The Wintertime Rose – Vibrant Camellias

Added on:  October 14, 2015 @ 12:08 pm

The Wintertime Rose – Vibrant Camellias

Written by Caroline Martin

Camellias come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Known as “winter roses”, Camellias bloom from late Fall to early Spring and can even be seen poking their heads out from under the snow! You can’t ask for a better way to bring color to your yard in the middle of Winter than with a vibrant Camellia.

Most varieties of Camellia grow to be 6-15 feet tall. Their foliage is typically dark and glossy, but always green. They are often mistaken with the rose because of their large rose-like blooms. Some blooms can be as large as 5 inches across, depending on the type. Bloom varieties range from semi-double to variegated blooms.

One of Richmond’s favorite varieties of Camellia for the winter months is the Yuletide Camellia. It’s vibrant red color brings some holiday cheer to the outside of homes around Christmas time. Pink Yuletides are the “pink version” of the Yuletide Camellia. Both are very fragrant, evergreen and extremely drought tolerant once they are established.

Many people like to plant Camellias in flower beds in front of their homes or as tall background shrubs. They look gorgeous on trellises, decks and patios and can even be planted in containers. The Fairy Blush Camellia is a great choice if you’d like to add some color to your patio but are worried about having a plant that is too tall. Fairy Blush Camellias only grow between 4 and 5 feet tall and wide, so they are perfect for containers and for adding a bit of fragrance during the winter months.

There are over 50 varieties of Camellias to choose from. Strange’s carries the Yuletide Camellia, Apple Blossom Camellia and several other varieties and colors to choose from. Planting Camellias is not too difficult. If you choose to plant your camellia in the ground, be sure not to plant it too deep and find a place where it will get enough light. Camellias have very shallow root systems, so avoiding planting them under shallow-rooted shade trees is your best bet. They love lightly shaded areas, so the shade of a tall, deep rooted pine tree would work great.

As mentioned before, there are smaller versions of the Camellia that work great in containers. For these varieties, use a potting mix made for camellias, azaleas or rhododendrons. Be sure to keep Camellias watered, but not drenched. During their blooming times, they can be watered more to promote bigger blooms. Watering them well before a hard freeze is also recommended.

Here at Strange’s, we’re excited about Camellias because of the great color and fragrance that can be achieved in the middle of winter with these hardy rose-like flowers. Come and check out the new varieties we are getting in everyday this Fall and if you have questions about planting them at your home, don’t hesitate to ask us! Happy planting!