Flowering trees give to the landscape what Mozart gave to music – beautiful harmony. They lend texture, color, and moving compositions as the seasons bow to one another. One such harmonious and beautifully composed flowering tree is the camellia. Arriving in the United States from Asia in the late 1700’s, the camellia has been cultivated in Florida as a shrub lending its beauty to commercial and residential beds.

Growing well in partial shade with some varieties preferring full sun, the camellia provide to the landscape an assortment of colors, forms, and sizes. The most common camellias growing in Florida between November and January include “Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, and hybrids of these. Camellia japonica typically grows larger and has bigger leaves and flowers than Camellia sasanqua” (Brown, 2015). Fairly drought tolerant and adaptive at growing in fertile, well-drained soils, the camellia continue to lend themselves to the visual appeal of the landscaping by providing glossy, evergreen foliage during the months when its flowers are not in bloom.

Depending on which variety has been chosen for the landscape, the flowers of camellias mimic the beauty of roses, gardenias, and a wide assortment of others in their face display. A quick visit to the American Camellia Society website will have one salivating over the cultivars listed within its encyclopedia. The large blooms with fascinating names such as Ace O’Hearts, Easter Basket, Garden Party, and King’s Cup will leave one wondering why they haven’t sought out this beautiful shrub sooner?

If you are interested in enhancing the landscape of your commercial property or residential community, our team of qualified professionals can assist you in selecting the right plant for the right place. Call us today for a greener tomorrow! (877) LMP-PRO1.

References:

Popenoe, J., Warwick, C. R., & Pearson, B. (2018). Key Plant, Key Pests: Camellia. Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep558

American Camellia Society (2020). Care & Culture Resources. Retrieved from: https://www.americancamellias.com/care-culture-resources