Landscaping with camellias (Camellia spp.) Adds year-round color to your outside space. All these broadleaf evergreen shrubs develop an average of 6 to 12 feet tall and are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. According to the United States National Arboretum, the most common species of camellia include Japanese or common camellia (Camellia japonica), which flowers in late winter and early spring along with sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), that blooms in fall. Camellias can be used as a landscape specimen, shrub border or privacy screen. Picking the proper planting spot is the key to successfully applying these low-maintenance shrubs in your landscape design.
Match With Other Sensors
Camellias grow best in well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Plant camellias close other acid-loving plants, such as “Jean Marie De Montague” rhododendron (Rhododendron x “Jean Marie de Montague” (H-3)), that will be hardy in USDA zones 6 through 9. Another option is “Happy Days” azalea (Azalea indica “Happy Days”), hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11. Space other plants at least five feet away from other plants to allow enough space for plants that are older to have great air circulation while also preventing the plant from needing to compete too far for water while getting established.
A Organic Privacy Screen
Plant rows of camellias as a hedge or to form a natural, colorful privacy display. Tall camellia cultivars that function like a hedge include “Yuletide” or “Spring’s Promise” Ice Angels camellia. “Yuletide” is hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10 and grows 8 to 10 feet tall, with a similar spread. “Spring’s Promise” rises in USDA zones 6 through 10, reaching heights and widths of 6 to 8 feet. American Camellia Society recommends planting camellias three feet apart when using them as hedges.
Produce Profuse, Multiseason Color
Produce a profusion of colour on your outside space. Camellias can be applied as a backdrop for shorter shrubs and perennials that bloom after camellias have finished thriving because the plants’ glossy, green foliage provides an appealing backdrop to the planting bed. Alternatives include putting other vibrant perennials in a similar shade and using a similar blossom time since the camellia to make a mass of color in the backyard. You could also plant camellias in planting beds, along with other shrubs and perennials with varying bloom times, to make a multiseason display.
Grow camellias in containers to fill empty corners, then add attention to small outdoor spaces or to put on either side of an entryway. Smaller cultivars include “Fairy Blush,” which grows 4 to 5 feet tall and features dark pink flower buds that unfurl to reveal delicate pink flowers. “Marge Miler” is smaller, growing only 1 foot tall. It flowers in fall with delicate pink flowers. Repot container-grown plants every two or three years. Avoid having garden soil in containers since it can be too heavy. American Camellia Society recommends a potting mix for camellias and fertilizing the plants during the growing season using a camellia-specific fluid or using a mixture of 1 part iron and 4 components cottonseed meal.