With a 1' plant, you have several years before you can do anything. Some of them grow VERY slowly. It will probably have a main truck naturally. You shouldn't have anything to do but cut off the lower limbs when the time comes to prune. My personal opinion is that the natural shape of the camellia bush will be much lovelier than an artifical looking "tree". However, if that's what you need, you shouldn't have any problems. It may take years to get any height on it.

Thanks PeaBee..I'm not too happy w/this plant..I ordered from mgonline.com and every leaf dropped.
I had a beautiful tree camellia for yrs, then one summer while it was outdoors, it rained continuously, and the poor thing died.
The nursery didn't even add a tag ID'ing the plant. And I don't like they way they packaged it. Mind you, it was an expensive plant, and just today I measured it..It's about 10", not a foot. I'm really angry about this plant..
I do a lot of ordering online and normally have the best of luck, but when I order a plant from a nursery for the first time, and it arrives undesirable, I know not to order from that company anymore. I just hope new leaves sprout..I paid 29.00 plus shipping..The other camillia I had, was 70.00, but it was about 5'+ tall, and very healthy..It was a winter bloomer; boy do I miss that plant. Ok, thanks, PB, sorry for blabbing away, but I'm really disappointed..Thanks, Toni

Oh, dear!! It does sound as if you have been stuck with a poor selection. If the leaves are gone, watch the ends of the little branches carefully. It may bud out, or it may come back from the roots. Continue to treat it as if it was doing well. It may recover. Give it several months to see if it will recover. Did the Nursery give any kind of guarantee for the plant? They may be willing to replace it.
Good Luck!
PB

PB, I'd have to go to their site to see if there's a guarantee..All I know is I'm never going to order from them again..I would have prefered spending 40.00 more and getting a tree like the one I had..
I'm going to give it time and see what happens..Sometimes, from shipping, plants arrive a bit sluggish, but I've never gotten one this sluggish. And I've gotten plants in mid-winter here in Il w/o problems..
Ok, thanks for everything..Toni

Can you tell suggest a fast growing camelia I can use for standard bush. We have frosts hear so need it to be frost tolerant and will line the drive way so would need around 20 or so of them. They will have afternooon sun on them also which is also something I need to consider. Colour, I have a lot of white in the garden so something pale or white with tinge of pink.....I do particularly like the double bloom varieties

Toni, send me a picture and I might be able to make some pruning suggestions. Or at least a plan for the future.

I looked up that company and saw that they do NOT do refunds nor returns. They promise that their plants are in great shape when they left their place of business and if something is wrong with them...it's your fault and not theirs!

How crummy is that?? Be sure to email them and express your disappointment.

Here is a link that might be useful: Take a look at MGONLINE.COM policies