Hello, tennesseestorm. These would work well in Zone 6: Survivor (white, rosette, blooms early, holds up well against cold temps); Winter's Fire (rosette, red/pink); Fire N Ice (semi-double, red/magenta); April Remembered (semi-double, petals start pink and turn cream/white). That list would produce flowers starting in mid Fall to late Winter. When researching others, be aware that non-zone 6 plants will probably grow in your area but the flower buds may suffer and die due to the cold temps.

Other info that may be useful... provide acid soil, acid mulch, afternoon shade, water (moist to a depth of 1.5 - 2 feet) and about a cup of cottonseed meal yearly in early spring after flowering (always water after fertilizing). Visit the American Camellia Society Website for additional info.

Luis

Here is a link that might be useful: American Camellia Society

Thanks very much for that information. Are the ones you listed also common in the deep south? (Meaning, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi). Of those others you mentioned that may have a bud freezing - would they come back in the spring, or would they permanently perish? Thanks again and thanks for that link. I will check that out!

No. The varieties provided by Mr. Luis were mostly developed at the National Arboretum in Washington for ability to survive successfully in zone 6. Generally speaking, the classic camellias of the deep south are not hardy north of zone 7. Check the site that Luis recommended for a list of the classics. 'Mathotiana', 'Glen 40', and 'Nuccio's Bella Rossa' exemplify my vision of the classic formal double red camellia, but they are zones 7-8-9 varieties.

Thanks Dave. I would really like to plant her some of those "classic" camellias. I am officially in zone 6B, but zome 7A is only about 20 miles west. I do not think it would make much of a difference. Can you recommend a good place for me to purchase any of the classic ones you mentioned? Many thanks!

The website for the American Camellia Society includes a Links Page with a list of several mail order nurseries, some of which are located in Georgia. See the link below

When ordering over the Internet, may I suggest that you always check the Garden Watchdog in DavesGarden.com. It has names and rating of many mail order nurseries and stories (good and bad) from other people. For more info on this, start at http://www.davesgarden.com and follow the links.

Another alternative is to check out the inventory at your local nurseries since, some of them can special order for you too.

For example, one of my local nurseries carries camellias from wholeseller Monrovia (www.monrovia.com) and the local nursery will special order when their inventory does not include one that I want.

Some of your local nurseries in Tenn. may do likewise.

Luis

Here is a link that might be useful: American Camellia Society Links' Page

You may wish to try the "April Series" developed by Camellia Forest Nursery in Chapel Hill, NC. They're all true japonicas with the traditional camellia look, and most are hardy into parts of zone 6, at least in the South.

Some older cultivars also known to survive below zero are 'Kumasaka' and 'Paulette Godard'.

Here is a link that might be useful: Camellia Forest Nursery

I had my yard landscaped in Dec. 05. and the landscaper put in 4 Autumn Pink Icicle camillias. When he planted them they were full of buds, but the buds never opened and finally dropped off. I think they had been shipped from AL, and I thought they might not have blossomed because of transplant shock and being moved to a colder zone. I noticed this type isn't on the above recommended list for zone 6b. Is this zone too cold for these camillias?

Just wanted to report that 3 of my 4 Autumn Pink Icicle camillias are now in bloom and are quite beautiful

tnremodel, Pink Icicle is stunningly beautiful as the generous pink blooms contrast against the wonderful leaves.

I was told that the Pink Icicle plants are cold hardy but the flowers are not. It is also reported that you should wrapping your Pink Icicles with bubble wrap whenever the forcasts predict freezing or excessively windy and freezing days and/or nights. Then when the weather calms and the temps rise again above freezing unwrap them and continue enjoying the ongoing reblooms through winter until February.

Wow. That sounds like maybe more trouble than I'd bargained for.

If you understand the nature of a camellia to bloom in the deep coastal south, you may be better able to determine whether they're 'worth the effort.'

Here, camellias start the season loaded with buds. When they sense it's time, a few start to open. If a hard freeze comes, those that are open turn brown and drop off. When it's warm again, more open up. That repeats throughout the winter. The C. sasanquas have started, the others have different start times among the C. japonicas. "Blood of China' usually hardly begins to bloom until April and frequently the buds blast due to heat and we don't see all of them bloom.

Here's one difference between a near-zone 7 and a true zone 8b where camellias thrive: When we have a 'cold spell' here the temperature may drop below freezing during the night and sub-freezing temps last only a few hours. The plants adapt to that. They have more trouble adapting to freezing temps that come and stay for days.

If I were researching camellias for a colder climate, I would search all the university hort sites I could find and read all the books the library could borrow for me on camellias. I would look for those that bloom early on, like the sasanquas, and those that bloom late among the Camellia japonicas, so that I had a better chance that buds would not freeze before they opened well, or freeze just as they came into bloom. I would plan to plant in the best sheltered area I could find. My Mathotiana in in a southwest facing corner partially sheltered by the overhang of the house.

Good Luck,
Nell

Here is a link that might be useful: Camellia

tnremodel, post a picture of your plants (if you can)!

A 100 year winter event, storm blew in 8 days ago; leaving behind almost 3 inches of ice. A snow event occuring the next day; left just more than 9 inches of snow with taller drifts on top of the thick layer of ice. While there is still some snow unmelted in the northern facing yards and under shady areas, the temps for the first time since the extreme winter even is reported to stay above freezing both day and night for most of next week. It sure will be nice to be able to leave my 3 potted cammeliias outside during that entire time.

These Camellias are 3 'Pink Icicles', that I have been moving into the garage during the below freezing times and putting back out side any time the temps have risen above freezing. That is what I consider a lot of work.

Our recent severe winter event formed drifting snow wind patterns that have exposed the best place along the northern east side of my house, for planting them.

In response to the concept that wrapping them with bubble wrap to keep the buds and flowers from freezing, during such low temperature drops, seems like too much trouble. I certainly think that would be a lot less trouble than last week, when I had to move my current moderately heavy 3 gallon size potted camellias in and out of the garage almost daily as the temps rose above freezing for short periods almost every day.

Here is a species, as you asked, not a hybrid nor C japonica cultivar, called C. chekianggoleosa. This species has three color variations, white, pink and red. It is considered as meduim plus size, single. You need the nice red one available in this country. It will stand -6.5C and loves hot, humid weather. There is a picture of a huge bush.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:506059}}

I posted this a couple of months ago, but will repeat here since it is applicable.
A new edition of William Ackerman's cold hardy camellia book is coming out in April. Anyone interested in growing cold-hardy camellias will find it helpful. Dr.Ackerman has been one of the leaders in developing cold-hardy varieties.

Here is a link that might be useful: Beyond the Camellia Belt