Pensacola News Journal

For:  Saturday, Nov. 2, 2002

By:   Daniel E. Mullins

        Extension Horticulture Agent

        Santa Rosa County

For Fall Color, Try the “Other” Camellia

            Camellias have been part of the southern landscape for almost 200 years.  They are native to the Orient and were introduced into the U.S. near Charleston, South Carolina in 1786.  The common name camellia refers to cultivars of Camellia japonica and to the less known cultivars of C. sasanqua and reticulata.

            Camellias are well adapted to landscapes along the northern Gulf Coast.  Much of their popularity is due to the work of the Pensacola Camellia Club, an organization with a rich history of promotion and education related to this plant.

            Though cultivars of Camellia japonica receive the most attention, Camellia sasanqua should be better known and used more frequently in area landscapes.  Sasanqua tends to produce a smaller and more dense, compact shrub, with a maximum height of about ten feet.

            There are two important features of sasanquas that should make them more popular.  They bloom in the fall, when few other plants are showing color and they are the most cold hardy species of Camellia.  They are so hardy that many who grow japonicas graft the selected cultivar onto sansanqua rootstocks.   

            Sasanqua flowering begins in October and continues for several weeks, ending about the time that the japonicas start in early to mid winter.  Flower color choices include white, pink and red, with both single and double flower forms being available.  Some recommended cultivars include Daydream, Grandiflora Alba, Jean May, Setsugekka, Dream Boat and Julia Hamiter.

Camellia Growing Tips

■ Select nursery grown plants that are container grown or balled and burlapped.

■ Choose a planting site that is well drained.  Camellias do not perform well in wet, boggy soils.

■ Avoid planting in areas where a high soil pH is suspected, such as near masonry walls, walks or driveways and where concrete and bits of mortar are found.

■ Camellias should be located in areas where cold air can move in and out freely, but the area should be protected from north winds.  Plantings under pine trees or on the north or west side of buildings are usually injured less by cold temperatures.

■ Before transplanting, amend the entire plant bed area by incorporating peat, compost or fine pine bark chips.  When individual plants are to be established, amend an area 12 to 15 inches wider than the root mass.

■ Camellias are best transplanted from November to February so that the roots can become established before the heat of summer.

■ Camellias should be spaced according to their mature size and rate of growth.  Allow at least 5 feet between plants.

■ Avoid excessively deep planting.  Plants should be set into the soil at the same depth as they were in the nursery field or container.  A 2 to 3 inch layer of coarse mulch on the soil surface following transplanting will reduce temperature fluctuations and conserve water in the root zone.

■ Water frequently until the plants are well established.  Small plants can be established within 6 months, while large specimens might require a full year to develop a complete root system on the new site.  Once established, water should be applied every 10 to 14 days during dry periods.

■ Use 3 light applications of an acid forming “Azalea – Camellia” type fertilizer during the growing season.  Make one just before new spring growth, a second in late spring or early summer and a third in the fall after the danger of late growth has passed.

Question of the Week:  What flowers can I plant that will bloom during the winter?

Answer:  Check local nurseries and garden centers.  Shipments have begun arriving.  Look for snapdragon, pansy, delphinium, petunia, statice, flowering cabbage and kale.