High Fragrance Camellia

High Fragrance Camellia (Camellia 'High Fragrance') was bred to fix the one thing camellias famously lack: scent. The soft pink and cream blooms open through the cooler months and carry a genuine sweet perfume that drifts on still mornings. It grows into a dense evergreen shrub about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, which puts a fragrant hedge, screen or feature within reach of most gardens.

Why you'll love it

• Perfume, not just flowers. This is a lutchuensis hybrid, bred specifically for fragrance. Plant it by a door, a path or a window you open in winter and the scent finds you.
• Colour in the quiet season. The blooms arrive through the cooler months when little else is flowering, and bees and butterflies work them on mild days.
• A polished evergreen all year. Glossy deep green foliage keeps it looking dressed between flowerings, which is what makes it a good hedge.
• Safe around pets. Camellias are pet friendly, so it can screen a family backyard without worry.
• Tougher than it looks. Frost hardy and comfortable in humidity, it performs from cool temperate gardens right up into the subtropics.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a dense fragrant hedge held anywhere from 1.5m to its full 2.5m. Few hedges reward walking past like this one.

Feature planting. A single specimen near an entry, seat or bedroom window puts the perfume where it is noticed daily.

Pots and containers. It grows well long term in a large container, which suits courtyards.

Growing High Fragrance Camellia in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun or dappled shade is ideal, with protection from hot afternoon sun in warmer districts. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate climates, and being frost hardy it shrugs off cold winters that would mark more tender shrubs.

Soil. Slightly acidic, well drained soil rich in organic matter. On heavy clay, plant into a raised or mounded bed. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, then during dry spells, especially while buds form. Feed with a camellia and azalea fertiliser after flowering.

Pruning. Trim lightly just after flowering to shape the hedge and thicken growth. Avoid pruning from midsummer on, because that removes the coming season's flower buds.

What to expect when it arrives

This camellia is currently grown as advanced stock in 25L and 45L containers, both supplied on backorder, so allow extra lead time between ordering and dispatch. The upside is real substance on arrival: established, well branched plants that make a hedge look convincing in its first year. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Everything you need to know about camellias
• Browse the full camellia range
• More fragrant plants for Australian gardens
• Compare hedging and screening plants

Common questions

How strong is the fragrance really?

Strong for a camellia, gentle by jasmine standards. The sweet perfume carries a metre or two on still mornings and strengthens as the plant matures. Position it close to where you walk or sit.

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. The plants knit into a continuous fragrant screen while each keeps foliage to the ground.

Does it need shade?

Morning sun with afternoon protection is the sweet spot in most of the country. In cool temperate gardens it takes more sun, while in the subtropics a position out of the harshest afternoon light keeps the foliage deep green.

Is it safe for pets?

Yes. Camellias are non toxic to cats and dogs, making this one of the safer flowering hedges for a family garden.

Why is my order on backorder?

Both sizes are grown on in limited runs and dispatched once plants reach standard, so allow extra lead time. The 30 day healthy plant guarantee applies as normal when your plant arrives.