Clement

Camellia Japonica - pink

Common Camellia; Japanese Camellia

• 
  Easy care
• 
  Pollinator friendly
• 
  Winter interest

• Clement likes...
  • 
    Most light conditions

    They prefer partially shaded/sheltered spot, though they'll be OK in full sun if taken care of.

  • 
    Moist soil

    They likes their soil to be moist, so make sure they don't dry out.

  • 
    Feeding

    Feeding with a liquid fertiliser in the late spring will help promote growth. Don't overdo it: they only need around two or three feedings between April and September. Make sure you're using an acidic blend, like ericaceous fertiliser.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Camellia japonica 'Nuccio's Cameo'

  Nicknames

  Common camellia; Japanese camellia

  Plant type

  Evergreen shrub; Outdoor; Flowering

  Pet/child safe?

  Yes

  Plant height (including pot)

  80-90cm

  Nursery pot

  19cm

• About camellia japonica

  Most of us just want to hibernate between Christmas and summer, but not camellias - this magical garden plant blooms in the coldest months, injecting a bit of colour into those dreary winter days.

  Hailing from East Asia, where camellias have been dazzling plant enthusiasts since way back in the day. In China, camellias are a symbol for luck around the Chinese New Year, and has featured heavily in the country's paintings and porcelain since the 11th century. It was brought to Europe in the 18th century and has since become a classic plant in English gardens.

  Once it's flowery show is over - around May/June - it's a good idea to give your camellia a light prune. Examine your plant for weak-looking leaves and yellow buds, snipping off the ones you find. Check out our Care Guide for tips on proper pruning techniques.

  If rather than planting it out in the garden, you're growing your camellia in a pot, you can just pop the nursery pot into your decorative pot. Your camellia will stand a much better chance of growing well if you plant it out into some fresh compost directly into the decorative pot, as long as it has drainage holes at the bottom. This will allow more room for it's roots to spread and it will dry out less quickly, meaning less frequent watering for you! Camellias like acidic soil though so be sure to use ericaceous compost. If you plant it in normal multi-purpose compost, it's likely to start looking a bit yellow and nutrient deficient with time. Either way, be sure to repot your plant every couple of years, by which time it's likely to be rootbound and to have used up all of the nutrients in it's existing compost.