Why plant Yuletide Camellia?
The Yuletide Camellia is a close relative to the Korean Fire Camellia, recognizable by its beautiful blazing red colors, golden stamens, and the deep green foliage. However, the Yuletide does not grow quite as tall as the Korean Fire Camellia. Yuletide Camellias produce effortless looking blooms that require little to no maintenance. You get the best of both worlds, no work with the best possible outcome! Blooms can begin in September and remain throughout most of December and January. These plants have many aspects that benefit gardens. They are gorgeous accent plants and can even offer up some privacy. Yuletide's are also drought-tolerant and can live and flower in particularly sunny areas to shady locations.
How to use Yuletide Camellia in the landscape?
Yuletide Camellias are great in shaded areas. They also do well with other mixed shrub borders for dramatic winter blooms. They work seamlessly in woodland gardens, are great for screen planting for privacy hedging, simply on their own, or grown in large tubs/containers. Make sure to provide shelter from cold and dry winds as buds and flowers can be damaged by cold winds. Camellias do need to be protected from periods of direct sun in the early mornings and the hot afternoon sun.
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 7-9
How To Plant Yuletide Camellia
When planting Camellias, keep in mind they are slightly fragile shrubs. Make sure to provide shelter from cold and dry winds as buds and flowers can be damaged by cold winds. Yuletide Camellias also need to be protected from early morning bright sun and from direct hot summer afternoon sun. These plants are best grown in consistently moist, acidic, organically rich, well-drained soil. Common insects can be a potential threat. Other than these precautions, Camellias are rather care-free when planted in a well picked plot.
How To Water
In your Yuletide Camellias first year of growth, keep the soil moist about 2-3 inches down. After that, regular cycles of rainfall will be sufficient for your plant. Remember to keep your Camellias soil moist without having it be soggy, they also prefer the soil to be well amended and loose to grow freely!
How To Fertilize
Incorporate Elements Starter Plant Food granular form into the soil when planting. If planting in spring or summer, start fertilizing late fall using Elements Starter Plant food granular form on an annual basis each late fall. If planting in the fall, use Elements fertilizer while planting and start your regular annual fertilizing the following fall. Continue this for the first three years to get your plant well established as it gives your tree the nutrients it needs to produce lush new growth for the following spring.
How To Prune
Camellias don't require much pruning due to their unwavering natural beauty! The plant will need some moderate pruning by removing any dead and broken branches, usually during the mid-summer.