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Plant care guide

Camellia Growing Guide

Camellia japonica

Camellia bud drop is almost never disease — it's nearly always a sudden temperature swing or the plant carrying more buds than it can actually open.

Light

Dappled shade to morning sun; protect from hot afternoon sun

Soil

Acidic (pH 5.5–6.5), rich, well-drained

Water

Consistently moist, never waterlogged

Hardiness

Zones 7–9 outdoors — coastal BC mainly; pot and overwinter elsewhere

Mature size

1.5–4.5 m depending on cultivar

Bloom time

Fall through spring, varies by variety

Camellias are only reliably hardy outdoors in Canada along the milder coastal parts of British Columbia — most of the country needs to grow them as a container plant that comes indoors or into an unheated garage for winter. Where they are hardy, they reward the same acidic-soil, part-shade conditions rhododendrons and azaleas need, making them a natural companion planting.

Planting

  • Plant in spring or fall in acidic, rich, well-drained soil — the same conditions rhododendrons and azaleas need
  • Choose a site with morning sun and afternoon shade; hot, direct afternoon sun scorches leaves and buds
  • Plant at the same depth it was growing in the container — planting too deep is a common cause of poor establishment
  • Mulch with pine needles or bark to help hold soil acidity and moisture

Hardiness & growing in containers

  • Most camellia cultivars are hardy outdoors only in zones 7–9, which in Canada means primarily coastal British Columbia
  • In colder regions, grow camellias in a large container that can move to an unheated garage, cold frame, or cool sunroom for winter
  • A handful of cold-hardy cultivars (bred for zone 6 or even zone 5b) exist and are worth seeking out if you're outside the coastal hardy zone and want to try one in the ground
  • Containerized plants need more frequent watering and an annual repot or top-dress with fresh acidic potting mix

Watering & feeding

  • Keep soil consistently moist, especially while flower buds are forming in late summer — drought stress at that stage is a major cause of bud drop
  • Never let a camellia sit in waterlogged soil; good drainage is as important as consistent moisture
  • Feed with an acid-loving-plant fertilizer in spring after blooming finishes, and avoid feeding late in the season
  • Water deeply and less frequently rather than a little every day, to encourage a deeper root system

Common problems

  • Buds dropping before opening: usually a sudden temperature swing (a warm spell followed by a cold snap), inconsistent watering while buds are forming, or the plant setting more buds than it can support — this is rarely disease
  • Yellowing leaves with green veins: iron deficiency from soil that isn't acidic enough — treat with a chelated iron or acidifying fertilizer
  • Scorched, brown leaf edges: too much direct afternoon sun or wind exposure
  • Sooty black coating on leaves: usually follows a scale or aphid infestation that leaves behind sticky honeydew — treat the insects and the sooty mould will clear on its own
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Frequently asked questions

Only in the mildest parts of the country — mainly coastal British Columbia (zones 7–9). Everywhere else, camellias need to be grown in a large container that moves to an unheated garage or cool sunroom for winter, unless you seek out one of the handful of cold-hardy cultivars bred for zone 6 or 5b.

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