Container Camellias for Those With Limited Space
Reprinted with Permission: Gulf Coast Camellia Society
Gulf Coast Camellian
Summer 2005 Vol 31 No.1
There are many garden enthusiasts who would like to grow a few camellias, but do not have adequate garden space. This dilemma is easily overcome by growing a few plants in containers – camellias are well-suited to container culture. Those residing in townhouses, apartments with balconies, and garden homes with patios are prime candidates for this type of culture. Care of the plants is much less involved than typical patio plants, and the plants can provide blooms most of the winter months as well as attractive evergreen foliage in between blooming.
Most all varieties of camellias are suitable for container culture. Varieties ranging in bloom size from miniature to very large, and spanning the bloom period from early to late, all do well in containers. A few that do well in containers for me are: 'Pink Perfection', 'Little Slam' and its mutants, 'Dixie Knight Supreme', 'Edna Bass', 'Helen Bower', 'Magic City', 'Margaret Davis', 'Ville de Nantes', 'Melissa Anne', and any of the 'Tomorrow' family. This list is by no means exclusive; many others do well in containers.
Camellias grown in containers require a little more care than in-ground plants. The potting soil must be loose so that water drains from the top of the soil within a few minutes. Due to the need for increased watering frequency, nutrients are depleted and increased frequency of fertilization is necessary. Container plants are fed often but only with small amounts at each feeding. A good fertilizer for container camellias is a 50/50 mix of cottonseed meal and Sta-Green 4-7-7. A small amount of this mix is applied each month – one to three teaspoons, depending on the size of the plant. Other than the watering and fertilizing differences, container culture of camellias is very much the same as in-ground culture. Pruning, disbudding, and spraying when needed are all the same.
When the camellia has been in the container for several years, it may become rootbound and have used up most of the soil. Re-pot into a larger pot with fresh soil when that happens. If it is in its final size container, then remove it from the container, cut off about two inches of the root ball, and replace it in the container with fresh soil. Your plant should be fine for several more years before repeating the process. A yearly pruning can be used to maintain shape and size.
We, as camellia growers, should encourage friends with limited space to try growing camellias in containers. Results can be very rewarding – for the friend as well as us who helped. So, make a trip with them to the nearest source and come home with a few camellia plants. Help them plant them and tell them how to care for them, and both of you will be glad to enjoy the results.
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