Shrub
Camellia
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in February | Flowers in March | Flowers in April | |||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in September | Plant in October | ||||||||
| Prune | Prune in May | |||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in January | Looks good in February | Looks good in March | Looks good in April | Looks good in May | Looks good in June | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September | Looks good in October | Looks good in November | Looks good in December |
Overview
Camellias are glossy-leaved evergreens that flower from late winter into spring with blooms ranging from simple singles to formal doubles. Camellia japonica 'Adolphe Audusson' is a reliable dark red, and the C. × williamsii hybrids such as 'Donation' (pink) flower freely and drop their spent blooms cleanly. For autumn flowers, look at Camellia sasanqua, which prefers more sun.
Where to grow camellia
Plant in dappled shade with shelter from cold winds. Avoid east-facing spots: after a frosty night, fast morning sun damages the flowers, while a north- or west-facing wall lets them thaw slowly. If your soil is chalky or alkaline, grow camellias in large pots of ericaceous compost instead.
Planting
Plant in spring or early autumn with the top of the root ball level with the soil surface, never deeper. Improve the planting area with leaf mould or composted bark. Water pot plants with rainwater where possible, as hard tap water gradually raises the pH.
Care through the year
Spring
Feed with an ericaceous fertiliser after flowering and mulch with bark or leaf mould.
Summer
Water steadily through July to September, as dryness then causes buds to fall next spring.
Autumn
Check pots stay moist and remove any very congested clusters of buds if you want larger blooms.
Winter
Wrap pots in hessian in severe cold to protect the roots, and pick off fallen browned flowers.
Pruning
Little pruning is needed. Shape plants lightly straight after flowering, shortening overlong shoots. Old, overgrown camellias usually respond to a hard cut back in spring, though they may take a couple of years to flower freely again.
Propagation
Semi-ripe cuttings in summer root slowly but steadily with gentle warmth; leaf-bud cuttings are another option. Layering a low branch is the simplest home method.
Common problems
Yellow leaves with green veins indicate lime-induced chlorosis; repot or treat with ericaceous feed. Bud drop is almost always due to dry roots in late summer. Scale insects on leaf undersides produce sticky honeydew and sooty mould; wipe them off by hand. Vine weevil attacks potted plants.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect camellia:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, May, September and October. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.