12/01/2011 The Riverland Gardner, Tracy Jenner

The flowering shrub is great here in the south for helping to mark the seasons, which otherwise would pass almost unnoticed.
Colors are pink, red, rose, and some variegated, but come in semi-double, double or single flowers.
Sasanqua camellias have slightly smaller flowers and leaves than the Japonica camellia. Blooms on the Sasanqua appear now or early winter unlike the Japonica, which blooms in winter and spring.
Once the plant reaches maturity, the height can be from 4 feet to 15 feet, which can produce an amazing show of color. When initially planting, make sure you plant in the place you want; as moving will delay growth and flowering.
Japonica camellias like some shade in a sheltered spot. The Sasanqua camellias will tolerate more sun, but must have good irrigation. Soil should be well drained and acidic.
Testing your soil can be done with a home kit or by asking a county extension agent. Watering is essential for the first year, but after establishing themselves in the ground, plants can generally manage from rainfall alone.
I would, however, probably water in extreme drought. The extra water may help the shrub flower better in the fall. Pruning should be done in the early part of summer to encourage flower buds. If done too late, the buds will not develop and the shrub will fail to produce buds and the much-awaited color.
Be warned, the shrubs are slow to grow, but are tidy requiring little shaping. Camellias can be heavy feeders and despite beliefs against, fertilizing your plant will help to give maximum performance.
Camellias suffer from pests and disease just like other plants and ensuring you keep a strict eye for pests will help the plants development. Root rot is one issue, and catching early can mean the difference between survival and death.
When you buy plants, look for healthy growth, even tip the plant out and look at the roots. The southeast suffers most from canker and die back.
The plant will appear to wilt and twigs will die. Leaves fall off young twigs and older twigs will have brown leaves that stay on. Scraping the bark will reveal discoloration and wood at the base is dead.
The fungus can enter during spring leaf fall, or summer pruning. Using chemical and environmental methods is one cure. Using a fungicide in the spring when leaves are falling from camellias will help prevent spread of the disease. Cutting off infected dead, or dying material, may help prevent further damage.
Keep sanitizing cutters in-between cuts to prevent passing spores on. Destroy any dead material to stop spread to other plants.
We have a great friend who is a camellia grower, and his collection has grown over the past 20 years. The different shapes, colors and sizes of flowers are wonderful. Although I have mentioned a few issues in general the plant is a trouble free grower, and worth the efforts, and rewards given.
Tracy Jenner, the Riverland Gardener, can be reached at tracyjenner@aol.com.