It is well alive, not dead. I often has one or two plants just like that which are missed by my drip tubes. I have so many camellia plants but they are all in containers. Yours is in ground. If the plant is exposed to sun too much, I would cover it with a temporary shade cloth. Make sure to feed water to your plant by hand, knowing that water is get into the root mass. Cover the root area with a thick mulching. Some branches might later produce leave buds. If the damage is too much, you can make a major cut of trunk next early Spring.

Very good advice. I don't know what the restrictions are, but you can certainly use collected shower water to hand-water your plants with on an individual basis. I can't imagine what you must have paid for a 6 foot camellia (a BUNCH), so going the extra mile is important. Larger plants take much longer to establish into the surrounding soil, so I expect that the major part of the root system is still contained within the original root mass, especially since you've been under water restriction.

Is it that you are not allowed to run wasteful irrigation systems or what are the stipulations of your restriction?

The camellia is in the front yard and our restrictions limit us to watering once a week. I run the hose over this guy every week, but it doesn't seem to be enough. It is hot. 100 degrees everyday. I have already been busted once watering on off times (thought it was a secret with soaker hose). I'm trying to keep a lot of plants alive, but it is very hard. I so want this camellia to make it.

Anyway. I hope it lives - it really does look truly dead except for the bottom branch. Very sad.

Is it permitted to collect some water from the kitchen sink or bathroom sink so one can water plants? You could try to use some of that on the camellia provided there are no suds, bad chemicals or salty compounds. You could also install some rain barrels!

Hi. I have been using some inside water to water the camellia when I can. I have rain buckets out - but that is our problem here this year - it really hasn't rained much at all. It's beginning to get a little better, so I guess I will not cut the camellia down until winter (if it doesn't seem to improve). There are still only around three green leaves on the bottom of this plant. Very sad.

You can save any kitchen water you have, like used to boil potatoes or rinse anything, also put a bucket in the shower with you to collect that water. I know it's heavy to carry around but a gallon here and there can help.