If you have a spot in your garden that is in desperate need of something beautiful, you might wonder – can camellias grow in full shade? You’ll be delighted to know that, yes, camellias thrive in well-drained, acidic soil and shade. They can only take a few hours of afternoon or morning sunlight before their leaves become scorched and burned. You do want to give your plant some sunlight. Without it, you may not get the full effect of the plant’s beautiful blooms.
To give your plant time to establish its root system, consider where you live when deciding what time of year to plant camellias. As a rule of thumb, if you live in a warm climate, plant in the fall. Whereas, if you live in cooler climates, spring is a better time to plant.
How to plant camellias
- seeds
- cuttings
- buy an established plant
How to seed camellias
Although not recommended and definitely not for those expecting fast results, you can grow camellias with seeds. In doing so, be prepared, very few will ever flower and you’ll be waiting for years. Of course, like anything, you can always buy camellia seeds, but you can also use the seedpods that fall from an existing plant.
Seeds should be planted in the spring or fall. If using existing pods, don’t use seeds that have dried out. SeedPods ripe for planting are those that have turned brown and cracked open. Place your seeds in water and allow them to soak for approximately twelve hours. We don’t recommend planting outside unless you have a secure, full shade area to keep your camellias safe. It’s hard enough for your plant to establish itself from seeds, let alone having to add elements such as weather and wildlife. If you still wish, plant in the shade about 1/2 inch deep. Keep your plant moist, but make sure it’s in an area that drains well. Camellias don’t like it soggy. It will take up to a few months to germinate and up to four months for the roots to be established and leaves to be seen.
If you want to plant seeds, the better way is to do it indoors. This way, you can protect them from the elements. Just keep your soil moist, and do not overwater.
How to propagate camellias through cuttings
- Find new growth that has matured and hardened
- cut new growth 7 inches in length below the node
- cut bottom leaves off
- scrape off the bottom of one side of the bark
- dip stem in growth hormone
- plant in loose soil 3 inches deep
Using cuttings is one of the preferred methods of starting camellias. To use this method, you’ll want to find new growth with no flowers that have matured and hardened. This usually happens mid to late summer and can sometimes be found in September. If you’re using hardwood, your best time will be in the fall through the winter.
Using sharp scissors, cut off the new growth in a diagonal just below a node to about seven inches in length. Then cut off any lower leaves with only the top few remaining. Take a sharp knife and scrape about 1/2 inch to an inch off the bottom of one side of the bark.
Before you plant, you’ll want to place it in a growth hormone to help it establish roots. Make sure you cover the bottom where you scraped the bark. Now, you’re ready to plant. Place your cutting in loose soil about three inches deep. It can take two to three months for roots to develop, and some roots may not take; therefore, you may wish to prepare several cuttings for optimal results. To determine what progress, if any, your plant is making, keep your eye out for any sign of a new bud. Once again, keep your camellias in a full shade area, as you don’t want it to die before it can start to grow.
Buying an established plant
If you don’t want to start from the beginning and lack the patience to wait years for your plant to produce flowers and take up space in your garden, you may want to take the easy route – buy an established plant at a nursery or arboretum.
Spring is when camellias do most of their growing, so unlike most plants, you don’t want to buy when the weather is warm. Camellias are unique in that they go dormant once temperatures go below 40, which happens to be the same time they flower. Adding a camellia during the winter months will allow you to see the color and size of the flowers. Let’s be realistic. Unless you’re a gardener by trade, you probably don’t have the patience to wait years for it to grow and even longer for your plant to produce flowers.
How to care for your camellias
Once your camellias are established, caring for them is easier than you might think. Because they have a shallow root system, you want to make sure that you’ve covered the roots with a layer of mulch. This will keep moisture in as well as keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
As mentioned above, keeping your camellias in a full shade area is vital, as they can only take a few hours of sunlight before wilting away. Since camellias like moist but not soggy soil, make sure no low points develop in the soil that will retain water since root rot will kill it. Also, Camellias are acid-loving plants so you want to make sure to add nutrients when needed. This might be as simple as adding coffee grounds to your compost.
Another way to ensure your soil is right for growth is to add some Epsom salt once a year – combine 1 TBS to 1 Gallon of water and add to the soil.
Once your plant flowers, you should deadhead any wilting flowers. This will encourage growth and future blooms.
Prune your bush only when the blooms have faded. Since camellias bloom in the winter, early spring is the best time to maintain them. If you wish to keep them small, cut back a few inches less than you want to adjust for growth.
Where not to plant camellias
We’ve already established that camellias love full shade but do need some afternoon sunlight to get those magnificent flowers. While older, more established plants can take more sun than the young. You can plant camellias under trees, in pots, or in any place that gets full shade from the hot afternoon sun.
There are, however, some places where you shouldn’t plant camellias.
- against your home or any structure
- around pipes
While camellias have a shallow root system, they are strong and thick and tend to spread outward. In doing so, they can cause problems in plumbing as well as foundations. To allow the roots to grow without any damage, you’ll want to plant at least five feet from your home, fences, plumbing, or any permanent structure.
Be patient
Plants to plant with camellias under full shade
What pests like camellias?
Unfortunately, like with any beautiful plant, there are pests that find their way and try to destroy your prized flowers and foliage. Camellias are no exception. Beware of beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars that will enjoy eating your camellias.
If you want to get rid of these pests naturally, you can use a combination of vinegar, hot pepper, and garlic. Mix in a spray bottle and spray the area. Some of us aren’t the “do it yourself” gardeners, if you fall under this category, you can try a product with Neem Oil. It’s still organic, and there’s no mixing required.
It’s not always pests that find their way to your camellias. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and even honeybees love this beautiful flower.