I am not growing camellias because I don't have enough shade, but Mike Hayes & Associations trialed some of the newer ones a couple of years ago to test for hardiness, growing conditions, etc. His group is on Mallory Station Road in the Cool Springs Area. You might want to check with them for their results. Good luck.

Ann

Thanks, Ann! I'll pay them a visit.

Jana

There are several lines of zone 6 hardy camellias available, I believe. The one I'm familiar with is the "Winter" series, a result of USDA breeding IIRC. All the cultivars have names with "Winter" in them, e.g. 'Winter's Star'. These sorts are grown with success around Nashville. There are quite a few choices in this series, and many have different habits, so a little homework helps select the most desirable plant for your situation.

In my experience they like humusy, well drained acid soil and a northeast facing location in bright shade. Aspect is really important, and that compass point seems to give the best results. If placed on a south facing aspect where they receive the intensity of the southern sun, they can sunscald. On the northwest side they get winter windburn. But in general, a sheltered spot in bright shade or maybe morning sun/afternoon shade works.

Marty

I grow true japonicas and sasanquas here in west Knoxville. "Greensboro Red" does well here, as well as "Yuletide" and another sasanqua I just bought (forget the name). The first two should be hardy to near 0. Zone 7 camellias have been grown for many years in Knoxville with success, as the 12 foot tall sasanquas I see sometimes demonstrate. Don't let people try to tell you that Nashville is zone 6 because it is not.

Lol, Myrtly I like in Clinton we're zone 8a to 7b most years,"lately", and we don't have the heat island!

Speaking of zones, would Johnson City/Kingsport area be considered zone 6? And has anyone heard of people successfully growing camellias in that area? My wife and I are moving there from Texas. It's a change of mindset, having to think about it being too cold for plants rather than too hot.

I think that it's supposed to be zone 6a but, that's really not saying a whole lot. I like just north and west of Knoxville and we're supposed to be zone 6b. In the
last 10 years we've had maybe one zone 6 day. Most years we are 7b or 8a and umh.... you do still have to worry about it being too hot for some things and too cold for others. I'd just say be carefull as to the sources of your plants a lot of the northern garden supply companies will send us stuff mid spring for them so..... it just sort of cooks when you put it in the ground.
welcome to TN

I guess we're taking them for granted up on the hill.... with one having been growing for years on an east wall and full sun until it finally begins getting some shade in the afternoon, and the others full sun until they begin getting some dappled shade from larger trees but still good/full light later in the afternoon until sundown with exposure in all directions... the real challenge since last year has been keeping the deer from eating them down to nothing.... Otherwise, they are in the crappy clay-type soil and aren't receiving any special treatment except to have fencing around them as barriers for the youngest specimens when they go in so they can grow before the deer try to make a meal out of them...

Thanks for the welcome, Christnpalm. And that sounds promising, Hermit. I might have a chance of getting them to grow, in that case.

While it's true that winters have run generally warmer in the last couple of decades, do pay attention to your own microclimate. Where I work, about 20 miles southwest of Nashville, *parts* of the 120-acre property had a zone 6 winter; other parts were zone 7. The difference is elevation and direction of exposure. Hillsides and high ground = warmer, bottoms, valleys and hollows colder.

Zone maps are general guidelines and local conditions can vary hugely. I live about 12 miles further southwest from my workplace, and at 7AM if it's 12 degrees at my house it'll be 0 or below at work. Unfortunately, this temp differential doesn't hold for hot weather, when I'd welcome a 12-15 degree difference!

Marty

Any body have any luck with camellias lately?
I'm in Lebanon tn.
ty
elizabeth

Too soon to tell, but I just got a Camellia (Japonica) Debutante a few weeks ago. :) It was one of the plants in Mom's booth at the Lawn & Garden show. I sure hope it makes it - it's gorgeous! I don't have a lot of year-round shade options, so we put it on the north/west corner of the house, but it is protected by a fence on the west side and this corner of the house forms a nook, so hopefully it will be safe from windburn.

Mine's doing great.

I took a Taylor's pink to my friend in Nashville last year and she says it is doing great.

Mary

Hi folks, I have seen several growing in Kingsport ,and Blooming now. I am going to be looking for one. Happy gardening to all this summer. Patricia, Welcome to TN. Transplanted Texan

I have three in my shady backyard. Zone 6b. One is full of fat buds right now, one bloomed in late fall and one has not bloomed since the deer ate all it's buds two years ago. I have kept the deer away by tieing little green mesh bags with hotel soaps inside to the branches. The bags don't look too bad because the green blends in with the foliage and the deer hate the smell.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden tips

I have two in a shady spot in my south facing backyard and they are doing great.