Camellias are a genus of shrubs and small trees between one and twenty metres tall. They are native to woodland with acidic soil in Asia-from northern India and the Himalayas in the west to Japan and China in the east, extending south to northern Indonesia, Java and Sumatra. While there is some debate over the exact number of species, there are at least 250 different species of camellia, including Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua, and thousands of hybrids to enjoy. Camellias are in the plant family Theaceae,which is composed of nine genera in total, including Stewartia and Franklinia.

The leaves of camellias are evergreen. They are glossy and mid-to dark green in colour. The margin (outside edge) of the lance- to elliptically-shaped leaves are serrated. The leaves are simple, meaning there is one leaf blade per petiole (leaf stalk) and these are arranged alternately along the branches.

The showy flowers are what this plant is loved for. The flowers appear in many shades of white, pink, red and sometimes yellow. The flowers appear in winter and early spring, which is great for adding some colour in the garden. Colours include many shades of white, pink, red and yellow. The flowers can be solitary, paired or clusted together. Flower size can vary from 6cm to 13 cm across. There are several forms of camellia flowers, as follows:

• Single-has up to eight petals arranged in one row, with distinctive stamens in the centre. The flowers are shaped in the form of a shallow cup.
• Semi-double-has between nine and twenty-one petals, arranged over two or more rows, again with the distinctive stamens in the centre. Flowers are cup-shaped.
• Anemone-has one or more rows of outer petals, with the domed centre being an abundance of petaloids and stamens.
• Peony form-rounded and domed, the petals are irregularly shaped, and mixed with the petaloids and stamens.
• Rose form-these flowers are cup-shaped, with a number of rows of overlapping petals that open to shoe the stamens in the centre.
• Formal double-these flowers consist of neat rows of petals that overlap and obscure the stamens
• Irregular double forms-these are similar to the formal double flowers with petals that often have a looser arrangement os sometimes irregular petals.

To grow camellias outdoors, they require a soil that is moist and well drained, with a layer of mulch up to 7cm thick. When planting, ensure the top of the root ball is level with the top of the firmed soil around it. They like to be grown in partial or dappled shade with protection from cold winds and sun in the early morning. Flower buds can be damaged by cold winds and frost. Camellias can also be grown in pots, provided they are planted in an ericaceous (acidic/lime free) growing media.

Maintenance of camellias in the garden is relatively easy. If they require pruning, do so after flowering. If you have a few camellias growing as a hedge, they may require a more gentle prune an extra couple of times a year to keep them looking tidy. If your camellias are in pots, provide them with balanced liquid fertiliser in mid-spring, followed by a repeat application in early summer (if needed), but do not over-feed. Ensure that your established plants get plenty of water in dry weather-water for longer but less frequently, which allows more water to soak deeper into the soil and encourages roots to grow deeper to reach this water (building in some drought resistance in the process). Always provide plenty of water for pot-grown specimens.

To propagate your own camellias, you can use semi-hardwood to hardwood cuttings from the current year of growth. This can be done any time from late summer to winter. Grafting can also be done, do so in late winter.

Camellias can be a host for aphids, scale insects and vine weevils. If aphids are present, a sooty mould can appear on leaves (this feeds on the honeydew produced by aphids/scale insects) although this is harmless to the plant. Viruses and leafy gall can damage leaves and buds whit leaf spot and honey fungus potentially being issues.

There are many uses for camellias. They are perfect for borders or woodland gardens, along with being a good choice as a specimen plant in open ground or in containers. Flowers are a good choce for cutting. Camellia sinensis has been used for making tea for centuries.

References

• Editor-in-chief Brickell, C., Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers, 5th Edition, 2010, Dorling Kindersley Limited, London
• Editor-in-chief Brickel, C., Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, 4th Edition, 2016, Dorling Kindersley Limited, London
• Ambrose, J., Bayton, R., Candeias, M., Jose, S., Mikolajski, A., Ripley, E., Summers, D., Smithsonian Flora Inside the Secret World of Plants, 1st Edition, 2018, Dorling Kindersley, New York
• All photos are my own, taken at Lisgar Gardens, Hornsby, NSW, Australia