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- Camellia japonica ‘R. L. Wheeler’
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a to 9b
- A long-time favorite in Southern gardens, ‘R. L. Wheeler’ camellia makes a striking presence from late winter through early spring with its large, showy flowers. Bred in Macon, Georgia, in the mid-twentieth century, ‘R.L. Wheeler’ is now available in pink, red, white, and varigated varieties. Plant it high with the trunk base above the soil line, and rake away dropped leaves and flowers for the healthiest camellia.
- Need a friend for this plant? Check out these great additions:
- Yuki Snowflake® Deutzia
- Blue Cascade® Distylium, Evergreen Distylium
- Not quite what you are looking for? Check out these great products!
- ‘April Kiss’ Camellia
- ‘Marie Bracey’ Camellia, Spellbound
- Woody Ornamentals - Flowering Shrubs - Evergreen - Broadleaf
- Growth Size: Tall Shrub - 10 to 12 feet tall, 8 to 10 feet wide
- Growth Habit: Upright
- Features: Year Round Color and Interest, Screening, Easy to Grow, Long-lived
- Heat Tolerant, Cold Hardy, Drought Tolerant (once established)
- Attracts: Pollinators
- Garden Ideas:
- Asian-Zen, Woodland Shade, Cutting
- Flower features: Showy Flowers, Good for Cut Flowers
- Rose pink Very large semi-double to anemone form with heavy outer petals and solid circle of stamens that bloom in winter through spring
- Foliage type and color: Evergreen, Green
- Landscape Uses: Shady areas, Woodland edge, Grouping, Foundation, Understory tree
- Accent, Border, Container, Mass Planting, Specimen
- ‘R. L. Wheeler’ Camellia is a Low maintenance plant
- Growth Size: Tall Shrub - 10 to 12 feet tall, 8 to 10 feet wide
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Spacing: 7-10 ft apart
- Exposure: Partial Shade
- Watering: Average Evenly Moist
- Soil Types: Acidic Moist, well-drained Enriched with organic matter
- General Plant Care: Care for your shrubs includes monitoring for pests and diseases, periodically checking soil moisture, and providing fertilizer as needed. In general, plants that have sufficient water and the correct amount of fertilizer tend to not have as many pest and disease problems. Water new plants weekly during the growing season in the first year, and as needed after that.
- General Planting Tips: Choose a site suited to your plant's light, soil, and space needs. Dig a hole twice as wide but no deeper than the container. Remove plant from container and loosen roots slightly. Place the plant in the hole. If using slow-release (coated) fertilizer, you may add it according to package directions at this time. Add soil back to the hole, ensuring the top of the soil from the container is even with the surrounding soil. Water well, and add more soil if needed. Add 2-3 inches of mulch around plant, taking care to keep away from stem or trunk. See our FAQ page for more details on Mulching.
- General Fertilizing Tips: Apply acidic fertilizer according to package directions in spring after flowering. If needed, fertilize again in midsummer. Camellias properly planted in rich organic soil generally will not need a second application of fertilizer.
- General Pruning suggestions: Pruning can help keep a more manageable or attractive size or shape, or encourage new blooms or vigorous new growth. To avoid unnecessary pruning chores, pick the right size plant for your available space -- for example, don’t plant a shrub that gets twelve feet tall in front of a low window. Unless they being used in a formal garden setting, plants look best when not sheared tightly into a square or round ball shape. If pruning a hedge, keep the top narrower than the base to form a slight angle, allowing sun to reach the bottom branches to avoid die-back at the base of the plant. Instead, preserve the natural growth habit of the shrub by pruning selected branches back to a fork, to the trunk, or to the ground, depending on the amount you wish to cut the shrub back. Do not remove more than 1/4 of the total plant at any one time.
