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Camellias: The Princess of the Garden

© Keith Muraoka

If roses are considered the queen of the garden, camellias may easily be referred to as the princess -- especially when it comes to shade-loving gardens.

And this time of the year is the perfect time to pick out a new camellia because they're blooming and you can select the precise color flower you desire. Most camellias, depending on the variety, will bloom most of the winter in California. They are hardy against the cold and even frost. Camellias biggest requirements are shade and good drainage.

Perhaps the secret to the appeal of camellias is how the plants relate to gardens. Rather than standing out in full sun like a bed of roses, camellias love dappled shade and appreciate the shelter of fences, walls and trees. They are beautiful year-round, being evergreen, and bloom anywhere from November through May. Most camellias also are vertical growing, meaning they're more tall than wide. This means they add height and dimension to a garden that often may be dominated by 6 to 8-inch bedding plants.

There are more than 200 species of camellias, but most garden varieties can be separated into one of three cultivated species. They are:

-- Camellia japonica. This is the classic garden camellia. They are the hardiest and also have the greatest flower variation in both color and form. They also have the longest blooming period, stretching from November to May. Most japonicas are dense, upright shrubs, with flowers ranging from 2 to 7 inches across.

-- Camellia sasanqua. These feature smaller flowers on lower-growing plants. Their big advantage is being able to take more sun that other types. They compensate for smaller flowers by producing masses of blooms.

-- Camellia reticulata. These are more tender plants that produce fewer flowers on upright, open plants. They are ideal for trellises or fences. The reticulata can have flowers as large as 9 inches across, and are the darlings of camellia shows.

Camellia flowers are classified into six categories, which are further subdivied. They range from formal double-petaled with neat rows of overlapping petals to anemone forms with larger outer petals that lie more or less flat. Peony types may be loose or full, while rose form doubles have rows of overlapping petals that open to let the stamens peek out.

Again, so long as you plant camellias in a somewhat cool, shady location, and give them good drainage, they're virtually trouble-free. They'll usually grow anywhere ferns, azaleas or rhododendrons thrive. Being acid-loving, use plenty of peat moss or ground fir bark when planting. During the dormant season, try to hit them with at least one dose of acid fertilizer. As camellias mature, they can tolerate more sun and longer dry periods.