Giant Camellia

Camellia (camellia japonica) are really outdoor plants, but when they are young they make decorative pot plants in a cool room, producing beautiful rose like flowers in the winter and early spring.

While your Camellia is indoors, keep it as cool as you can and make sure there is plenty of natural light but not direct sunlight. An East or West facing window is ideal.

Keep your Camellia well watered, the compost should feel wet to touch.

After flowering your Camellia plant can be repotted in a larger pot with suitable compost, and put outside on a patio or balcony or planted out into the ground. Camellias like acid soil, so choose compost suitable for rhododendrons and heathers and other acid-loving plants. When planting Camellias in the garden, choose a sheltered part-shaded position where you can see the winter flowers. Try to avoid a situation where the early morning sun shines on frosted plants because this can spoil the flowers.Over time Camellias can grow into quite substantial specimens several feet high. In china, where these plants originate they have even been known to reach 15ft and 500 years old. Older plants are very hardy but young plants should be protected from frost.

If your plant seems to be suffering indoors and prone to leaf drop, try putting it outside for a few hours in the day.