Camellias have signalled their appreciation of our cool, wet summer by producing masses of buds in readiness for late winter and spring displays.
Native to China, Japan and Southeast Asia, camellias have been valued as garden plants for more than 1500 years. As well as being grown for their blooms, they have been used for firewood, cosmetic and cooking oils, and to brew tea. Japanese sumo wrestlers use camellia oil on their hair.
The origins of tea as a drink are not known although one charming piece of folklore says that 5000 years ago the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was sitting under a camellia tree watching a pot of water boiling. Some leaves fell into the water and he tasted the brew and liked it. More likely, the emperor, known as the father of Chinese medicine, was simply trying yet another herb, as he apparently tasted hundreds and died after eating a poisonous plant.
Efforts to take tea plants to England and other parts of Europe were made in the 18th century but died because the climate was too harsh.
However, ornamental camellias - claimed by some to have been substituted by the Chinese to protect their tea industry - survived and rapidly became popular. They were generally grown in glasshouses, as few proved hardy below minus 10degC.
In the garden, the colour range is limited to white, cream, pink and crimson reds, as well as striped, although attempts are being made to breed strong yellows using the frost-tender C. nitidissima, a species discovered less than 40 years ago.
Variety comes in camellias' size, from groundcovers to small trees, and five main flower shapes - single, semi-double, anemone-shaped, paeony form and formal double. The Japanese Higo is a wide-open single noted for large, prominent stamens. Some have fimbriated (fringed) edges and others elegantly arranged tiers of petals.
There are some 230 camellia species and thousands of hybrid varieties because camellias are quite easy to grow from seed and - a plus for breeders - plants rarely resemble their parents.
Mutations, or bud sports, are also relatively common. This is when a flower of a different colour appears on a plant and because cuttings of the sport usually grow true, it is another way of producing new varieties. Not all of these mutations are genetically stable, which is why camellias are sometimes seen with more than one colour of flower.
Most camellias prefer a semi-shaded spot, although the sasanqua types - which include pale pink Plantation Pink and popular red Yuletide - are happy in full sun.
Regardless of where they are grown, camellias need conditions similar to rhododendrons - moist, well-drained soil that is slightly acid, so lime is a no-no. A sign that the soil is too alkaline is yellowing of the leaves, so applications of special camellia fertiliser will be needed to fix the problem.
Other than getting the soil right, camellias need little attention apart from trimming after flowering to keep them in shape and a mulch of leaves to keep their roots cool.
Watering may be necessary in dry summers, as camellias need damp (but not waterlogged) feet. An annoying leaf-roller caterpillar sometimes attacks new foliage but an occasional puff of rose spray keeps them away.
Tip
If you want a particular variety, look for a camellia in bloom. More than any other plant, over the years a proportion of camellias have tended to turn up in garden centres with incorrect names.
Uses
• Use camellias for hedges. Plantation Pink is an old favourite for hedging.
• Turn a tall-growing variety, such as Pure Silk or Phyl Doak, into a small tree by removing lower branches and letting the top grow.
• Espalier camellias, such as Bonanza, on a fence or wall, but ensure air can circulate around plants.
• Grow them as small standards in pots. Guilio Nuccio is recommended for a semi-shaded situation.
• Support New Zealand by growing the likes of Nicky Crisp, Jury's Yellow, Night Rider, Quintessence, Scentuous, High Fragrance, Baby Bear and Elegant Beauty, some of the hundreds of camellias bred in New Zealand.
