Hello, cadence, and happy New Year. I think Lily Pons is a late blooming Camellia Japonica. You may need to wait until March, maybe April, to see blooms. Camellia flower buds appear some time in the fall and stay on until blooming time (late winter in your case); then they enlarge further and open.

Some bud drop can be caused by factors such as temperatures that fluctuate a lot or soil moisture that fluctuates between periods of dry and moist (as soon as you sense the soil being almost dry, water again).

Other factors that can contribute to bud drop are freezing temperatures, lack of nutrients in the soil, insects such as camellia bud mites (spray with a miticide). Bud drop, if it occurs every year, may require transplanting the shrub into another location or replacing it (in rare cases).

There is not much you can do to prevent bud drop when there are large temperature fluctuations; hopefully a large portion remain after the fact. To help the shrub, water the soil prior to freezing temperatures, mulch with 3-4" of any type of mulch and do not fertilize after July-ish so the plant goes semi-dormant... camellias do not go fully dormant like other shrubs and do not loose leaves during the winter.

Because your camellia was recently planted, the shrub is still going thru transplant shock and may be more susceptible to temperature and moisture problems than an established camellia would be. I would not worry much even if all bud dropped on year one.

The exact time when buds will open is also difficult to predict. It can vary from the normal averages on year one and weather changes can delay (cold temperatures) or speed up (warm temperatures) the blooming time. The shrub could also stop blooming if it is too cold and then resume weeks or more than a month later.

Does that help you cadence?
Luis

Hi Luis, and a very Happy New Year to you as well.
Yes, your reply has been quite helpful to me. It's our rainy season here and the temperatures have been fluctuating. I don't see any mites (magnifying glass)
If Lily Pons is late blooming, then perhaps I still have something to look forward to. The soil is moist and I have mulched around it in late fall with composted bark mulch.

Another quick question? My friend gave me this camelia. She said it is about nine years old, yet it is only about three feet tall. The plastic tag is still on it and it looks pretty new to me. Could my friend be mistaken or can a camelia be only 3' tall after 9 years?

Thanks Luis, I really appreciate your help.

I read that this variety is not a fast grower; it should be about 8-10 feet tall (2.5 meters) at maturity. "At maturity" is a commercial term that means "in 10 years". So nine years old and 3 feet tall does not sound right. Nine years old and three meters tall would sound right though.

The size at maturity on the plant label usually "starts" counting (the time) when the nursery gets the shrub. Which is often the same time when you buy & plant the shrub. That would be year one. Ten years afterwards, your shrub should be around 2.5 meters tall, more or less.

A possible way to check all this... a 9-year old label on a 9-year old plant is bound to look old, faded and raggedy. In what condition is the label on your plant?

Luis

PS - Another possibility... did your friend meant to say months instead of years?

Hi Luis,
Maybe she did mean nine months. I'll ask her again. The tag looks almost too new to me. There is no fading, dirt, raggedy edges at all. Yes, it's only about 3 feet tall. I'll bet she meant to say nine months old. Thanks Luis.

You're welcome. Enjoy the plant and do not be too concerned about bud drop on the first year. Post pictures -if you can- when it finally blooms. It is not a common variety that is sold and seen everywhere.

Thanks again Luis. I'm hoping for March or so but I won't worry if she doesn't bloom this year. I will definitely send a pic.

I think it is possible that my Camelia was named after 'Lily Pons' who was a French-American operatic soprano and actress who had an active career from the late 1920s through the early 1970s.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lily Pons ~ Opera Star