camellias

by Marjorie
(Kellyville NSW)

how far apart do I plant Camellias?


Drought Smart Plants reply:

Hi Marjorie, I'm not an expert in growing Camellias as they don't grow where I am, but I have grown them from cutting where I worked in a nursery in the Lower Mainland near Vancouver.

For spacing, I would say that it depends on what look you're after.

If you plan on growing them as a solid hedge, then of course they will be planted on closer spacings.

To fully showcase them as individual plants they'll need much more room around them. It also depends on the variety, some are much bigger as adult plants.

As a rough guide, make sure that (if you know the ultimate size) you plant them with this in mind. So, a variety that gets to 50-60cm across (up to two feet) then give them two feet in between. For hedging, they can be 40-50cm apart (16-20") without any issue.

Keep in mind that growing them as hedging pretty much means constant trimming and shearing, and sacrificing the blooms.

Interesting fact: Tea, that drink that we all crave at the end of a long day, is actually Camellia sinensis, the Chinese Camellia. The leaves are plucked from the very tips of the plant, and dried for making into the sweetly scented drink we love.

Happy Gardening!
Jacki