Camellia Tree

The camellia (Camellia japonica) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree native to East Asia, grown for its lush, glossy dark foliage and spectacular waxy flowers that bloom in the cool season from fall through spring when little else is in flower. Blooms range from single to fully double in red, pink, white and bicolors.

Long cultivated in Japan, China and Korea, it can grow slowly into a small tree 10-25 ft tall over decades, though it is usually kept as a large shrub. It thrives in mild, humid climates and acidic soils, and is closely related to the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.

• Habit: Dense, upright evergreen shrub or small tree, 6-25 ft, slow-growing.
• Flowers: Large, 3-5 in, waxy, rose-like blooms (single to double) in red, pink, white or variegated, fall through spring.
• Leaves: Alternate, thick, glossy, dark green, oval with finely toothed edges, 2-4 in.
• Bark: Smooth, gray.
• Fruit: Rounded woody capsule with large seeds.

Light: Partial shade or bright filtered light; protect from hot midday sun and cold drying wind.

Water: Keep consistently moist, about weekly; never let roots dry out or sit waterlogged.

Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic, organic-rich soil (like azaleas and rhododendrons).

Temperature: Hardy USDA zones 7-9; protect buds from hard freezes.

Feeding: Acid-forming fertilizer after flowering; mulch to keep roots cool.

Pruning/Propagation: Prune lightly after bloom. Propagated by semi-hardwood cuttings, grafting or air-layering.

Native to Japan, Korea and eastern China, where it grows in forests and mountain woodlands. It has been cultivated and bred in East Asia for over a thousand years, with thousands of named cultivars.

It is widely grown as an ornamental in mild-temperate regions worldwide, including the southeastern U.S., the Pacific Northwest, and parts of Europe and Asia in zones 7-9.