Plant of the Month – Camellia
These flowering beauties evoke a feeling of subtle sophistication and elegance for those gardeners lucky enough to grow them
When it comes to flowers that evoke feelings of sophistication, romance and exotic Asian origins, nothing comes close to the stunningly beautiful blooms of what is considered garden flower royalty, the Camellia. First recorded in cultivation in the west in the 1700’s, they had been recognised and grown as garden plants in Japan and China for centuries beforehand. Today, we’re fortunate to enjoy a myriad of cultivars of this much underestimated member of the Tea family (Theaceae) and, as we’re in the middle of a Camellia growing region, it’s timely to pass on some cultivation information happily provided by our local Camellia aficionados.
We’re pretty fortunate that our local climate and geography is conducive to Camellia cultivation. Originating from the temperate and subtropical regions of southern and eastern Asia, they’ll be found growing anywhere from the Himalayas, across to Japan, and down to Indonesia. If there was a growing situation in Australia that these plants would prefer, it would be in the slightly acidic, volcanic soils of the ranges and tablelands of eastern Australia. Camellias love the cool nights and reasonable rainfall, once established, that these higher locations can provide.
If you’re thinking of growing camellias in your garden, there are two species that are the hardiest and most commonly grown in Australia, Camellia sasanqua and Camellia japonica.
If you’ve a garden that’s being established from scratch or have a high percentage of full sun areas, then Camellia sasanqua and its cultivars are the obvious choice. Sasanquas will also handle part shade, but, like most plants, need 6-8 hours of sunlight for best flowering.
In our region, they are the first of the camellias to flower, usually starting around late February and finishing around MayJune. It’s worth noting that the warmer the seasons, the later camellias flower, and that rainfall variances will affect flowering times as well. Some of the best and hardiest sasanquas to grow are ‘Jennifer Susan’, ‘Hiryu’, ‘Chansonette’ and ‘Red Willow’ (all pink). Another pink variety suitable for espalier is ‘Sparkling Burgundy’. A beaut white bloomer is ‘Mine-no-yuki’, and you can’t go past ‘Yuletide’ for a classic red.
Flowering a bit later than the sasanquas are the showiest of all camellias, the japonicas. C. japonica and its cultivars will do best where there is protection from the sun until about mid-morning (early morning sun and dew on petals will turn them brown), and protection from hot dry winds. Their usual flowering period is between April and August, again varying with temperature and rainfall. A few recommended japonica cultivars are ‘Lady Clare’ and ‘Laurie Bray’ (pink), ‘Lovelight’ (white), ‘Great Eastern’ and ‘Arajishi’ (red), ‘R L Wheeler’ (variegated pink), ‘Nuccio’s Gem’ (white), ‘Night Rider’ (deep red) and ‘Jean Lyne’ (stripey pink).
Other Camellia species and their cultivars such as C. reticulata, C. lutchuensis
and C. x williamsii can be quite tempting to the novice grower due to their magnificent flowers, but do your homework first (check with someone in the local Camellia Society or the horticulturist at the local nursery) before selecting, purchasing and planting one of these beauties as they can be somewhat temperamental.
Camellia reticulata bears some of the largest and most beautiful flowers in the Camellia genus, but they generally grow much larger, almost tree-like, and are less tolerant of higher temperatures and humidity, and flowers can be damaged if planted in windy aspects. Some of the newer C. reticulata cultivars and hybrids are smaller and bushier than the species. Reticulatas tend to reach their flowering peak in August/September, normally finishing around late October.
Some of the hybrid camellias are worth a go. Hybrids having C. lutchuensis as one of the species parents will take on the main characteristic of this species, fragrance. Fragrant hybrids worth growing in your garden are ‘High Fragrance’ and ‘Scentuous’.
It’s worth mentioning the stunning yellow, yes yellow, blooms of Camellia petelotii (formerly C. nitidissima). It’s a much sought-after species but, due to its origins of sub-tropical China and Vietnam, it always proves a little feisty to grow in typical Camellia-growing regions.
Other species of note include C. sinensis (the tea plant), and C. vietnamensis.
As mentioned earlier, camellias prefer a slightly acidic soil, pH around 5.5 to 6.5, with adequate organic matter added in the form of old manures or quality composts and a layer of organic mulch to just beyond the drip line. It’s best to plant into soil that’s only enriched with manure or compost, leaving any fertilising until the plant is established, usually around 12 months later. Planting camellias is best performed in autumn, when the soil is warm and air is cool, for good root establishment.
For gardeners who live in regions with alkaline soil, it’s probably best to grow your camellias in containers, as it’s a difficult task to lower soil pH and keep it at the right levels for long periods.
Fertilising is best done in August and March for most varieties, applying a general analysis product (N-P-K approx. 9-2-7) in August, and a specialised Camellia and Azalea product in February/March (N-P-K approx. 9-3-12), with higher levels of selected nutrients for improved flowering.
If you decide to grow camellias in pots, follow these few pointers from our local Camellia experts.
Don’t pot a small plant into a huge pot. Simply move your plant to the next largest pot (e.g. 14 cm to 20cm, 20cm to 30cm etc.)
Use a quality Azalea and Camellia potting mix, and don’t overuse strong fertilisers. Suggested nutrient additives include blood and bone, and standard 8-9 month controlled release granules.