get word how to grow camellia , and enjoy romantic flowers in the colder months and beautiful foliation twelvemonth - rotund .
Robert Cardillo
Many gardener grow camelia for their bloom , which descend in shades of pink , red , and white , and range from singles to doubles . Blooming in the spring , fall , or even winterin modest climates , camellias land much - needed semblance during the cooler times of the twelvemonth . But this shrub is a garden workhorse , too , providing structure and glossy unripened foliation to a infinite year - round . Learn how to implant and care for this plant , and the top 10 miscellany , to fetch the romance of camelia to your space .
Credit:Robert Cardillo
Where to Plant Camellia
land site camelia in part shadowiness or mottled tint to aid them grow best . implant them at least 5 feet aside , because they need their space to get rich water and food and do n’t like to compete with other , larger trees or bush for what they need .
How and When to Plant Camellia
flora camellia in fall or early spring . In warm areas , return is better because plants have timeto grow recondite root organization without summer heat affect them . Plant in the spring for best result where temperatures are cool .
To help drain water supply out from their trunks , plant life camellias so that the top of their root balls are somewhat above the soil ’s surface . During their first year , camellias benefit from supplemental watering during wry spell . After that , they tend to be drouth - large-minded . Shelter plants from strong winds , particularly in the upper South or near the coast .
Camellia Care Tips
Camellias are fairly gentle to grow , requiring many of the same conditions as otherbroadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons and azalea . In fact , they ’re often used as a companion plant to azalea andrhododendron bush .
Light
engraft young camellia plants under the protective tint of magnanimous trees . The bigger they grow , the more their flowering shrub will protect the antecedent and the more Sunday they can accept . Check what the type of camelia you plantrequires regarding sunlightbecause some varieties need more than others .
Soil and Water
The soil for camellia should be slightly acidic ( 6 to 6.5 pH),well - debilitate , and plentiful inorganic matter . Supplement misfortunate soil by raking compost or manure into the surface soil .
Keep camellias ' territory moist to a profoundness of 14 to 18 inch to encourage the best bud increment . If the soil gets dry , buds will have few petals , and the flower wo n’t reckon as succulent as they can . piddle twice a hebdomad , up to 1 inch per week . Keep the soil moist byadding 3 inches of mulch , which also helps to suppress widow’s weeds .
Temperature and Humidity
camellia choose cooler temperatures but will be harmed by frost . Plant camellias in magnetic north - facing fix with a breaking wind guard like a rampart or a building to protect them from damage . In spring , 50 degrees is idealistic for camellias , while wintertime should stay between 40 and 50 degrees with sunlight . They thrive in a more humid environment , one rationality they’rehardy in Zones 6 - 10 .
Fertilizer
There are fertilizers specifically for camellia and azaleas . Use one to do the soil acidity . They likenitrogen - fertile fertilizerthat ’s dull - release . Fertilize in former and late spring and again in mid - summer .
Pruning
Prune camellias in tardy bounce , after they flower , for a bushier shrub . Cut away beat branches or any that show signs of disease or blight . Do n’t cut back too much , just what ’s necessary to keep the shrub healthy and manageable .
Pests and Problems
learn for petal blight in spring . This fungus change by reversal petals brown , then kill the whole flower . The undecomposed result is to remove affected flowers and debris from around the flora , then treat it with a foliar antifungal at least twice a calendar month .
Camellia musical scale ( also bang as tea scale ) is the name for small livid to grey insects that affix themselves to the undersurface of leaves close to the radical . Though generally not fatal , the dirt ball can soften the works . Handpicking the pest can alleviate the problem , but smother scale and their eggs withhorticultural oilmay be more effective .
How to Propagate Camellia
Propagate camellias by layering for speedier ontogeny . They can be grown from seed , but it direct a foresighted metre for plants to grow .
To propagate , do this during the summer :
Types of Camellia
The shrubs feature six dissimilar type of blooms : individual , semi - double , sea anemone , peony , rose form double , and formal double . Species with minuscule flowers tend to be the fragrant ones because breeding attempt for magnanimous courtly type have focused on size of it rather than scent .
‘Pearl Maxwell’ Camellia
Doreen L Wynja
This variety ofCamellia japonicaproduces twofold blooms with hefty , dense clusters of soft pink petals in mid - leaping . It grows to 8 feet marvellous and broad in Zones 8 - 10 .
‘Alexander Hunter’ Camellia
ThisCamellia japonicacultivar is an upright bush with sweeping branches hold single or semidouble , deep red bloom in other and mid - spring . It grow 20 feet marvelous and 10 feet panoptic in Zones 7 - 8 .
‘Helen’s Ballerina’ Camellia
Another character ofCamellia japonica , ' Helen ’s Ballerina ' hasa vigorous , open habit and produces magnanimous twofold , pale cracking - pink blooms late in the season . It rise 20 foot tall and 10 feet all-encompassing in Zones 7 - 8 .
‘Leslie Ann’ Camellia
Denny Schrock
extremist - bright pinkish edging on big double petals stool thisCamellia sasanquavariety an especially eye - overhear alternative . It grows up to 10 feet improbable and 7 feet blanket in Zones 7a-10b and flowers from fall to early wintertime .
‘Miss Universe’ Camellia
Camellia japonica’Miss Universe ' is a prizewinner worthy of the name , bring on large forked white efflorescence on a bush that grows 20 feet tall and 10 foot panoptic in Zones 7 - 8 .
‘Lila Naff’ Camellia
This variety ofCamellia japonicabears soft , argent pink blooms in mid - to - former spring on a bush that is slow growing and upright . It grows 20 invertebrate foot tall and 12 feet broad in Zones 7 - 8 .
‘Kramer’s Supreme’ Camellia
Camellia japonica’Kramer ’s Supreme ' produces three-fold , big , bountiful blooms of rose - red in late nightfall and again in recent spring . It rise 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide in Zones 7 - 8 .
Zones:7 - 8
‘Elegans’ Camellia
Anemone - influence rose - pink bloom make this variety ofCamellia japonicastand out with its summer color . It grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet broad in Zones 7 - 8 .
‘Coquettii’ Camellia
This variety ofCamellia japonicais a slow - develop extract that endure deep red blooms , sometimes duple , in mid - to - late give . It grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet blanket in Zones 7 - 8 .
‘Apple Blossom’
ThisCamellia sasanquafeatures big white blooms edged in a delicate pinko , with distinguishable yellow stamens at the center . The shrub flowers in fall to winter Zones 7 - 10 , and loosely reaches 10 feet tall and wide .
Camellia Companion Plants
The good plant life to couple with camellia savor similar grow consideration , while also ocular complement the shrub ’s use . Here are some cracking options .
Hosta
Also calledplantain lily , hostascome in diverse leaf soma , texture , and sizes . In addition , hosta leaf come in a wide compass of hue , from an almost navy blue to a pallid , creamy white .
Rhododendron
A bush with extensive evergreen leaves , rhododendronsalso gasconade large clusters of showy blooms in spring . In domain with wry wintertime , deciduous varieties can fill in the gap .
Hydrangea
Hydrangeascan flourish in sunshine or dappled spook , depending on the type you prefer . vast hydrangea flowers are beautiful from summertime to shine , filling in the flowering gap before or after camellias have bloomed .
Frequently Asked Questions
If your camellias are n’t blooming , it could be for one of many reason , include unconventional pruning , price from moth-eaten weather causing bud not to make grow , too much or too petty nutrients , or not enough sun or water .
camelia are very slow - growing , at a rate of 12 in per year .
The ' teatime plant ' camellia is used to make teatime . Its young leaves are used to make green teatime , black afternoon tea , white tea , oolong tea , and others .
Credit:Doreen L Wynja
These pop species of camellias look similar , but differ in bloom time : Japonicastypically flower from mid - wintertime to early spring , whilesasanquasgenerally flower from mid - fall to winter .
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Credit: Dan Piassick
Credit:Denny Schrock
Credit: David Goldberg
Credit: Robert Cardillo
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Credit: Erica George Dines
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit:Denny Schrock
