As in the depth of winters we know that bright colourfull Camellia shrubs and small trees will soon burst forth.

Camellias are by nature evergreen woodland shrubs or small trees. They prefer an acid, leafy soil and some shade and protection from early morning sun for the flower buds. The flowers are classed in various forms including single, semi double, Peony form, Anemone form, Rose form or Formal double. My own semi- double white camellia catches the early frost and turns brown but the profusion of buds still make a great show.

Waxy flowers of Camellia ‘Satans Robe’ and the even more waxy leaves of the camellias are one of the early joys in the spring garden. There is a range of camellias to suit most conditions and if you can’t find the lime free soil most varieties need they will grow in a pot of ericaceous compost.  Flowers vary in size up to 5 inches across in yellow, red, white and pink.

Some Camellia Species

• Camellia Japonica, Sasanqua and Reticulata have special sections with some of the best varieties described or selected below

• C gigantacarpa also known as crapnelliana can grow into a 20 foot tree and has single white flowers.
• C cuspidata has coppery coloured young leaves white flowers and hybrids such as Cornish Spring and Spring Festival. This makes a thick wide shrub upto 12 feet wide and high.
• C. chrysantha is a yellow flowered plant with orange stamens. It is tender and needs a warm greenhouse.
• Camellia Williamsii hybrids are a good choice for better quality flowers in the colder darker north of the United Kingdom

The Best Camellia Japonica

• Adolphe Audusson is a vigourous red with irregular branching when young. It makes a dense bush 12 feet high and nearly as wide.
• Blaze of Glory has large flat leaves and blood-red peony flowers.
• Bokuhan all so called Tinsie is a red flowered,slow bushy grower great for containers.
• Hana-Tachibana is deep pink and slowly grows twice as tall as it is wide. Little Bit has a similar habit but red and white stripped flowers.
• Wilamina is and American variety with small perfect double flowers in a cerise pink.
• Camellia japonica Higo is prized in Japan for Bonsai.

The Best Reticulata Camellias

• Captain Rawes is a semi-double with carmine pink flowers. There is a specimen in the greenhouse at Chatsworth
• Eden Roc aught to be grown in Cornwall with a name like that. It has large pink flowers
• Otto Hopfer has flat flowers of salmon pink
• Royalty is bright red and can be trained on a wall to good effect

Bibliography Camellias

Growing Camellias   Neil  Treseder & Edward Hyams

Camellias complete Guide  Logan Edgar

Camellia Garden Field guide

The  Sasanqua Camellias

• These Camellias and C. heimalis are a bit different in that they tolerate lime in the soil, are generally more fragrant and flower during late Autumn and Winter. Even so they are prone to drop the flowers in a frost
• Bonanza deep red, Cleopatra rose pink and Rainbow white with purple buds are amongst the best varieties.

For more information on the exciting groups of Camellias try ‘The Gardeners Encyclopedia of Camellias’ or for real enthusiasts join the International Camellia Society

Camellia Japonica and Reticulata Camellias are the most common base for many hybrids but the large family of Camellias includes plants that produce Tea, Charcoal and Oils for cosmetics.

Camellia Cultivation Tips

• Do not plant too near a wall or hedge and deprive the plant of a normal ration of rain and flower buds will drop
• Fertilizer suitable for ericacious plants will help the plant take up nutrients and stop yellow leaves.
• Try a foliar feed of Sequestrene if leaves are showing yellow or poor quality
• Keep plants well watered in free draining soil. They transpire prolifically
• Keep roots protected from a deep frost by mulching or wrap a pot in sacking
• pH soil of 5.5- 6.5 is sufficiently acid and aluminium sulphate or ferrous sulfate will help reduce soils pH. If your soil is unsuitable plant camellias in a large pot with special compost
• Do not plant in a draft but Camellias will stand in a wind
• Prune to get strong lateral growth and cut flowers back to a side shoot
• Propagate new plants by layering. Peg a branch down to the ground after nicking the stem where it can be buried.