Ecclesfield Camellia

Ecclesfield Camellia (Camellia japonica 'Ecclesfield') flowers deep red through the coldest part of the year, when most of the garden has nothing to offer. It makes a dense evergreen shrub of about 3m tall and 2.5m wide, and does its best work in the shaded positions where sun lovers sulk. It is also safe around cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Colour in winter. Rich red blooms open from late autumn into spring, filling the months when few other shrubs are doing anything.
• It wants the shade. Morning sun with afternoon shade suits it perfectly, which makes it one of the few flowering screens for a south facing fence.
• Glossy year round. The dark evergreen leaves look presentable every month, so it holds a boundary whether or not it is in flower.
• Safe around pets. Camellias are not toxic to cats or dogs, so a hedge along a dog run is no concern.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart for a dense hedge. At that spacing the plants knit together over three to four seasons and hold foliage low, giving a screen of 2m to 3m.

Shaded feature planting. Under high canopy or against a shaded wall a single plant reads as a small tree, and the red flowers carry a long way in low light.

Pots and courtyards. A pot 500mm or wider holds it near 1.5m, in a camellia and azalea mix rather than ordinary potting mix.

Growing Ecclesfield Camellia in Australia

Position and climate. Filtered light, or morning sun with afternoon shade; hot western sun scorches the leaves. It grows well in cool temperate, warm temperate and subtropical gardens, is frost hardy once established and handles humidity.

Soil. Acidic, rich in organic matter and free draining. Work compost through the bed, keep the root ball slightly proud of the surface and mulch 75mm deep clear of the stem. Limey or waterlogged ground will not do.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist while buds are forming through summer and autumn, since dry spells at that stage cause buds to drop. Feed with a camellia and azalea fertiliser after flowering, then again in late summer.

Pruning. Prune straight after the last flowers, before new buds set. Light shaping suits a specimen; a hedge wants a proper trim each spring. It reshoots from old wood, so a neglected plant can be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is sold in 200mm pots, in packs of six, a practical unit for a hedge of about 6m. Plants are well branched young shrubs rather than advanced specimens, usually around knee height, and often carry buds in season.

Some bud drop after transit is normal and does not indicate a problem. Expect a settling in period of a month or so, then steady growth of 20 to 30cm a year, with a hedge closing over three to four seasons. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the camellia care guide.
• Compare varieties in the camellia collection.
• See other plants for partial shade.
• Browse more plants that are safe around pets.

Common questions

How far apart for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Camellias are steady rather than fast, so closer spacing does not speed the screen up, it just crowds the roots.

Why are the buds dropping before they open?

Almost always water stress the previous summer, when the buds were forming. Keep the soil evenly moist from summer through autumn and mulch well, and the following season sets properly.

Can it take full sun?

Only in cool districts, and even then morning sun with afternoon shade is better. In warm gardens full afternoon sun burns the leaves and cuts the flowering short.

Will it grow in a pot?

Yes, and it suits a shaded courtyard. Use a pot at least 500mm wide with an acidic camellia mix, and expect it to settle around 1.5m rather than 3m.