Are Camellias still a good choice for Central Florida?

9 years ago

Hi,

It looks like I'm going to have to cut down my dwarf citrus trees because of citrus greening. I'm considering replacing the ones in partial shade with camellias--but I would like to avoid more heartbreak if possible.

Are camellias still a good choice for Central Florida? I've read posts on this forum about "die back" and it scares me. I don't want to invest years in growing camellias only to have them die or get sick the way the citrus have.

I've been reading about the best local varieties of camellias in the University of Florida pages, the Harry Leu Garden publications, the best local camellia nurseries, and so on, but I would like personal experiences if you have any. I can go with Japonicas or Sasanquas. It doesn't matter to me so long as they have a reasonable chance of staying healthy.

Does "die back" or any other disease make camellias a risky choice now?

Thanks,

Bill

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

Vicissitudezz
9 years ago
Hey there-

I would absolutely recommend camellias for your area- you have a great climate for these plants. I'm not sure where you are in Central Florida, but you might want to call some nurseries near you for reassurance and local recommendations- I'm including a link to ACS nurseries below, but Bob Wines in Ocala might be a good place to start?

As a general rule, camellias are quite resilient and un-fussy. If you buy from a reliable source with good growing practices, I think your chances are good.

Yes, die-back is a possibility, but most plants are not 100% risk-free. Except for weeds, of course...

I would check with the locals, though, to see what their experience has been. Possibly, die-back is more of a problem there than I'm aware of, so it's always good to get a reasonable estimate of your odds of success from folks in your area who should know. Your county extension agency may be a good source of info, also?

Here is a link that might be useful: American Camellia Soc link to retail nurseries
castorp
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the encouragement and the link. I'm definitely going to check locals. I just wanted to see first with this post if there are major problems with camellias in this climate now.

I live in Volusia County, inland. That's just north of Orlando, zone 9a.
Related Professionals
Canton Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Danbury Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Baltimore Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lowell Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Columbine Landscape Contractors · East Haven Landscape Contractors · Fridley Landscape Contractors · Holland Landscape Contractors · Petaluma Landscape Contractors · Tewksbury Landscape Contractors · Whitehall Landscape Contractors · Whittier Landscape Contractors · La Verne Swimming Pool Builders · West Covina Swimming Pool Builders · Randolph Swimming Pool Builders
luis_pr
9 years ago
My aunt lived in Ocala for several years but only after she moved did I learn of Bob Wines Nursery and Leu Gardens. Now I wish I could visit. Sigh.... There should not be any problems per se where you live. Just need to give them shade and water. I have heard that nematodes are an issue for roses but have not heard the same for camellias. Obviously not much with all the varieties that Leu Gardens has and all the varieties that FL Nurseries sell.