Learn how to grow camellia, and enjoy romantic flowers in the colder months and beautiful foliage year-round.
Where to Plant Camellia
Site camellias in part shade or dappled shade to help them grow best.
How and When to Plant Camellia
Plant camellias in fall or early spring.
Credit:Robert Cardillo
Plant in the spring for best results where temperatures are cooler.
During their first year, camellias benefit from supplemental watering during dry spells.
After that, they tend to be drought-tolerant.
Credit:Doreen L Wynja
Shelter plants from strong winds, especially in the upper South or near the coast.
In fact, they’re often used as a companion plant to azalea andrhododendron shrubs.
Light
Plant young camellia plants under the protective shade of large trees.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Check what the jot down of camellia you plantrequires regarding sunlightbecause some varieties need more than others.
Supplement poor soil by raking compost or manure into the topsoil.
Keep camellias' soil moist to a depth of 14 to 18 inches to encourage the best bud growth.
Credit: Dan Piassick
Water twice a week, up to 1 inch per week.
Keep the soil moist byadding 3 inches of mulch, which also helps to suppress weeds.
Temperature and Humidity
Camellias prefer cooler temperatures but will be harmed by frost.
Credit:Denny Schrock
They thrive in a more humid environment, one reason they’rehardy in Zones 6-10.
Fertilizer
There are fertilizers specifically for camellias and azaleas.
Use one to manage the soil acidity.
Credit: David Goldberg
They likenitrogen-rich fertilizerthat’s slow-release.
Fertilize in early and late spring and again in mid-summer.
Pruning
Prune camellias in late spring, after they flower, for a bushier shrub.
Credit: Robert Cardillo
Cut away dead branches or any that show signs of disease or blight.
Don’t prune too much, just what’s necessary to keep the shrub healthy and manageable.
Pests and Problems
Watch for petal blight in spring.
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
This fungus turns petals brown, then kills the whole flower.
Though generally not fatal, the insects can weaken the plant.
Handpicking the pests can alleviate the problem, but smothering scale and their eggs withhorticultural oilmay be more effective.
Credit: Erica George Dines
How to Propagate Camellia
Propagate camellias by layering for speedier growth.
They can be grown from seed, but it takes a long time for plants to develop.
It grows to 8 feet tall and wide in Zones 8-10.
Credit: Justin Hancock
It grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide in Zones 7-8.
It grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide in Zones 7-8.
It grows 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide in Zones 7-8.
Credit:Denny Schrock
It grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide in Zones 7-8.
Zones:7-8
‘Elegans’ Camellia
Anemone-shaped rose-pink blooms make this variety ofCamellia japonicastand out with its summer color.
It grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide in Zones 7-8.
It grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide in Zones 7-8.
The shrub flowers in fall to winter Zones 7-10, and generally reaches 10 feet tall and wide.
Here are some great options.
Hosta
Also calledplantain lily, hostascome in diverse foliage shapes, textures, and sizes.
Rhododendron
A shrub with broad evergreen leaves,rhododendronsalso boast large clusters of showy blooms in spring.
In areas with dry winters, deciduous varieties can fill in the gap.
Hydrangea
Hydrangeascan flourish in sunshine or dappled shade, depending on the jot down you choose.
Camellias are very slow-growing, at a rate of 12 inches per year.
The ‘tea plant’ camellia is used to make tea.
