If there’s a reason for a gardener to move to the south,
it’s the camellia. You might say that this flowering shrub, which has been in
cultivation for more than 1000 years, is the southerner’s answer to the peony. Similarities between
peonies and camellias include lushly petaled blooms, and a tendency to live for
more than a century.
Latin Name:
Genus Camellia, FamilyTheaceae
Common ornamental cultivars
include:
- C.
japonica
- C.
reticulata
- C.
sasanqua
- C.
saluenensis
Common Names:
Camellia
Zone:
Camellias are reliably hardy in
zones 7-9, although the fall blooming ‘Winter’ series and spring blooming
‘April’ series of camellias are hardy in zone 6.
Size:
Dwarf camellias top out at 2 feet
in height, but many camellias grow to a mature height between 6 and 12 feet.
Camellias are slow growing, and specimens can exceed 20 feet after many decades
if they have excellent growing conditions.
Exposure:
Camellia plants enjoy light or
dappled shade, but they do not like to compete for water and nutrients with
trees in close proximity. Camellia sasanqua cultivars can take more sun than
japonica types.
Bloom Period:
Planting a mix of camellia
varieties can provide the gardener with a succession of blossoms from September
through May.
Description:
Camellias are evergreen shrubs with dark, glossy leaves.
Flowers may be white, pink, red, or streaked, and blooms can be single or
double. Camellia sinensis yields flowers that produce tea, but is not as
ornamental as the other cultivars.
Camellias stand for faithfulness and longevity in the
language of flowers, and make a lush addition towinter wedding flower arrangements.
Planting:
- Know the
mature size of your camellia, and plan accordingly if planting close to a
window or home foundation.
- Plant
camellias anytime except in the hottest summer months.
- Camellias
require well-drained soil.
- An ideal
soil pH for camellias is within the 6.0-6.5 range.
- If
planting multiple camellia shrubs, space them at least 5 feet apart.
- It isn’t
necessary to amend the backfill soil at planting time. Rather, lightly
cultivate the top few inches of the soil, raking in compost or well-rotted manure.
Maintenance:
- Proper fertilization is important
for a large flower count. Apply a potassium-rich fertilizer in September to
facilitate petal development. Apply a slow release nitrogen fertilizer in the
spring to keep foliage dark green and lush.
- Prune camellias after flowering to
keep the interior of the shrubs free of dead and non-blooming branches. Remove
any branches that droop on the ground.
- Water camellias so that they are
consistently moist. Dry periods that occur during bud development result in
fewer flowers with a lower petal count. Drought stressed plants also open the
door to spider mite infestation.
- Control scale pests with
horticultural oil during non-blooming times.
- Apply a 3-inch layer of mulch to
moderate soil temperatures, retain soil moisture, and stifle weeds.
Design Tips:
- In large
gardens, place camellias as anchor points along the garden path.
- Use the
camellia as an espalier specimen.
- Pair
camellias with azaleas for continuous blooms from winter through late spring.
- Plant a
blooming blanket of pansies under camellias.
- Coordinate
camellia blooms with complementary or contrasting spring bulbs, such as crocus
or Virginia bluebells.
Varieties:
- April
Dawn: Hardy in zone 6; white flowers streaked with pink
- Elfin
Rose: Pale pink blooms appear in October and November
- Fragrant
Pink: Warm winter days bring out the sweet fragrance of small pink flower
clusters
- Francis
Eugene Phillips: Highly sought after for ornamental fringed foliage; ruffled
pink flowers
- Rebel
Yell: White flower with red blotches and prominent stamens
- Sea
Foam: A perfect looking white flower with a crisp form
- Yuletide:
Red blooms on a compact, four-foot tall shrub
Sources: flowerpictures.net
http://flowers.about.com
