Good to know about Camellias
The camellia is an evergreen spring-flowering tea bush. Like the rhododendron, the plant is calcifuge (does not thrive in calcareous soil), meaning it prefers acidic soil. It should be planted in equal parts garden soil and coarse, unfertilized sphagnum peat (not pure sphagnum, as it is too acidic). Ready-made rhododendron soil is also suitable.
Choosing the right camellia for your garden
If your camellia is to be planted in gardens in Denmark, we recommend choosing the most cold-hardy varieties. Here you can see the groups camellias are sorted into and their requirements for planting and thriving.
Group 1: The most frost-tolerant group. Can be planted in almost all of Denmark, except for the highest parts of inland Jutland.
Group 2: This group is frost-tolerant. Tolerates shorter periods of frost. Most suitable for gardens located in mild city areas and places 5-10 km from the sea.
Group 3: Autumn-flowering camellias can be planted in mild gardens.
Group 4: This group is most suitable for conservatories in winter, where they are kept frost-free, and can be placed outdoors in summer.
Planting camellias
The hole you plant in should be twice the size of the plant's root ball. The plant's root collar must not be planted below ground level. Therefore, plant high to avoid the plant sinking below ground after planting.
If you are planting during winter or another cold period, be aware that the combination of frost and sun can cause freeze-drying on the plant's leaves in the first year. We therefore recommend wrapping the plant in horticultural fleece during periods of frost.
After planting your camellia, you must ensure it does not lack water, especially in the first year. This is to prevent the flower buds from dropping. Fertilize in spring with a slow-release fertilizer.
Camellias are not recommended for ordinary living rooms and conservatories. However, they can be used in conservatories that do not get warmer than 15 degrees Celsius. If the temperature exceeds 15 degrees, the air becomes too dry from heating, and the flower buds will fall off.
Did you know that camellias are used for tea?
Camellia Sinensis is a tea bush with simple white flowers and yellow stamens. It blooms early in spring and has a light fragrance. It is not frost-tolerant and should therefore be overwintered in a conservatory. Group 3.
