Japanese Camellias

Japanese camellias (Camellia japonica) are one of the most recognized evergreen shrubs planted in Southern gardens. As the common name implies, these beauties are native to the Orient. The first ones were introduced to South Carolina by a Frenchman, André Michaux, who was a botanist to King Louis XVI. Michaux developed the first botanical garden in the South near Charleston in 1786. He shared his camellias with his neighbor, Henry Middleton, who started his landscaped gardens at Middleton Place in 1741. One of the original plants survives at Middleton today, a beautiful double red camellia ‘Reine des Fleurs’ (Queen of Flowers).

When choosing a cultivar, be sure to ask when it blooms. Camellias, depending on the cultivar, will bloom anywhere from late fall into early spring. They bloom when there isn’t much else flowering in the garden and offer a touch of color to brighten up a drab winter landscape. The flower colors range from white, pink, red, and variegated blends.

It’s important to plant camellias in the right place for them to do well. Japanese camellias prefer light shade to part shade in rich, humusy soil with some protection from cold winter winds. Many people make the mistake of planting them in hot afternoon sun.

Camellias were one of my parents’ favorite flowers, so their landscape was filled with many different cultivars that bloomed throughout the winter and early spring. As I walk through my own garden on a winter day, I feel like I’m being greeted by old friends. I have over 30 camellia cultivars planted in my landscape, but here are a few of my favorites.

´Berenice Boddy´ was introduced in 1946 by La Canada Flintridge in California. It’s a mid-season bloomer with light pink on top and dark pink under the