Camellia japonica

Plant Family

Theaceae

Plant Botanical Name

Camellia japonica

Photo by: FOREST & KIM STARR

Plant Common Name

Common Camellia, Japanese Camellia

General Description

The common camellia is a large, broadleaf evergreen shrub to small tree that originates from eastern Asia. It has a compact, upright habit and attractive smooth gray branches furnished with oval, glossy, dark green leaves. From late winter to early spring, it bears large, single deep red flowers, though there are many cultivars that come in a wider array of pink, white and red shades.

Treasured in eastern Asia for centuries, Camellia was brought to the western world by Jesuit missionary and botanist, Georg Joseph Kamel, for whom this genus is named. It is a large, broadleaf evergreen shrub to small tree with attractive smooth gray branches furnished with oval, glossy dark green leaves with toothed edges. From late winter to early spring, it bears large, waxy flowers that are excellent for cutting.

Camellia prefers partial sun to partial shade but will tolerate full sun once established, though sunscald may be a problem. The soil should be moist, acid and well-drained. This plant is notoriously slow-growing, slow to establish and shallow rooted. A thick layer of organic mulch will protect the roots and facilitate better growth. Regular irrigation and applications of fertilizer promote good growth and flowering, though plants will tolerate periods of drought. Prune after flowering, just before new growth starts in the spring. Selective, light pruning and shaping is recommended and shearing is not. Camellia do not recover well from harsh pruning practices.

The evergreen leaves and tender flower buds may suffer from sunscald and wind desiccation in winter, so avoid planting camellia in highly exposed areas. In the landscape, it may be used in hedges, foundations, mixed borders or as a specimen plant.

There are many cultivars of camellia available with a range of flower color, type and size. Some cultivars are more compact, others large and full. Bloom colors can be white, shades of pink, red or yellow with single, double or semi-double flowers. With so many to choose from, there’s a camellia for every garden!

Characteristics

• AHS Heat Zone

  10 - 7

• USDA Hardiness Zone

  7 - 9

• Sunset Zone

  4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

• Plant Type

  Shrub

• Sun Exposure

  Full Sun, Partial Sun

• Height

  10'-20' / 3.0m - 6.1m

• Width

  3'-10' / 0.9m - 3.0m

• Bloom Time

  Early Spring, Winter, Late Winter

• Native To

  China, Japan, Korea

Growing Conditions

• Soil pH

  Acidic, Neutral

• Soil Drainage

  Well Drained

• Soil type

  Loam

• Growth Rate

  Medium

• Water Requirements

  Drought Tolerant, Average Water

• Habit

  Oval/Rounded

• Seasonal Interest

  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

• Flower Interest

  Showy

• Flower Color

  White, Red, Pink, Light Pink, Rose, Salmon, Crimson, Dark Red

• Fruit Color

  Black

• Foliage Color (Spring)

  Dark Green

• Foliage Color (Summer)

  Dark Green

• Foliage Color (Fall)

  Dark Green

• Foliage Color (Winter)

  Dark Green

• Bark Color

  Tan, Gray

• Fragrant Flowers

  Yes

• Fragrant Fruit

  No

• Fragrant Foliage

  No

• Bark or Stem Fragrant

  No

• Flower Petal Number

  Single

• Repeat Bloomer

  No

• Showy Fruit

  No

• Edible Fruit

  No

• Showy Foliage

  Yes

• Foliage Texture

  Medium

• Foliage Sheen

  Glossy

• Evergreen

  Yes

• Showy Bark

  No

Special Characteristics

• Bark Texture

  Smooth

• Usage

  Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier

• Sharp or Has Thorns

  No

• Invasive

  No

• Self-Sowing

  No