YULETIDE CAMELLIA DISPLAYS ALL THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS
It is hard to imagine a more perfect Christmas plant for the landscape than Yuletide camellia. When you think about the colors of Christmas, red, green and gold are front and center, and Yuletide puts them all on display.
The green is most obvious, and that is the deep evergreen foliage that would make you want the plant for the bones of your home landscape, even if it never bloomed. You may be surprised to know they can eventually get 6 to 8 feet tall and wide.
The red blooms, approximately 3 inches wide, are the perfect shade for the season and are produced in abundance. They start in late October and crescendo into a spectacle by Christmas.
Bright golden stamens are produced in the center of the f lowers in such quantities that they give a dazzling ornamental look to the plant. You will quickly notice that these blossoms seem to be nature’s gift to late-season pollinators, bees and a variety of butterf lies.
Botanically speaking, Yuletide has forever been considered a Camellia sasanqua, and 90 percent of the industry sells it that way. It will always be so to me. In reality, it was a chance seedling of Hiryu, a Camellia vernalis hybrid. I’ll do what I usually do and avoid the taxonomic argument like the plague, and simply tell you that if you live in zones 7-9, this is a must-have plant. Indoors, you must have poinsettias; outdoors, it is Yuletide camellia.
Yuletide is recommended for full to part sun. Fertile, organic-rich, acidic soil is best. They can thrive in heavier soil conditions, but good drainage is paramount. When planting, make your holes three times the width of the pot, and plant with the top of the rootball 1 to 2 inches above the soil surface. Water and apply a good layer of mulch. Fall is a terrific time to plant, and your local nursery typically has a great selection of camellias this time of the year.
You will love the pyramidal habit these camellias have in their early years before getting somewhat broader. Though they will eventually reach 6-plus feet, they are nevertheless considered compact.
Yuletide camellia is one of the most beloved shrubs of all time and perfect for the beginning of your ‘Christmas Landscape.’ Now is the time to shop.