The best camellias to grow

Camellias’ evergreen foliage makes them rewarding to grow all year round, but they’re at their best in winter when they show off their gorgeous blooms. We recommend some of the best types to try

JAPONICAS

Hailing from Japan, these camellias are strong growers that need to be planted in dappled shade. Flowering from late autumn to spring, they come in an amazing range of colours and forms and are compact, handsome bushes with glossy, dark green leaves.

Three of the best:

• ‘Tiffany’ is one of the most popular pink, mid-season flowering camellias with large, loose peony-like flowers and good foliage. It’s a vigorous upright grower, and while it’s frost tolerant, the flowers can be affected by frost.
• ‘Wildwood’ is a beautiful pink camellia with very large, semi-double, peony-like blooms. “‘Wildwood’ is ideal for gardens with mild climates,” recommends Laurie Railton from Sandford Heights Nursery in Haenertsburg, Limpopo.
• ‘Kramer’s Supreme’ is a strong-growing, bushy and compact plant. One of Induli Nursery’s recommended varieties, it’s a mid-season flowerer with large red peony-shaped flowers.

SASANQUAS

Originating in China, these camellias have a looser growth habit, smaller leaves and are more sun tolerant than other varieties. They have delicate, often ruffled blooms, some of which are scented. Tough and fast growing, they can be clipped into hedges or espaliered.

Three of the best:

• ‘Jennifer Susan’ is a delightful free-flowering pink camellia with dainty blooms and a loose growth habit. It blooms in April.
• ‘Setsugekka’ is vigorous grower with a loose, open habit. Great for the autumn garden, it’s awash with large, white single to semi-double flowers for several weeks.
• ‘Julie Robinson’ has double white flowers that show up well against its small leaves.

RETICULATAS

These Chinese beauties are slow growers, but make up for this with their huge flowers which can measure more than 20cm across; the leaves are proportionately as big. They can grow into small open trees and need shade from the afternoon sun in hotter regions. Petal Faire Nursery in Pretoria has a large range to choose from.

Three of the best:

• ‘Lasca Beauty’ has large, soft silvery pink flowers with wavy petals. The simplicity and texture of its blooms makes it a popular choice.
• ‘Francie L.’ has showy, deep pink-magenta flowers with semi upright, slightly ruffled petals that show up well against its glossy, narrow leaves. A tall, strong grower it’s ideal for local conditions.
• ‘Dr Clifford Parks’ While some camellias have anemone-like or even single flowers, the blooms of ‘Dr Clifford Parks’ are large, full and voluptuous.