3. How close is too close to the house? I'd like the plant to get to about 10 feet tall and I think planting 5 feet from the house would have it end up almost touching the house.

4. What can you tell me about the required soil conditions as well as the necessary maintenance of the "yuletide"?

5. Where can I find this plant in NC and know that I'm buying from a repretable source?

Thanks so much for your time. Doug

1. Most camellia roots are shallow but some may grow deep as time passes. If you plan to have a camellia there for a few years only (10-20) then I would not worry. Camellias grow ever so slowly that you may have to wait decades for the plant roots to pose a serious problem. Some of mine add about an inch a year but others can grow more. By the way, if properly cared for, camellias can grow hundreds of years; click here for some awesome examples.

2. Depends on your definition. Dense shade will affect the bloomage somewhat. However, you can plant a camellia under another tree, for example, and the indirect lighting will compensate for lack of direct sun. But if you plant it in really dense shade conditions then the plant may grow fine but produce few blooms. After all, some sun is needed to develop the flower buds.

3. The cement from the foundation leeches lime and that causes the soil near the foundation to become alkaline. Camellias will tolerate that up to a point so the further away from the foundation, the better. Most of us suggest planting camellias about 4' away. If your house is old, the foundation will still leech some lime but not as much as a new foundation would.

4. Camellias need soil that is acidic (pH between 5.5 and 6.8) and well draining. But as I said, they tolerate alkaline soils up to a point. My soils are definitely alkaline in Texas but I apply ammendments to lower the alkalinity in Spring of every year.

More important is to maintain the soil moist -not wet- as often as you can. Add 3-4" of any type of acidic mulch up to or past the drip line. You can fertilize in March/May/July with cottonseed meal or a general purpose slow-release fertilizer (NPK Ratio of 10-10-10 is fine).

5. Yuletide is a very common camellia. But camellias are probably not found in large numbers in stores until the weather gets cold. What is out there now may have been shipped last winter. Provided they were ordered by the nurseries, Yuletides can be found in local nurseries as well as Home Depot and Lowes so check around when the shipments come in. You could also order online too and even visit Camellia Forest Nursery in Chapel Hill, NC.

I have included a link below to the American Camellia Website. It has information on fertilizing, etc so go over it when you have some time.

Luis