Should You Cut Old Blooms Off Camellias?

Deadheading

• To deadhead camellias, pinch off the spent flowers with your thumb and forefinger, where the stem meets the flower, or cut the stem just below the flower. When the plant is in full bloom, bring a basket or trash can with you to collect the spent blooms. Toss them in the compost pile or discard them.

Benefits

• Although it isn't absolutely necessary to deadhead camellias, doing so has several benefits. The spent flowers start to look straggly and untidy. Removing them can improve the camellia's appearance. Deadheading also eliminates the problem of petals blowing into the yard. Once a flower has bloomed, it begins to form seed if allowed to stay on the plant. Producing seed diverts energy from the plant, potentially reducing future blooms, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.

Bloom Time

• Camellias are valued by gardeners for their blooms, which appear from fall to spring, when few other plants are blooming. The flowers may be single or multiple-petaled and are usually sweetly scented. Camellia blooms have a tight, rounded form and resemble roses or peonies. The flowers range in size from 2 to 5 inches and are available in shades from white to pink to red.

Care

• In addition to deadheading, a few other tricks can keep your camellias blooming for months on end. Camellias need partial shade year-round, so plant them near a north wall or under evergreen trees. They grow best in light, well-draining soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. The plants have shallow roots and dry out quickly. Water at least once each week, or as needed to keep the soil evenly moist 1 inch beneath the surface. A mulch of pine straw or wood chips can help conserve moisture and regulate soil temperature. Finally, camellias are sensitive to cold and most varieties grow only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. Tea-oil camellia (Camellia oleifera) tolerates a bit more cold and grows in USDA zones 6 through 9.