Camellia shrubs,shown above, can blossom throughout the winter months as well.Winter lawns don’t have to be colorless and boring.
Tim Holcomb, owner of Holcomb Garden Center in Hixson and Fort Oglethorpe, said camellias are ideal for adding pizazz to a winter lawn.
“For years, Tennesseans have admired these lovely Southern belles whenever we travel south to a slightly warmer zone,” he said. “The beautiful evergreen foliage and the late fall or early spring explosion of bountiful blooms left us wishing we could grow them in our area.”
Because there are now hardy varieties of the plant, they can grow in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, he said.
“Don’t wait to plant if you have the time and place. Planting this time of year allows good root establishment before the heat of next summer,” Holcomb said. “Take advantage of the holiday breaks, and add some color to your landscape.”
FIVE TIPS
1 Select cold-hardy varieties. Several varieties will thrive in our area, consistently producing beautiful blooms. The Chattanooga area encompasses Zones 6B to 7, so be sure to choose varieties that will perform well in those zones. Hardy, red-blooming camellias include Yuletide, Professor Sergeant and Kramer’s Supreme. There are also cold-hardy white and pink varieties.
2 Plant in well-drained soil. This doesn’t mean planting on a hill. It means that the soil itself will allow excessive water to drain through and not stand like a pond.
3 Plant in light shade. Camellias will grow in full sun or heavy shade, but the ideal location is morning sun and filtered afternoon sun. About six hours of sun is required for the best bloom production.
4 Keep them healthy with Fertilome camellia food. Camellias will exist without food, but you want your camellias to flourish and produce a bounty of blooms, and that requires feeding them. Apply food in April and continue once a month through September. Regular water and consistent feeding will assure you of a lovely specimen plant. This food and feeding schedule works very well with your azaleas and rhododendrons as well.
5 Enjoy these untimely bursts of color. Depending on the variety, camellias will bloom from late fall or early spring when hardly anything else is in bloom. While these are lovely additions to the landscape, be sure to bring in a bouquet of these beauties to enjoy indoors.