Camellia

This is my Camellia x williamsii. It looks healthy enough but the flower buds have not changed or developed in any way since I bought it at the end of January-start of February.

I saw on the television a couple of weeks ago that camellias won't flower if they haven't had enough water the previous summer (so I suppose lack of care in the nursery/garden centre could have done it), but is it normal for them to get the buds and then not do anything?

Have I managed to kill it?! It's been sheltered and pretty much frost-free, and I thought the C. x williamsii was one of the hardiest varieties going (it had certainly been kept outside in the garden centre in Paisley where I bought it!).

 

I've looked it up in my book and it says they flower mid to late spring, so as spring has only just sprung it may be too early. Which variety is it as different camellias like to face different ways :eek:

 

Hi julia. You could try the "search" facility. There was an excellent thread about camellias but I can't remember where!!
The plant looks quite healthy, maybe just wait awhile, you never know what the nurseries have done with them

 

We have several camellias both in the ground and in containers ..... Living where we do, ours have now finished flowering. They are slow to grow to start with but once established they will make quite a sturdy bush.

They need shelter dappled shade under trees is ideal. They don't like early morning sunshine, and if you have any frosted buds thawing quickly can cause these to drop off.

Generally, they prefer neutral or acid soil,
a bag of ericaceous compost will satisfy their needs.

Camellia williamsii varieties usually drop their flowers as they fade and do not require deadheading.

 

If it was lack of water last summer I think the buds would have dropped by now.
Some varietys flower earlier than others.
I think the later ones are better because they miss the frost, but it depends where you live.
A friend of mine has a large on planted close to the house, and it starts flowering in December.

 

Thanks all - only just picked up all the replies (wasn't ignoring you!). I shall try to be patient - I moved it to another spot today as I think it was getting a bit too moist - our gutter overflows which is great for the ferns but not so good for the other plants. It's "Donation", which I thought was supposed to be one of the hardiest. I'll try searching harder...