Camellia Forest

Camellias Overview


Camellia Forest Introduction "April Dawn" found in the Spring Blooming section under Cold Hardy Camellia japonicas	Striving to bring you showy, garden-worthy plants, we work to offer exceptional flowers, vigorous growth, cold-hardiness, disease resistance and one-of-a-kind Camellias. New plants include our own introductions from our breeding program, older varieties that have proven to have good qualities and recent introductions from other breeders. We try to offer Camellias that represent the wide variation in the genus from small and simple flowered wild type plants to the large and many-petaled hybrids.	Sizes & Prices Camellias are quite variable in growth rate in pots. Slower growers may be smaller than the sizes listed but an approximate guide for ordering plants is as follows: 1 year old plants: 6 to 12 inches tall in 1, 2 or 3 quart pots $10 to $15 2 year old plants: 10 to 24 inches tall in 1 gallon pots $24 3-4 year old plants: 24 to 48 inches tall and bushy in 3 gallon pots $50 We generally keep the Camellias in relatively small pots to avoid waterlogged soil and poor root growth. We strive to grow plants with healthy root systems which adjust well to being planted outdoors. I do not disturb the roots when planting unless a large thickened root has begun to circle in the pot; I have found that the many small roots rapidly grow out into surrounding soil and do not cause problems in later years. Large Camellias We have a good supply of larger size Camellias that cannot be shipped; these are listed in the catalog. At the nursery we also have very limited numbers of other varieties. These plants are mostly 3-5 feet tall and some are even taller. Although pot size can be deceptive we do have many varieties in 5, 7 and 10 gallon pots priced from $50 to $150. If you are in the Chapel Hill area, stop by and pick up a few for your garden.

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Camellia Culture Camellias are relatively easy to grow as long as they are planted in well drained soil and in light shade. For happiest plants, provide relatively moist, rich organic soil with plenty of room to grow. To our clay soils I add 4-6 inches of rotted mulch or leaves and till this in as deep as possible over the whole planting area. I have left scattered tall pines to provide filtered light part of the day, and have also planted conifers such as Cryptomeria to provide wind protection in the future. In China I saw Camellias growing in similar conditions; the overstory trees were huge evergreen oaks and the Camellias were 20 to 30 feet tall. In the last few years hurricanes and ice storms have removed most of the scattered pines I had carefully preserved and I am left with lots of sun on my Camellias. A few plants show winter cold and sun injury but most plants are flourishing with heavy bud set and multiple flushes of growth each year. Often, more sun is better than less sun as there is less competition from trees for water and nutrients for the Camellias. For the best leaf color and perfect flowers, some winter shade is beneficial. In colder areas, wind protection and winter shade reduces cold damage. Gardeners can achieve success by planting Camellias under evergreen trees, near buildings and fences, or protected by lath to provide wind protection and winter shade. Mulch is also important to protect the roots from freezing although I try to keep mulch from touching the trunk of the plants. In the first year, extra effort should be spent to establish the plants. Sufficient water is the most important need of the plant and it is necessary to water heavily so that the entire root ball is moistened. Between waterings the roots should begin to dry out before the next application of water. For northern areas, spring planting allows the plant to acclimate before hard freezes. For extreme northern areas a wrap of burlap and leaves or a micro-foam tent (described in Dr. Ackerman’s Book) helps small plants through the first few winters since a larger established plant can survive hard winters more easily. In general two or three-year plants establish better than very young plants. Once established, Camellias are quite low maintenance. Droughts reduce flowerbud set and growth but rarely kill Camellias. A light fertilization in spring will increase growth but is not necessary for healthy plants. Without pruning most varieties develop into very nicely shaped bushes and will bloom quite well. Cutting back long shoots and other pruning should be done just after blooming. Selected Camellia cultivars can be grown where temperatures drop to -5° Fahrenheit or even colder with proper protection. The most cold hardy plants are distinguished by “zone 6B” following the name. Camellias produce excellent flowers in a cool greenhouse although they are not easily cultured in a warm house with dry air. Dr. Ackerman’s recently published book, Beyond the Camellia Belt provides good information on Camellia culture in zone 7 and colder. We recommend and are offering this book for sale.