Timming it severly will do less harm to it than moving it. Plus, to move it safely, you are most likely need to cut it back anyway unless you are going to have it moved by professionals with one of those big root diggers.

Camellias don't like having their roots exposed to air. So, while it may be possible to split the root, you are making it even less possible for the transplant to be successful.

If you like it where it is except for the size, think about just cutting it back. It could take years for it to regain the size it is now.

At any rate, I wish you luck. The root pruning is a good idea. with a plant that old, you will have a good size root ball to move. It can be done. But it's chancey.
PB

I agree with PB. Often wiser to cut the plant back nearly all the way (say 18 inches) and let it regenerate. Camellias can take it. If you do decide to move it, you might try to find one of the feeder roots that remains in the ground, and stake it up. It will sprout. I have tried transplanting pieces of root. Some have succeeded at this, but not me, not yet.

Another idea for your old one is to limb it up into tree form, and simply trim back those limbs on the backside that are rubbing the eave. That is exactly what I have done next to our front entrance, with a 60 year old japonica ('Latifolia') that now is a nice focal point and draws many compliments, especially when blooming. Just a thought. I can send you a digital photo if you want to see what I mean. We have done 3 or 4 like that, they are handsome, and unusual in the landscape.

Sat. October 16: ((Thanks for all of your fast responses. I'll hold off on the root pruning and wait another week to make a decision.

I'd like to have more camelias, so I've made a cold box(?) to grow root cuttings. I'll look into and try the root transplanting as well.))

Monday October, 25: The Camelia is 6 inches from the house and directly under the eaves; it overhangs the front steps and walk. I can't see any other option than to move it.

When I bought the house it looked as though it had never been pruned. A landscapte architect thought it was unusually lage for this area. It obscured the front door from the street and the view out through the door and was a security issue. I trimmed off what was touching the eaves, limbed up the foremost group of branches and hard pruned the branches (there are 12 total) nearest the house to gradually have a thick bush 5 feet high. It didn't seem to be the right decision.

What I've decided to do is split the roots and move the large foremost "limbed up" portion 4 feet from the eaves and 3 feet from the steps; I'll concentrate all my effort on making this portion survive. The rest I'll split and transplant as best I can.

I have some experience transplanting and so far I've had only one failure out of 15 attempts.

I went ahead and root pruned it. I'll try splitting and transplanting after the first frost.

Thanks again for your input. I've been agonizing over this and gathering information for two years.

How did it go?