Camellias: A Gift from Asia
Garden Tasks for the Season
Flowering dogwoods and tulip magnolias can be planted now during the dormant season from balled & burlapped specimens. This is the last chance to spray peach and nectarine trees for peach leaf curl before the buds break open—use copper sulfate wettable powder for the best results.
Spring vegetables can be planted now. Start your garden with broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, and chard. Primroses, in their rainbow of colors, will light up your flower beds and boxes this winter and spring. Bare root fruit trees, grape and berry vines are still available, with the best selection available now.
Camellias: A Gift from Asia
Camellias, a gift from the Orient to temperate gardens worldwide, have long been esteemed in their native lands. In China, Japan, and Korea, the camellia motif decorates everything from architecture to textiles. One species, Camellia sinensis, has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years—not for its flowers, but for its leaves, which are used to make tea.
The first camellia arrived in Europe in the 1500s, but they were not imported for public use until the 19th century. Soon after, European nurseries began raising new varieties from seed, offering hundreds of named varieties by the end of the century. There are now over 3,000 named varieties.
Growing Camellias in California
The most commonly grown camellias in California are varieties of Camellia japonica. Their perfectly shaped blooms stand out against dark, glossy green leaves. Thousands of double camellia hybrids offer colors ranging from snowy white and bicolors to deep scarlet-red, blooming over a long spring season.
Camellia sasanqua is an earlier-blooming species with smaller, less double flowers but just as showy, producing more blooms than japonicas. They begin flowering in fall and continue through winter. Plants grow in various shapes and sizes and tolerate full sun once established.
Camellias grow naturally in forest settings with loose, humus-rich soil. In California’s drier climate, they need:
- A rich, humusy soil
- Protection from hot sun and strong winds (morning sun and afternoon shade are ideal)
- Consistently moist (but not soggy) roots
- A natural mulch (bark, wood chips, or oak leaves) to retain moisture and improve soil
The first year, plants need only watering and mulching. Afterward, fertilize with a commercial camellia fertilizer or cottonseed meal—ensure the soil is moist when applying, and use less if unsure, as over-fertilizing can damage or kill camellias.
Care and Maintenance
Camellias require no annual pruning to stay healthy. To maintain shape, take two or three leaves with the bloom when cutting flowers. If a plant needs more bushiness, cut out last year’s growth in late spring to encourage new branches.
Clean-up is important for healthy camellias:
- Remove faded flowers before they fall, especially those with brown petals (a sign of petal blight)
With proper care, camellias will reward you with beautiful blooms each spring and grow into stunning landscape plants.