Camellia Hedge

How To Grow A Camellia Hedge In NZ

Camellias are not only visually appealing but also practical for hedging. They are evergreen, which means they will provide privacy and greenery throughout the year. Additionally, camellias are relatively low maintenance compared to other hedge plants, which can be a huge advantage for busy gardeners.

Popular Hedging Camellias In NZ

When choosing Camellias for your hedge, consider factors like growth rate, flower colour, and overall size. Some popular varieties for hedging include:

Camellia Sasanqua Varieties

Camellia Sasanqua varieties are popular choices for hedges due to their faster growth rate, smaller leaves, and smaller flowers. They flower from autumn to early winter, providing a burst of colour when most other plants are dormant. The compact nature of Sasanqua makes it ideal for creating a tight, uniform hedge. Its resilience and robustness also mean it can tolerate a variety of pruning styles, from light trimming to more drastic shaping.

Popular sasanqua choices include:

• Camellia Early Pearly
• Camellia Mine No Yuki
• Camellia Paradise Blush
• Camellia Paradise Helen
• Camellia Setsugekka

Camellia Japonica Varieties

Camellia Japonica varieties are known for their large and showy blooms and glossy leaves. Though it grows more slowly than Sasanqua, it offers a stunning floral display from late winter to spring. The Japonica's flowers are often larger and more dramatic, making them a focal point in any garden. Despite its slower growth, the Japonica's robust structure and striking appearance make it a worthwhile addition to any hedge collection.

Popular japonica choices include:

• Camellia Black Lace
• Camellia Night Rider
• Camellia Spring Festival
• Camellia Yuletide

Camellia Hedge Spacing And Planting

When planting a camellia hedge, spacing is crucial to ensure the plants fill in nicely within a short period of time and the hedge is aesthetically pleasing.

Determining Proper Spacing

For a dense hedge, plant camellias 50-60 cm apart. This spacing allows the plants to grow into each other to forming a solid wall of foliage. It also allows the base of the plants to merge nicely and not leave an unsightly gap. If you prefer a looser appearance, increase the spacing to about 1 metre apart. However, in this instance, the gap between plants at the bottom will be harder to fill and you may need to consider an underplanting.

Achieving A Straight Hedge

It is worth running a stringline and marking the locations of the plants before digging the holes. Trying to do it “by eye” risks plants being out of alignment and they will be noticeable!

Planting Techniques

Dig a hole twice the width of the camellia's root ball and of equal depth. This allows the roots to spread easily and establish themselves in the new location. Place the plant in the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Backfill with soil, gently firming it around the plant to eliminate air pockets. Water the plant thoroughly to help settle the soil and ensure the plant is not moisture stressed from the planting. NB: do not put any fertiliser in the hole at planting! Rather spread garden fertiliser across the soil surface once planting is complete.

Mulching and Initial Care

After planting, apply a layer of organic mulch around the base of the plants. Mulching helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate the soil temperature. Try to keep the mulch away from the trunk to reduce the likelihood of rot. Water newly planted camellias regularly, especially during dry spells, to help them establish a strong root system.

Benefits of a Camellia Hedge

A Camellia hedge offers multiple benefits that enhance both the aesthetic and functional aspects of your garden.

Year-Round Privacy

The dense foliage of camellias ensures your privacy all year long. This continuous coverage is perfect for creating a secluded garden oasis or shielding your home from the view of the street. As the plants mature, their interlocking branches form a natural barrier that is both effective and attractive. This makes camellias a top choice for those seeking both beauty and functionality in their hedges.

Beautiful Blooms

Depending on the variety, camellias offer stunning flowers from autumn to spring. These blooms range in colour from delicate whites to vibrant pinks and reds, providing a spectacular floral display during the cooler months. The flowers not only add a pop of colour but also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, enhancing the biodiversity of your garden. This seasonal burst of colour is one of the many reasons gardeners are drawn to camellias for their hedges.

Versatility in Design

Camellias can be pruned to fit various shapes and sizes, making them perfect for both formal and informal hedges. Their flexibility in design allows gardeners to create structured, geometric borders or more relaxed, naturalistic screens. Whether you prefer a manicured look or a free-form hedge, camellias can be tailored to suit your aesthetic preferences. This versatility makes them a favorite among gardeners who want to personalize their landscape design.

Longevity and Durability

With proper care, camellias can thrive for decades, serving as a long-term investment in your garden. They are hardy plants that, once established, can withstand various environmental challenges, including drought and mild frost. This durability ensures that your hedge will remain a prominent feature in your garden for many years. Investing in camellias is not just about immediate beauty but also about securing a lasting legacy for your outdoor space.

Camellia Hedge Fertiliser

Camellias are showy plants that require feeding to keep them flowering and looking amazing. A lot of articles have all sorts of advice on this subject which often requires multiple applications, so you use more of their fertiliser. The Plant Company prefers to take a simpler and more environmentally responsible approach to Camellia hedge fertiliser. Our fertiliser for acid loving plants has been specifically blended and developed to give plants an initial boost and then sustained nutrition for 12 months. This fertiliser ensures that nutrients remain in the soil around the plant rather than being lost through the soil profile to where the plant cannot reach it. This also applies to plants grown on sandy soils.

Fertiliser for acid loving plants should be applied to the soil surface in spring just as the plants start their new growth. The Plant Company also advise that no fertiliser is placed in the hole at planting, but rather spread around the soil surface so it can wash through to the roots as it releases. Do not use any lime around Camellia plants as this can cause plant damage and lead to the slow death of the plant.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if fertiliser for acid loving plants has been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and encourages more flower buds to form as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it.

Camellia Hedge Pest and Disease Management

Camellias are generally hardy but can be susceptible to pests like aphids and scale, as well as diseases such as camellia petal blight.

Identifying Common Pests

Aphids, scale, and mites are common pests that can affect camellias. Regularly inspect your plants for any signs of infestation, such as discoloured leaves or sticky residue. Early detection is crucial for effective pest management. Use an appropriate insecticide to manage infestations and use according to the product's instructions.

Disease Prevention Strategies

Ensure good air circulation around the hedge to reduce the risk of fungal diseases like camellia petal blight. Prune away any overcrowded branches to improve airflow and reduce humidity around the plants. Remove any fallen blooms or leaves promptly, as they can harbour disease spores. Implementing these preventive measures will help maintain the health and vigour of your camellia hedge.

Camellia Hedges For Full Sun

All Camellia varieties can tolerate full sun despite some opinions that suggest otherwise. The light conditions in NZ are generally not strong enough to cause any damage to plants. Therefore, the options are wide open! Some of the more popular varieties in NZ are listed below:

• Camellia Cinnamon Cindy
• Camellia Early Pearly
• Camellia Fairy Blush
• Camellia Nicky Crisp
• Camellia Setsugekka
• Camellia transnokoensis

Camellia Hedges For Shade

Shade is generally defined as the plants receive some direct sun or a lot of dappled light but are not in full shade. In these situations, Camellia sasanqua varieties tend to be better than the japonica types. This is because they have smaller leaves and can capture more light than the larger leaves on Japonica types. Popular sasanqua hedge options include:

• Camellia Early Pearly – White flowering
• Camellia Mine No Yuki – White flowering
• Camellia Paradise Blush – White flowering with a pink blush
• Camellia Paradise Helen – White flowering
• Camellia Setsugekka – White flowering

If the planting position is light shade, any Camellia variety (including Japonica types) will be fine. However, if the level of shade is heavy, Camellias are probably not the best option for a hedge. To shed some light on this… as the level of shade increases the plants tend to become increasingly “leggy” and flowering performance is reduced.

Camellia sasanqua Setsugekka Hedge Spacing

Camellia sasanqua Setsugekka is the most popular Camellia hedge in NZ. Growing an amazing Camellia Setsugekka hedge starts with determining the correct spacing for the plants. As a general guide, 50 cm between the plants is the ideal spacing for this hedge. If you want the hedge to fill in faster, you can close up the spacing to 40 cm. However, going wider than 50 cm will have two effects. The first is that the gap between the plants at the base will be harder to fill in. The second is that the plants will tend to grow wider rather than upward. At a closer spacing the plants compete for light, and in doing so, push each other upwards. Therefore, The Plant Company recommends a 40-50 cm spacing to achieve an amazing Camellia Setsugekka hedge.

Creative Camellia Hedge Ideas

Camellias can be used in various garden designs. Consider these ideas for integrating a camellia hedge into your landscape:

Formal Hedges

• Shape camellias into neat, geometric forms for a classic look. Formal hedges are perfect for adding structure and elegance to your garden. Use precise pruning techniques to create symmetrical shapes, such as squares or rectangles. The clean lines of a formal hedge can serve as an attractive backdrop for other garden features or as a standalone statement.

Informal Borders

• Allow camellias to grow naturally for a more relaxed aesthetic. Informal borders blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, creating a softer, more organic appearance. This approach is ideal for gardens with a cottage or woodland theme. By allowing the plants to grow freely, you can enjoy the full, natural beauty of camellias without the constraints of formal pruning.

Mixed Plantings

• Combine camellias with other evergreen shrubs for added texture and interest. Mixed plantings introduce variety and depth to your garden, enhancing visual appeal. Consider pairing camellias with contrasting foliage colors or textures to create a dynamic landscape. This approach also supports biodiversity, attracting a wider range of pollinators and wildlife to your garden.

Seasonal Colour Schemes

• Plan your camellia hedge to complement other seasonal blooms in your garden. Select camellia varieties with bloom times that coincide with or extend beyond other flowering plants. This strategy creates a seamless transition of colour and interest throughout the year. By coordinating your plant selections, you can ensure a continuous display of beauty in your garden.

Narrow Camellia Hedges

Narrow Camellia hedges offer elegant, space-saving vertical beauty. Ideal for defining boundaries or adding formal structure, these hedges feature camellia varieties bred for compact, upright growth and management techniques that ensure success.

There are three key parts to creating a narrow Camellia hedge. The first is the variety selected. The second is the plant spacing used, and the third is about how the hedge is pruned.

Narrow Camellia Hedge Varieties

The popular narrow-growing camellia varieties are Camellia 'Yuletide', Camellia Setsugekka and Camellia 'Paradise Petite'. These are ideal for creating a compact hedge without sacrificing beauty. Their slender growth habit is perfect for tight spaces or as a feature in smaller gardens. These varieties still offer the rich foliage and delightful blooms characteristic of camellias but in a more compact form, making them versatile for various garden design

Plant Spacing For A Narrow Hedge

When plants are placed together closely, they naturally push upwards as they chase light. When they are spaced widely, they are not competing with each other so they tend to become a lot broader. Therefore, a vital ingredient for a narrow camellia hedge is to space the plants correctly. The Plant Company recommends a spacing of 40 cm between plants for a narrow hedge. The plants should be well-staked so growth is directed and supported to grow upwards.

Trimming A Narrow Camellia Hedge

Trimming early is the final element to achieving a narrow hedge. The Plant Company recommends that light trimming begins soon after planting. Each time the end of a stem is removed, it will sprout more stems from the buds below it. Therefore, the key to a dense hedge is to start the pruning early but opt for a little and often approach rather than making aggressive cuts as this will slow the plant down.

Planting A Camellia Hedge

To establish a healthy camellia hedge, follow these simple steps:

Site Selection and Soil Preparation

• Choose a site with well-draining soil and partial shade to full sun. Camellias prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5 to 6.5). If your soil is not acidic, consider adding soil acidifying fertiliser.

Site Preparation

• Prepare the planting site by removing weeds and debris, which can compete with young plants for nutrients, water, and light. Working the soil to a depth of about 30 cm improves aeration and drainage, essential for root development. Consider incorporating organic matter, such as well-rotted compost, to enrich the soil and improve the both the structure and biology.

Ensure Optimal Drainage

• Proper drainage is crucial for the health of camellias, as they do not tolerate waterlogged conditions. To improve drainage, consider creating raised beds or planting on a slight slope. Adding coarse sand or gravel to heavy clay soils can also enhance drainage. Ensuring your site is well-draining will help prevent root rot and other wetness-related issues.

Pruning A Camellia Hedge

A well-maintained camellia hedge will reward you with lush foliage and vibrant flowering. Pruning camellias is essential to maintain the desired shape and encourage healthy growth. The best time to prune is after flowering, usually in late spring.

First Prune

The Plant Company recommends that light trimming begins soon after planting. Each time the end of a stem is removed, it will sprout more stems from the buds below. Therefore, the key to a dense hedge is to start the pruning early.

Light Pruning

Light pruning involves removing dead or damaged branches and lightly shaping the hedge. This process encourages new growth and keeps the hedge to a uniform shape. Light pruning is best done with sharp, clean tools to ensure precise cuts and minimise any damage to the plant. For large hedges a hedge trimmer is fine to use. Remember, little and often will produce a better hedge than heavy pruning infrequently. Once a year is fine though the best hedges are typically trimmed in late spring and again in late autumn.

Hard Pruning

Every few years, you may perform more extensive pruning to rejuvenate the hedge. Hard pruning involves cutting back about one-third of the growth to promote new shoots. This practice is beneficial if the hedge has become overgrown or sparse. Hard pruning should be approached with care to avoid shocking the plant, and it's best done in stages if necessary.