When I planted this camellia in my small city garden almost three years ago, a few skeptics questioned the wisdom of this selection, given our sometimes harsh winters. As I don't coddle the shrub in any way—wrapping it in burlap, for instance—I too wondered if it would bloom again this Spring.
Around the 19th of March I noticed a few of its buds had opened. Just out of curiosity, I checked my archives to see when I posted the first picture of this contented shrub on my blog. To my amazement it was March 17 of last year. It turns out I could simply have copied and pasted the same paragraph I used then…"after the bitterly cold etc. etc. etc." The camellia's time clock has become, in effect, my gardening calendar—"March 17-19: Camellia in Bloom!"
In art class yesterday we were talking about the strange weather and the huge snowflakes that fell early Wednesday morning. One of my drawing friends said that KSDK's Chief Meteorologist Dave Murray forecasts another big snow in April. Another friend, who really knows gardening, added that the Farmers' Almanac says the same thing. And I've heard from other sources that the Almanac has been particularly accurate in its predictions so far this year. At this point, nothing would surprise me. Thankfully, no matter the weather, my camellia seems to be happy where it's planted.
The red Camellia in the photo could possibly be Yuletide. At Bowood Farms we have spring blooming camellias, Snow Flurry and Spring Promise. They are both Zone 6. Here in the city, planted in amended,well drained soil,sheltered from winter wind, the Camellias rated for Zone 6 have had success. It is best to plant them in spring so they become well established before winter. I would mulch for winter also.
Nicki
Do you know the name of your camellia cultivar?
Do any of your other readers in the CWE have camellias au naturale that did OK this winter? If so, what cultivar names?
thanks, fellow gardener – Jeff Marsh