If you want beautiful color and long-lasting blooms in your landscaping this fall, camellias are a great choice for California gardens. Colorful, long-lasting, and truly impressive, camellias are hardy trees and shrubs that provide year-round glossy-green foliage and cool-season flowers that can last from early fall all the way to spring.
Fall is great time to purchase and plant camellias, with a wide variety available here at Luis’ Nursery in Visalia, California. (Scroll down to see a list of varieties we have in stock now).
When you choose a camellia, you’ll want to pay attention to both the color and the type. Bloom times vary depending on the variety you choose. Sasanquas varieties bloom from mid-fall to early winter, Japonicas from mid-winter to spring, and hybrids can be either depending on variety. Planting a mixture of all types will extend your enjoyment of the blooms throughout the season.
If you’re not sure what’s best for you, be sure to check with the garden and landscaping professionals at Luis’s Nursery, we’re always happy to help.
Best growing conditions for healthy camellias
Most camellia varieties grow well in zones 7-10. Here in Visalia and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley, we are Zone 9 which works perfectly. If you’re worried about water usage, camellias only require medium watering during summer growth months and light watering the rest of the year. Overwatering, in fact, is dangerous for camellias, so be sure they are in soil that drains well and allow the top five inches of soil to dry out between irrigation cycles.
Even though we get lots of sun here in California, camellias grow better and bloom more often if they are in partial shade that shelters them from the hot afternoon sun. Camellia japonicas, in particular, are susceptible to sunburn if left unprotected.
Planting and caring for camellias
To plant a new camellia, first dig a hole that is twice as wide as the rootball and just as deep. Then backfill the bottom two to three inches of the hole and pack it down. Remove the camellia from the container and place it in the center of the hole. The top of the rootball should be 2-4 inches above grade. Do not plant it too deep. Fill in around the plant, leaving the top inch or two of the rootball uncovered. Finally, spread a thin layer of mulch over the top of the root ball and water deeply.
Trimming should be done after blooms have fallen off the shrub or tree, as camellias are beginning their spring growth. Spring is the best time to fertilize, using a fertilizer specially made for camellias or azaleas and carefully measured at the rate recommended on the label.
If you’re looking for camellias, we have in stock several varieties perfect for Visalia and the San Joaquin Valley Zone 9 area, including:
- Camellia Sasanqua Pink-A-Boo
- Camellia sasanqua Kanjiro Pink
- Camellia Japonica Tom Knudsen
- Camellia Japonica Pearls Maxwell
- Camellia Japonica Nuccio Bella Rossa
- Camellia Japonica Nuccio’s Pearl
New shipments arrive weekly here at Luis’ Nursery in Visalia, California, so be sure to visit us often to see what’s in stock for camellias and other beautiful cool-weather options. For questions about caring for camellias please feel free to call us at 559-747-5015 or talk to one of our garden and landscape experts in person. You can also follow us on our Facebook or Instagram accounts for the latest in nursery news.
