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Camellia
Camellia japonica
Camellia blooms from January through March.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Camellia
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 7–9. Expect it to reach about 6.5 ft tall and 5 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 5 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Camellia
Plant Camellia in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 8, the middle of its hardy zones 7 to 9, spring means February to April and fall means September or October. Once settled, it blooms from January to March.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 8, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 8 in February. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Camellia get?
6.5 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult5 ftwideSee Camellia in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Camellia
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Camellia about 5 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Camellia to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Camellia's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 8 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenPlant Finderheight, spread, hardiness zones and sun
- Oregon State UniversityLandscape Plantsheight, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Plants For A Futureheight, spread, sun and trait tags
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterClemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Centerheight, spread and sun
- site.extension.uga.eduUniversity of Georgia Cooperative Extension (Forsyth County)height, hardiness zones and sun
- efloras.orgFlora of China (eFloras, Missouri Botanical Garden / Science Press)height
- Mississippi State University Extensiontrait tags
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 10 varieties across 3 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
- Alba Plena
- April Rose
- Debutante
- Kramer's Supreme
- Nuccio's Pearl
- Pink Icicle
- Pink Perfection
- Professor Sargent
- Setsugekka
- Yuletide
Compare every variety in the Camellia group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alba Plena | White | Jan–Mar | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 5 ft |
| April Rose | Pink | Mar–Apr | Zones 6–9 | Part shade | 6 ft × 5 ft |
| Camelliathis page | Pink | Jan–Mar | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 5 ft |
| Debutante | Pink | Jan–Mar | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 5 ft |
| Kramer's Supreme | Red | Feb–Apr | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 5 ft |
| Nuccio's Pearl | White | Feb–Apr | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 5 ft |
| Pink Icicle | Pink | Feb–Apr | Zones 6–9 | Part shade | 6 ft × 4.5 ft |
| Pink Perfection | Pink | Feb–Apr | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 5 ft |
| Professor Sargent | Red | Feb–Apr | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 7.5 ft |
| Setsugekka | White | Oct–Dec | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 7 ft × 5 ft |
| Yuletide | Red | Nov–Dec | Zones 7–9 | Part shade | 6.5 ft × 7 ft |
Good to know about Camellia
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Worth knowing
Camellias must have acidic soil, roughly pH 5.5 to 6.5. On alkaline ground the leaves yellow from chlorosis as iron and other nutrients lock up out of reach. per NC State and Clemson
Two plants, one name
Japonica blooms late winter to early spring and needs part shade; sasanqua blooms in fall, takes more sun, resists drought, and largely escapes petal blight. Identify yours first. per NC State and UC IPM
Petal blight, worst disease
Petal blight, a fungus, is the worst camellia disease and attacks only the flowers: brown blotches spread until the whole bloom is dead within 24 to 48 hours. per Clemson and UC IPM
Tea scale, the top pest
Tea scale, its worst insect pest, hides on leaf undersides and shows as yellow mottling on top. Horticultural oil helps, but clearing a heavy case takes 2 to 3 years. per Clemson and UGA
Safe around pets
Good news for pet owners: the ASPCA lists garden camellia as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and NC State agrees. Note that Camellia sinensis, the tea plant, is different. per ASPCA and NC State
Prune right after flowering
Camellias set next year's flower buds on old wood the season before, so prune right after the flowers fade. Prune later and you cut off next year's blooms. per NC State and Clemson
What pairs well with Camellia
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Flowering Dogwood
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 23 ft, for the layer behind it.
Wishbone Flower
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in early summer, extending the bed's season; low at 10 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Lobelia
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in late spring, extending the bed's season; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Eastern Redbud
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 23 ft, for the layer behind it.
Bleeding Heart
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 2.5 ft, for the front of the border.
Periwinkle
Shares part shade and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring as this one finishes; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Pansy
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into early summer; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage.
Spiderwort
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in early summer, extending the bed's season; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 1.5 ft, for the front of the border.
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.