5 Tips on Caring for Your Camellia Tree
With large bright blooms and stunning foliage, the Camellia tree is one of our favourites here at Tree Gifts. An autumn and winter bloomer, we adore how its shiny leaves give a touch of class to a garden year-round. Perfect as both a foundation or a specimen tree, they do well with relatively little maintenance in most areas of New Zealand.
There are three main types of Camellia tree:
- Sasanqua – these have small dark green leaves, are ideal as hedging, and flower early in the season.
- Japonica – have the largest range of flower types, larger leaves and blooms.
- Hybrid – have features of both the Sasanqua and Japonica
While the Camellia varieties we sell varies, how they are cared for doesn’t. Today we’re sharing five tips to help you care for your Camellia.
Caring for Your Camellia Tree: 5 Tips to Get It Looking Great
Regardless of your Camellia variety, the steps needed to keep it in optimum condition are pretty similar. Here are five tips to get you started:
- Location – Camellias like to be in semi-shaded areas, so when selecting a spot for it, keep this in mind. If the area is prone to frosts, cover with frost cloth during its younger years.
- Watering – these shrubs and trees require regular watering during summer. Mulch around the base, but not touching the trunk, will help to keep the moisture around its roots.
- Soil – the Camellia enjoys a slightly acidic soil, with a pH of 5-6.5. pH soil testing kits are available at local plant nurseries if you need to test. Otherwise, select well-draining soils which have been well composted and manured. Yellow leaves are a sign that your soil is too alkaline.
- Pruning – the only reason Camellia trees need pruning is for shaping. They will happily grow regardless if they are pruned or not. If you are pruning, do so in late winter or early spring with flowering has ended.
- Feeding – once flowering is complete, the Camellia then begins its growth spurt. This makes the end of flowering the best time to feed. A specialist Camellia plant food is best, and as it has shallow roots, a wide spread of fertiliser around the plant is required for maximum absorption.
The Camellia tree can be grown both in pots and in the garden. Careful attention while young will ensure it is well established to provide you with a glory of showstopping blooms and foliage for years to come. Perfect as a gift, it is hardy enough for even non-gardeners. Here at Tree Gifts we have smaller Camellia in our Single Tree Gift range and also 1m tall in our Large Planter boxes
Order your Camellia tree gift today, and we’ll send it with love anywhere around the country on your behalf.