An outdoor landscape can become lively with camellia shrubs.
Camellias will not only beautify your outdoor landscape but you can bring the flowers indoors and use them for a centerpiece on your dining room table.
Besides having pretty flowers this evergreen shrub has dark shiny green leaves that are very handsome even when their flowers are not blooming.
In the warmer climate zones, January is probably the best time to purchase and plant the camellia.
Many of the camellia shrubs in nurseries have started to bloom in January, you will be able to see what the blooms are like and this is an excellent time to plant them.
You want to plant the shrub while it is still blooming before any new growth begins.
Many camellia varieties need to be planted in an area that gets filtered sun, but the camellia sasanqua enjoys the full sun.
If the outdoor landscape does not have a partially shaded area planting them as container plants on a patio or deck will work very well.
You also need to protect them from strong winds.
If they receive too much sun they might suffer from scald, this is when the leaves seem to be yellow instead of a deep green.
They also do well when they are shaded by tall trees.
They are beautiful on patios, in shaded corners and as hedges.
The colors of the camellia come in shades of red, white, pink, or a combination of colors.
If the flowers are cut from the shrub they will last for quite awhile in a bowl of water.
Most of the varieties of the camellia shrub can live for many years and grow to be about 25 feet tall.
You can also prune them to be almost any shape or size you desire, but they grow very slow.
Camellias need a slightly acidic soil that is well drained.
Once they become established they are easy to maintain.
The soil needs to be kept moist but not soggy.
When new growth appears, they should be fed with camellia food.
Feeding should be done when their soil is moist and they need watering right after feeding.
This feeding can be repeated every seven weeks up to and including the middle of September.
Always follow the directions for feeding and try not to overfeed.
If you decide to plant camellias as part of your outdoor landscape you will want to plant them at least 8 feet apart or scatter them throughout your garden.
If planting them for a hedge they can be as close as 6 feet apart and they will do fine.
Some camellias that are winter-hardy will do very well as hedges.
Some of the camellia varieties include the Bob Hope which has deep red flowers; Misty Moon has beautiful lavender pink flowers; Elizabeth Down Silver has blush pink flowers that have a white border; Debutante has light pink blossoms and Yuletide has bright red blossoms that will bloom during the holidays.
The camellia is noted for its attractive fall and winter blossoms and bright green shiny leaves and is perfect for most winter gardens.