and is good for hedging. (Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nurseries)
‘Vestito Rosso’ is an elegant japonica camellia with perfectly formed red flowers. (Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nurseries)
‘Shishi Gashira’ is a smaller growing sasanqua camellia and is good for low hedges. Growing 3-4 ft. it has hot pink semi-double flowers with yellow stamens. (Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nurseries)
‘Magnoliaflora’ is an elegant japonica camellia with pale pink flowers. To 8′ feet and taller with age. (Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nurseries)
‘Kanjiro’ is an upright sasanqua that grows 8-10 feet and has rich pink blossoms with yellow stamens. (Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nurseries)
‘Cleopatra’, a sasanqua camellia with soft pink flowers with yellow stamens, grows 6-8 ft. tall and wide. (Photo by Phillip Oliver)
