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Brighten the fall and winter landscape with an abundance of blooms from this charming Southern classic.
Southern living plant collection
Early Wonder® Camellia from the Southern Living Plant Collection combines the best qualities of Japanese camellias with the autumn flowering cycle of sasanqua camellias. This beautiful low maintenance shrub begins blooming in the fall, a time when traditionally only sasanqua camellias bloom! The beautiful rose-pink, double blossoms remain open during the winter months and provide long-lasting color in the winter garden and beautiful cut flowers for indoors.
In addition to beautiful flowers, Early Wonder® Camellia produces beautiful dark green foliage that is attractive all year round. This vigorous, upright grower reaches a mature size of 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, making a nice accent for shade gardens. Take advantage of the height for grouping borders and privacy plantings, or put individual plants in large containers to dress up the veranda or patio.
Characteristics of plants
Early Wonder® Camellia Care
Early Wonder® Camellia can be planted in southern gardens in fall to early spring. Select a planting site that is protected from the drying effects of winter winds. Camellia plants are susceptible to root diseases and require soil with good drainage. Give these slow-growing plants with shallow roots plenty of room to establish a healthy root system, free from competition from neighboring plants. Once established, they live in the landscape for quite a long time.
Light
Camellias tolerate full sun, but grow and bloom best in filtered light or partial shade. Young plants are more sensitive to the sun and benefit from planting in a sheltered spot. Provide protection for camellias from the hot afternoon sun. Camellias grown in the northern part of their range need shelter from winter sun to reduce cold damage.
Soil
Good drainage is essential for growing healthy camellias. Plant in loose, well-drained, slightly acidic soil that is rich in organic matter. Avoid planting camellias in heavy clay soil or in areas where water tends to collect. If drainage is a problem, amend the soil with compost and plant on mounds or verges. Camellias do not tolerate alkaline soils, which can lead to yellowing leaves.
Water
Early Wonder® Camellias thrive with regular moisture, but cannot tolerate wet feet. Provide young plants with even and consistent moisture for the first two years, but avoid overwatering. Mulch the roots to retain soil moisture between irrigation or rain showers. Plants require less supplemental water once established, but they do need regular water during flower bud development, which begins in mid-summer. If dry spells occur during this period, provide supplemental irrigation to prevent bud drop.
Temperature and humidity
Early Wonder® Camellia is hardy in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7 to 9. Plants thrive in the warm, moist conditions of the Central, Lower and Coastal South, although they cannot tolerate salt spray. In the Upper South, provide camellias with protection from winter winds and plant them in partial shade to avoid problems due to temperature fluctuations during frosts.
Fertilizer
Camellia plants are heavy feeders and benefit from fertilizer applications during the growing season with an acid-forming azalea or camellia fertilizer. The American Camellia Society recommends fertilizing in early March, early May and early July. Young camellias require higher concentrations of nitrogen than established plants to support growth, choose fertilizers accordingly. Use only the amount of fertilizer recommended on the label.
Pruning Early Wonder® Camellia
Camellias benefit from light pruning after they finish blooming to maintain an attractive shape and open the canopy to allow air and sunlight to reach the interior foliage. Start by removing any dead branches. Also look for branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other and remove one or both.
These pruning steps help open the canopy. To shape plants, cut back disproportionately long shoots and cut back to a leaf or side branch. Lower branches can be shortened to maintain a more upright growth habit.
How to make Early Wonder® Camellia bloom
Some bud loss in camellias is normal, as plants often produce more flower buds than they can support. But if plants do not bloom at all, it is time to consider changes in plant culture. Too much nitrogen fertilizer promotes shoot and leaf development, which is at the expense of flowering. Likewise, too much or too little water can affect flowering, and summer drought can lead to bud drop. Try to keep the water consistently moist, but not soggy. Make sure the plants are in well-drained soil and be sure to supplement with rain during periods of drought.
Early Wonder® Camellias bloom best when they receive sufficient sunlight. Make sure your planting site is not too shady. Consider pruning a few tree branches above your head to allow more sunlight in. Pruning camellias at the wrong time of year can also reduce flowering. Camellias begin to set flower buds when growth resumes in spring and summer. Pruning immediately after flowering is complete ensures that flower buds are not accidentally removed. Finally, some causes of bud drop are beyond your control. Late spring frosts can damage the developing buds and cause them to drop.
Overwintering
Early Wonder® Camellia benefits from a layer of mulch in winter to moderate soil temperatures and retain moisture. In the colder regions of the south, plant camellias in locations protected from strong winter winds. Make sure the plants are well watered in autumn and winter. Avoid late-season pruning and fertilizer applications, which promote new growth that won’t have time to harden off before freezing temperatures arrive.
Camellias tolerate temperatures as low as 0˚F. If temperatures are forecast to drop below that level, consider protecting plants with blankets or multiple layers of horticultural fleece. Camellias growing in containers are less insulated from cold temperatures and need protection when temperatures drop below 20˚F. Insulate containers by wrapping several layers of bubble wrap around the pots, down to ground level and a few inches above the rim of the pot. Fill the top of the pot with dry leaves and pile mulch around the base. Consider moving potted plants to an unheated greenhouse or garage if freezing temperatures are expected.
Propagation of Early Wonder® Camellia
Early Wonder® Camellia is patented and may not be propagated.
Potting and repotting Early Wonder® Camellia
Camellias are easy to grow in containers and make beautiful additions to patio plantings. Choose a container with good drainage and use a frost-free pot in areas where frost is expected in winter. When potting camellias in the nursery or repotting existing plants, choose a container that is one to two sizes larger than the current pot. Camellias should be repotted every two to three years into larger containers and fresh soil.
Provide Early Wonder® Camellia with a well-drained, acidic soil, such as a commercial mixture labeled for rhododendrons and azaleas or camellias. A mixture of equal parts coarse sand, finely chopped pine bark and oak leaf mold also works well. Container-grown camellias perform best with morning sun and afternoon shade or all-day filtered light. They also dry out faster than those planted in the ground. Be sure to water the containers deeply when the top two inches of soil feel dry. Fertilize potted camellias with a water-soluble fertilizer for acid-loving plants according to the label
directions from spring to mid-summer.
Common pests and plant diseases
Insect pests of camellias include tea scale and aphids, both of which produce a waste product called honeydew that encourages sooty mold to grow on the foliage. Control scales and aphids with horticultural oil according to label instructions. Problems with sooty mold will disappear if the insects are controlled.
Camellias are also susceptible to a number of diseases, the most serious of which are camellia flower blight, root rot and dieback, and canker. Most disease problems can be avoided by proper plant care, including planting in well-drained soil, fertilizing properly and maintaining proper soil acidity, and avoiding damage or wounds to stems.
Symptoms of camellia dieback and canker include sudden wilting and yellowing of the foliage and the death of branch tips. This fungal disease appears as gray spots on the bark and eventually develops into sunken cankers. Remove diseased twigs by cutting them several inches below the affected area and burn or throw the prunings away in the trash. Disinfect your pruning tools between cuts.
Flower blight or petal blight is also caused by a fungal pathogen. It causes petals to brown and fall quickly, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Provide good sanitation to limit the spread of this disease. Collect and destroy any fallen flowers as well as any infected flowers still on the plant. Also remove and discard the mulch around the base of the plants and replace it with a new layer.
Common problems
Attention to soil health also prevents a common problem with camellias: chlorosis. Chlorosis causes leaves to turn yellow while remaining green along the veins, and is the result of improper soil pH. When camellias are planted in neutral or alkaline soil, they cannot absorb enough nutrients. This can be easily corrected by amending the soil with garden sulfur to adjust the pH.
Scorched or tanned spots on the leaves usually indicate sunburn. Sunburn can be a problem if camellias get too much sun. This is most common when planting along a wall with an intense southern or western exposure. Plants moved from shady locations to bright sun may also suffer from sunscald. This problem is usually prevented by providing plants with sufficient protection against the intense midday sun.
Camellias are robust plants that can withstand occasional insects, diseases and other challenges quite well. Basic plant culture and care goes a long way toward preventing common problems and keeping your camellias healthy and thriving for years to come.
Related: 11 Best Shrubs for Winter Containers