CORVALLIS, Ore. — Is your camellia bush looking tired or overgrown? Some older plants become dense with thin branches and produce fewer, lower-quality blooms. Others may show leaves scorched by winter wind or frost, leaving them looking unhealthy.
Late-spring pruning also allows more sunlight to reach the interior of the shrub, improving overall plant vigor.
Spring is the best time for a camellia makeover, said Amy Jo Detweiler, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service.
The ideal time to prune camellias is immediately after they finish flowering each year.
“Enjoy the blooms, then prune,” Detweiler said. “New growth begins soon after the blossoms fade.”
Camellias benefit from pruning every few years to stimulate new growth and thin out dense, twiggy branches. Late-spring pruning also allows more sunlight to reach the interior of the shrub, improving overall plant vigor.
To make a camellia fuller, prune some branches back to the point between this year’s and last year’s growth, making each cut just above a bud. Buds below the cut will grow into several new stems. Remove any scraggly, drooping or crossing branches to shape the plant.
Reviving an old camellia
Large, overgrown camellias can be rejuvenated into attractive small trees or compact shrubs, Detweiler said.
To create a tree form:
- Remove all lower branches from the trunk.
- Thin the remaining canopy by cutting out rubbing or crossing limbs.
- Remove any weak or twiggy growth.
Feed camellias with fertilizer formulated for acid-loving shrubs after they bloom and again in early summer.
To gradually reduce size:
If your goal is to turn a large camellia into a smaller shrub, do it over three years to avoid stressing the plant:
- Year 1 (after bloom): Cut back to the desired height. New shoots will sprout from the trunk and upper limbs.
- Year 2: After flowering, trim the new shoots to the height you want.
- Year 3: Prune the bushy crown to your preferred height, then fertilize as recommended.
With patience and proper pruning, even a sprawling, decades-old camellia can be reshaped into a beautiful, healthy feature of the garden.
Previously titled Spruce up older camellias with a late spring trim
