Camellias for Your Gulf Coast Garden

Camellias for Your Gulf Coast Garden

Camellia japonicas

Camellias are Queen of winter flowers, prized for beautifully blooming when much of the garden is not!

camelliasCamelliasCamelliasCamellias

What is the difference between Camellia japonicas and Camellia sasanquas? What about Camellia sinensis? What are growing tips for Camellias and what is the best way to care for them? Here is our guide to Camellias for your Gulf Coast garden.

All About Camellias:

Native to Eastern and Southern Asia, Camellias were brought first to Europe in the 18th century and then to the US late in the 18th century. Thanks to selective growing and hybridization, there are more than three thousand different named kinds.

In general, Camellias bloom between October and April. They have many uses in the garden, including as single specimens, as part of foundation plantings, as an accent plant, or as a hedge, either alone or interplanted with other evergreen shrubs.

Camellia Sasanqua:

  • In general, bloom Oct-Dec
  • Broad-leaved evergreen
  • Earlier flowers
  • Smaller leaves
  • Most are scented, especially at evening time
  • Faster growing and less fussy than japonicas; they are hardier, more drought-hardy, and can also tolerate more sun
  • These have lots of growth habits: some are hedge size, some low growth, large specimens
  • Umi hybrids, later-flowering than other sasanquas, may be multi-colored

You will find a wide variety of Camellia sasanquas available for sale at Spring Plant Sale 2025!

 

October Magic Ruby
October Magic Dawn
October Magic White ShiShi
Dream Weaver- a wonderful hedging camellia from Bobby Green

Camellia Japonica:

  • Alabama’s State Flower
  • Has larger leaves and flowers than sasanqua
  • Blooms later- most bloom after the first of the year
  • Mostly unscented

You will find a huge variety of Camellia japonicas available at Spring Plant Sale!

Betty Sheffield

Desire
Fashionata
Fran Mathis
Grace Albritton
Guilio Nucchio variegated
Lady Clare
Marie Bracey
Miss Biloxi
Mister Sam
Pearl Maxwell
Professor Charles S Sargent
Seafoam

Camellia Reticulata:

  • Tender species, from South China in the wild
  • Named as a different species than japonica by botanist John Lindley due to a distinctive network of veins on its leaves
  • Fast growing; may become small trees
  • Cultivars carry huge blooms in every shade of pink to red
  • Swirled and fluted petals
  • Latest flowers of the season; reticulatas generally bloom later than japonicas

 

Camellia Sinensis:

  • Tea plant
  • Blooms autumn through early winter
  • Begins to bloom at 4 years old
  • Does well in our climate
  • Makes an excellent hedge
  • Grows well in containers
  • Likes full sun to part shade

Camellia Care:

  • Camellias are, in general, not picky and are able to grow in sandy or clay heavy soils or a mixture of these
  • Need well drained, acid (no lime; ph 5.5-6.5), amended with plenty of organic matter (such as peat, compost, woodsmold or decayed manure that has lost all scent)
  • Plant November- March
  • for container plantings, use 50% (or more) organic matter
  • Roots like to be cool, so apply mulch to 2 inches thick
  • Pine needles and or cottonseed meal make wonderful mulch for camellias
  • Make certain that base of plant trunk is kept above the soil line
  • Do not expose Camellia roots to sun or wind! Move them with a ball of earth or their roots well wrapped in burlap.
  • Partial shade: Camellias bloom best when sheltered from strong sun and winds
  • Young camellias will thrive under partial shade of trees or on the North side of buildings
  • When mature, they can thrive in full sun with their roots shaded by heavy leaves and mulch
  • New plantings need regular to moderate water. After being established about three years, normal rainfall will suffice.
  • Use 4-8-6 Acid fertilizer
  • Fertilize early spring just before growth starts and again about the middle of June (sometimes you might fertilize again in October with P and K only or very low N).