Camellias are among the most breathtaking garden flowers that growers can have in their lineup. Also known as the Queen of Winter Flowers, originated in the far east (China or Japan) and was grown in the gardens of emperors for centuries before it came to the West. Today, gardeners can grow varieties of this flowering shrub in their own gardens. If you are looking for camellias to add a touch of color to your garden, come to Cline’s and browse our extensive selection.

We carry two types of Camellias – Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua.

CAMELLIA JAPONICA

Camellia japonica – also known as Japanese Camellia. Camellia japonica, known as common camellia, or Japanese camellia, is a species of Camellia, a flowering plant genus in the family Theaceae. There are thousands of cultivars of C. japonica in cultivation, with many colors and forms of flowers. In the U.S. it is sometimes called japonica. It is an evergreen woody shrub or small tree in the Theaceae (tea) family. Native to China, Korea, and parts of Japan, it has become a southern gardening favorite. The genus name Camellia is derived from Georg Josef Kamel (1706), a Jesuit missionary and naturalist who introduced Philippine flora to Europe.

Camellia prefers shade to part-shade with some protection from drying winter winds and well-drained soils that are high in organic matter and slightly acidic (pH 5.5 to 6.5). They are slow to grow and slow to establish but are long-lived plants. Because plants are slow to establish, it is best to dig a large hole, three to four times wider, but not deeper, than the root ball, to reduce competition for water and nutrients from surrounding trees and shrubs.

Bloom color ranges from white to all shades of pink and red. The flower size ranges from a 2-inch diameter up to 5 inches. Depending upon the variety, flowering may start as early as October and finish as late as mid-March. The flowers on each plant will usually last three to four weeks.

Excess sun, cold, or shade can reduce flowering. Yellow leaves may mean too little acidity in the soil. Some flower bud dropping may be natural, but sometimes may be caused by over-watering or under-watering. Limit pruning to remove dead or damaged wood, unproductive branches, and disproportionately long shoots. Prune immediately after flowering or in early summer. Pruning later in the year may sacrifice next year’s blooms. Propagate camellia by stem cuttings.

April Tryst

Embellished with elegant blush-pink petals, April Tryst welcomes the arrival of spring with its abundance of delicate blooms. This variety’s compact growth habit and profuse flowering make it a delightful addition to any garden or patio. It spreads out to between five and eight feet tall and four feet wide.

Colonial Dame

This variety is the pride of many gardens. Boasting large, semi-double flowers in shades of soft pink, Colonial Dame exudes classic charm. Its graceful form and long flowering season make it an ideal choice for both formal and informal gardens.

Curly Lady

A fun name for a gorgeous flower. True to its name, Curly Lady features unique, twisted petals that create an intriguing visual appeal. This rare and distinctive camellia variety adds a touch of whimsy and curiosity to any floral arrangement or garden setting.

Debutante

A name that describes a newcomer to society, even though it’s been around for a while. With its romantic, blush-pink blooms and lush foliage, Debutante is a true showstopper. This classic camellia variety’s large, formal double flowers exude timeless elegance and make a stunning centerpiece in any garden.

Greensboro Red

Red Camellias are stunning in any garden; this variety certainly stands out. Greensboro Red captivates with its vibrant, deep red flowers that exude energy and passion. This vigorous and robust camellia variety is a statement plant, perfect for creating a focal point in the landscape.

Governor Mouton

Named after the former governor of Louisiana, Governor Mouton showcases delicate, pale pink flowers with a hint of lavender. This charming camellia variety’s compact form and early blooming make it a cherished sight as winter fades away.

Kanjiro

The Japanese word “kanjiro” translates into “you must feel,” which perfectly describes this variety. Kanjiro steals hearts with its profusion of rose-pink, semi-double flowers. This captivating camellia variety adds a burst of color to the garden and is a popular choice for vibrant floral displays.

Kramer Supreme

The Kramer Supreme variety is breathtaking in its vibrant shades of red. With its bold, rosy-red blooms, Kramer Supreme commands attention and admiration. This impressive camellia variety’s large, semi-double flowers and glossy green foliage create a striking contrast, making it a focal point in any garden.

Lady Clare

Lady Clare enchants with its semi-double, peachy-pink blooms, delicately splashed with darker shades. This elegant camellia variety’s abundant flowering and graceful growth habit make it a favorite among garden enthusiasts.

Lady Vansittart

Pink camellias like this variety add much personality to a garden. Lady Vansittart mesmerizes with its exquisite, pale pink blooms, each petal adorned with bold splashes of deep pink. This eye-catching camellia variety adds a touch of artistry and sophistication to any garden or floral arrangement.

Laura Walker

Named after a renowned camellia enthusiast, Laura Walker showcases semi-double white flowers with delicate blush-pink edges. This light and graceful camellia variety creates a serene and romantic ambiance in any setting.

Jacks

Jacks makes a bold statement with its vibrant, magenta-colored, semi-double flowers. This vigorous camellia variety’s profuse, blooming, and resilient nature make it a favorite among gardeners looking for a pop of intense color.

Manthotiana Rubra

As rare as it is stunning, Manthotiana Rubra flaunts large, bright red, semi-double flowers that evoke a sense of drama and allure. This captivating camellia variety is a true collector’s gem. This variety is also called “Purple Dawn” in reference to its blush of color.

Morning Glow

Morning Glow illuminates the garden with its radiant, creamy-yellow, semi-double blooms. This early-blooming camellia variety adds a touch of warmth and joy to the landscape, heralding the arrival of a new day. This unique flower also has a particular look, with its pollen anthers typically in the center of the flower, not visible to casual viewers.

Nuccios Jewel

Nuccios Jewel is a treasure to behold with its lustrous, deep pink, semi-double flowers. This captivating camellia variety’s glossy foliage and abundant flowering make it a treasured addition to any garden. Seeing this flower is like witnessing a sunburst, as the colors bleed in from the edges, a truly breathtaking sight.

Pink Perfection

Pink Perfection lives up to its name, showcasing perfectly formed, large, formal double flowers in shades of delicate pink. This classic and elegant camellia variety is a symbol of grace and beauty.

Professor Sargent

Professor Sargent commands attention with its profusion of stunning, rich red, semi-double flowers. This vigorous and hardy camellia variety’s impressive blooms and robust growth make it a true garden standout.

Purple Dawn

Purple Dawn enchants with its mesmerizing, lavender-pink, semi-double flowers. This delicate and graceful camellia variety’s soothing color and captivating blooms make it a cherished sight in gardens and floral displays. As mentioned, this variety is also known as “Manthotiana Rubra.”

Rose Dawn

Rose Dawn exudes timeless beauty with its semi-double flowers in soft shades of pink. This enchanting camellia variety’s profuse flowering and delicate charm make it a perfect addition to romantic garden settings. Its signature blooming of rose flowers in winter makes for quite the spectacle.

Royal Velvet

As opulent as its name suggests, Royal Velvet showcases deep, velvety red, semi-double flowers. This regal camellia variety’s lush foliage and rich blooms create a luxurious and captivating ambiance in any landscape.

Sea Foam

Sea Foam delights with its charming, pure white, semi-double flowers that resemble delicate sea foam. This elegant and versatile camellia variety adds a touch of serenity and grace to any garden or floral arrangement. Gardens growing this gem can also include them for a splash of white to add to the intensity of their displays.

Silver Waves

Silver Waves enchants with its unique, ruffled, silver-white, semi-double flowers surrounding a central mass of golden pistils. This striking camellia variety’s distinctive blooms and glossy foliage create a captivating display, evoking a sense of movement and fluidity.

Taylors Perfection

Taylors Perfection steals hearts with its large, formal double flowers in shades of deep pink. This vibrant camellia variety’s robust growth and exceptional blooming make it a standout choice for creating a bold statement in the garden.

Tom Herrin

Tom Herrin captivates with its profusion of peony-like, deep red, semi-double flowers. This elegant camellia variety’s rich blooms and vigorous growth make it a favorite among garden enthusiasts seeking a touch of drama.

Victory White

Victory White stands tall with its pristine white, semi-double flowers that exude purity and grace. This stately camellia variety’s compact form and abundant flowering make it a symbol of hope and triumph.

White Empress

White Empress reigns with its large, formal double flowers in pure white. This majestic camellia variety’s pristine blooms and glossy foliage create a regal and timeless elegance, making it a coveted addition to any garden.

CAMELLIA SASANQUAS

Camellia Sasanquas, with common name sasanqua camellia, is a species of Camellia native to China and Japan. Camellia Sasanquas is a rapid grower and will reach 6 to 14 feet high by 5 to 7 feet wide. The plant requires full sun to partial shade and well-drained soils with a neutral to acidic pH. It will grow in clay, loam, or sandy soils and is slightly salt tolerant. It appreciates shelter from afternoon sun, winter winds, and cold, and—once established—will tolerate drought. This camellia blooms during the late fall and winter, making it a focus of the landscape at a time when many ornamentals enter dormancy.  It blooms in a different season than its cousin Camellia japonica and is also more resistant to Phytophthora root rot.

They have smaller flowers but are usually much more floriferous than the Japonicas which have larger flowers but less of them on the plant. Japonicas are taller and larger plants but thrive best in shade. Sasanquas prefer sun to partial shade but are ideal for smaller lots. They tend to grow wider and lower. There are numerous cultivars available, including dwarf forms. Flowers may be up to 3 inches in diameter and contain a single or double row of petals. A camellia will flower over a period of four to six weeks.  In the landscape, camellia works well as an accent plant, a privacy hedge, or a tall foundation planting. It can be pruned into a “small tree” form. It is slightly resistant to deer browsing.

Apple Blossom

Apple Blossom welcomes spring with its delicate, blush-pink, semi-double flowers reminiscent of apple blossoms in full bloom. This enchanting camellia variety’s dainty blooms and graceful growth make it a sight to behold.

Autumn Rocket

Autumn Rocket lights up the landscape as fall arrives with its vibrant, fiery-red, semi-double flowers. This striking camellia variety’s late blooming and bold color makes it a standout choice for adding warmth and excitement to the autumn garden.

Leslie Ann

Leslie Ann charms with its romantic, soft pink, semi-double flowers that evoke a sense of grace and femininity. This delicate and elegant camellia variety’s compact growth habit and profuse blooming make it a delightful addition to any garden.

Mine-No-Yuki

Translating to “Snow on the Mountain,” Mine-No-Yuki mesmerizes with its small, pure white, semi-double flowers. This charming camellia variety’s compact form and early blooming make it a favorite choice to add serenity to gardens and landscapes.

October Magic Ruby

October Magic Ruby enchants with its vibrant, ruby-red, semi-double flowers that bloom in the enchanting autumn season. This captivating camellia variety’s late-blooming nature and stunning color make it a must-have for fall garden displays.

Our Linda

Our Linda steals hearts with its delicate, soft pink, semi-double flowers that exude elegance and charm. This enchanting camellia variety’s compact growth habit and profuse blooming make it a cherished addition to gardens and floral arrangements.

Shishi Gashira

Shishi Gashira is a true delight with its abundance of small, rosette-shaped, bright pink, semi-double flowers. This compact and bushy camellia variety’s prolific blooming and dense foliage create a stunning visual impact in any setting.

Winters Joy

Winters Joy evokes the season’s beauty with its elegant, pure white, semi-double flowers. This enchanting camellia variety’s early blooming and delicate charm symbolize joy and serenity during the winter months.

Winter Star

Winter Star shines bright with its show-stopping, large, semi-double flowers in shades of vibrant pink. This captivating camellia variety’s robust growth and striking blooms make it a standout choice for adding a touch of vibrancy to the winter garden.

Yuletide

Yuletide brings holiday cheer with its vibrant, fiery-red, single flowers. This festive camellia variety’s profuse blooming and compact growth make it a cherished choice to add joy and celebration to gardens and floral displays.

Small Tea Leaf

Small Tea Leaf camellias delight with their dainty foliage and petite, single, or semi-double flowers. These compact and versatile camellia varieties are perfect for bonsai enthusiasts or those seeking a touch of elegance in smaller garden spaces.

Large Tea Leaf

Large Tea Leaf camellias make a statement with their robust foliage and grand, single, or semi-double flowers. These vigorous and resilient camellia varieties are ideal for creating lush, green backdrops and providing shade in larger garden settings.

Experience the Beauty of Camellias

Don’t wait another moment to bring the magic of camellias into your life. Call us at 704-487-9861 or contact us through our site to to place a wholesale order, or stop by the nursery and let us help you select the perfect camellia varieties to turn your garden into a floral masterpiece. We are dedicated to providing you with exceptional quality, personalized service, and the opportunity to embrace the allure and splendor of camellia in all their breathtaking glory. Learn more about Camellias from  The NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.