A camellia cultivar will flower at the same time as its first parent, as long as the cultivation does not affect the flowering time. In the long history of camellia breeding, some very pure-bred varieties with the original early flowering period have survived. Since many of the cultivars sold by us, the flowering time z. B. has been changed by crossing other Camellia species, but many camellias only show their flowers later, “normally” in spring or even later, from early summer to autumn.
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The heyday of the camellia varieties
Camellia japonica, which is involved in the breeding of most camellias in the trade, blooms in the natural habitat in the Asian homeland from January to March.
The following lists the flowering times of the most famous commercial camellias:
1. Camellia blooms from December / January
- C. japonica ‘Elegans’, dark pink peony-shaped flowers (with white spots)
- C. japonica ‘Purity’, flowers whiter than white, stamens not visible
2. Camellia blooms from January
- C. japonica ‘Adolphe Audusson’, dark geranium red flowers with numerous yellow stamens
- C. japonica ‘Bob Hope’, huge, semi-double, bright dark red flowers with long yellow anthers
- C. japonica ‘Collettii’, white-red marbled flowers with yellow stamens
- C. japonica ‘Donation’, pale pink flower with delicate purple veins, semi-double
- C. hybrids’ Dr. King ‘, loosely wavy, round-leaved flower in deep rose-red, small tuff of light yellow anthers
- C. japonica ‚K. Sawada ‘, pure white rose-shaped completely double flower
- C. japonica ‘Kramer’s Supreme’, bright red peony-shaped flower with a scent
- C. japonica ‘Pearl Maxwell’, large, double pink flowers
- C. japonica ‘Rubescens Major’, closed, round-leaved, bright red flowers
- C. japonica, unnamed hybrid with a red “rose blossom” without any visible anthers
3. Camellia blooms from late January / early February
- C. japonica ‘General Leclerc’, deep red semi-double peony-shaped flowers with irregular petals
- C. japonica ‘Spring Festival’, pink to salmon pink, lighter rose-shaped flowers in the middle
4. Camellia blooms from February
- C. japonica ‘Alba Plena’, one of the oldest ornamental varieties, blooms in neat triangular leaves with a brilliant white color
- C. japonica ‘Australis’, strong red flowers with clearly visible yellow stamens
- C. williamsii hybrid ‘Balett Queen’, salmon-pink to pale pink flowers, large and peony-shaped
- C. japonica ‘Barbara Morgan’, red wavy flowers, yellow stamens
- C. japonica ‘Berenice Body’, half-double, medium-sized flowers in a delicate pink
- C. japonica ‘Betty Sheffield Supreme’, white flowers with a pinkish-red band, semi-double and peony-shaped
- C. Hybrid ‘Bogliasco’, very well-formed pink flowers of stately size
- C. japonica ‘Bonomiana’, huge pink flowers with red accents, triangular leaves, anthers not visible
- C. japonica ‘CM Hovey’, large, fully double flower in bright scarlet red
- C. japonica ‘Dahlonega’, canary yellow, fully double flower that lasts for a long time
- C. williamsii ‘Debbie’, bright pink peony-shaped flowers
- C. japonica ‘Desire’, completely double flower in soft pink with dark pink petal edges
- C. japonica ‘Dr. Burnside ‘with a bright red flower and distinctive yellow stamens
- C. Hybrid ‘El Dorado’, light pink flowers with crinkled petals, hardly visible stamens
- C. japonica ‘Gwenneth Morey’, white frilled flowers with no visible anthers
- C. japonica ‘Hiodoshi’, scarlet red flower with bristly erect yellow stamens
- C. williamsii ‘Jury’s Yellow’, anemone-shaped flowers in white with yellow
- C. Hybrid ‘Mary Williams’, many small pink flowers, yellow stamens
- C. japonica ‘October Affair’, light pink flowers with dark pink petal margins, completely double
- C. japonica ‘Oki No Nami’, pink flowers with dark pink stripes, small tuff yellow anthers
- C. japonica ‘RL Wheeler’, medium-sized pink flowers, white stamens
- C. japonica ‘Roger Hall’, carmine-red, completely double flower with petals arranged like roof tiles
5. Camellia blooms from late February / early March
- C. japonica ‘Blood of China’, salmon-red to fiery-red flowers with wavy, twisted petals, golden yellow stamens
- C. japonica ‘Chosho’ (Higo group), flower with crimson dots, spots and lines on a white background
- C. japonica ‘Coquettii’, light to deep red, very weather-resistant flower, semi-double, sometimes rose-shaped
- C. japonica ‘Maroon and Gold’, dark velvet-red flowers with striking gold-colored stamens
- C. japonica ‘Orandako’, purple double flowers, each of the pointed petals with a white central stripe
- C. japonica ‘Silver Waves’, large white flowers with easily visible, golden yellow stamens
6. Camellia bloom from March:
- C. ‘Brushfild Yellow’, anemone-shaped flower in antique white with a pale yellow, densely filled center
- C. japonica ‘California’, light salmon pink flowers, loosely scattered yellow stamens
- C. japonica ‘Erebo’, large, neat, deep red flowers with suggested triangular leaves, without any visible anthers
- C. japonica ‘Hagoromo’, upright flowers appearing as light as a feather in a very delicate pink
- C. japonica ‘Lady Campbell’, magnificent salmon-red flower with wavy petals, long yellow stamens
- C.-Hybrid ‘Mrs Charles Cobb’, large pink-red flowers, isolated yellow stamens
- C. japonica hybrids with round bright pink flowers and a rippling inner flower, no stamens visible
- C. japonica hybrids with pink triangular flowers + darker stripes, no stamens visible
7. Camellia blooms from the end of March / beginning of April
- C. Hybrid ‘Sun Song’, pearly pink flowers, completely double
- C. japonica ‘Tramonto’, round-leaved pink flower with no visible anthers
8. Camellia blooms from April
- C. reticulata ‘Black Lace’, dark, velvety red, completely double flower
9. Camellia blooms from September
- C. sasanqua, smaller white to dark pink flowers, extremely easy to care for and frost hardy, blooms until December
10. Camellia blooms from October
- C. sinensis, tea camellia, small white flower with showy long yellow stamens, flowers until February
This stately list gives a good overview, but actually only covers a very small part of the camellia varieties. Camellias have been bred in Asia for millennia and in Europe for centuries, internationally there are around 30,000 varieties, 200 species of which are involved in breeding. Every well-stocked camellia specialist will have other varieties up their sleeves, the flowering time of which you should inquire about.
Garden camellias all bloom in spring, from March or April, either because the variety was drawn for this purpose or because the early-flowering variety adapts to our season. A precise prognosis of the flowering time does not make sense for outdoor camellias because too much depends on the location and environmental conditions.
Late camellia bloom or no camellia bloom?
The question of the flowering time of the camellia continues to arise when the camellia shows no flowering at all. Unfortunately in this country the attitude of the sensitive “lady of the camellias” is so common that she deserves its own consideration. If camellias refuse to flower so often, this is mainly due to some widespread misunderstandings about the requirements and care of the beautiful flower, which are corrected below:
- Camellia are usually sold in bloom, the difficult flowering takes place in controlled production halls
- If the camellia shows no signs of flowering in the following season long after the flowering time of the preseason, there is usually no flowering induction
- Camellia are not houseplants, but need temperatures between 10 and 15 ° C to induce flowers
- Summer warmth in the open air is ok, the whole plant suffers from staying too long at room temperature
- After successful flower induction, there is a risk of bud shedding
- This is also mostly due to the fact that the camellia is or was standing in a heated room
- It never belongs there, temperatures above 15 ° C disrupt flower development
- Shedding of buds is only the extreme case of disturbed flower development
- The flowers can also bloom half withered and then fall off quickly
- Camellias grow naturally on humus forest soils with lots of light and high humidity
- If the humidity in the dark, heated apartment is too low, buds and flowers will not grow either
- With the flowering, the camellia begins a phase of increased vegetative growth
- The camellia therefore has the greatest need for water and nutrients from early spring
- The bloom begins in summer, soon after the blooms have just wilted
- The camellia should go well nourished during this time
- And get enough sun by autumn to encourage bud formation
- The most critical time for camellias: the sensitive microcells of the buds are dependent on a constant supply of water via the roots
- If the camellia is only briefly dry in summer, this can interrupt bud formation
- But this only becomes noticeable six months later
- Camellias raised from cuttings need three to five years to flower for the first time
- Garden camellias should be planted in spring so that the growing season is available for rooting and hardening
- Hardy garden camellias need protection from the morning sun, which would wake up the metabolism in the upper area before the cold roots can provide water
- Bucket camellias should only be repotted every few years, but then immediately after flowering
- No camellia should have to hibernate in humidity below 70% and at temperatures above 10 ° C
- On the contrary: up to temperatures around freezing point the camellia stands better outdoors
- But then with frost protection around the roots until it comes to the cool winter quarters
- Even if the beautiful bloom deserves admiration: the camellia can only withstand a parking space above 16 ° C for a short time, even during bloom
- The flowers can be enjoyed longer in suitable surroundings, in the cool winter garden, greenhouse or the unheated, bright staircase
There are other care mistakes that can prevent a camellia from flower induction or flowering; but the attempt to keep the freedom-loving plant as a houseplant will certainly cost the most camellia flowers.
Conclusion
Camellias are not called the “roses of winter” for nothing – they originally only show their flowers in the middle of winter (today, depending on the cultivar, in winter or in spring and only very rarely later). If they show a flower at all, which will be difficult if the corresponding camellia is mistaken for a houseplant.
