Garden writer Ciscoe Morris on winter-blooming camellias and the pros and cons of using biochar, a charcoal-like substance left over from the process of making biofuel.
In the Garden
Winter-blooming camellias liven up the winter garden with attractive, sometimes fragrant flowers backed by glossy dark green foliage. These broad-leaved evergreen shrubs generally range from 4- to 12-feet-tall and come in a variety of forms. They’re easily pruned, making them an excellent choice for small gardens, espalier or containers.
The brightly colored flowers have a unique tropical look and range in color from red to white and practically every shade of pink in between. The individual blooms are short-lived, but the bloom season lasts for months producing an abundance of flowers. The spent blossoms on most varieties tend to fall off on their own, leaving the plant with a clean attractive appearance.
A favorite is Camellia sasanqua ‘Fairy Blush,’ growing to a maximum of 5 feet with deep pink buds opening to reveal dainty, sweetly scented single apple-blossom blooms, perfect for containers.
The darker pink flowering C.s. ‘Marge Miller’ sports a natural weeping form perfect for cascading over a wall. If you have room for an 8-foot tall and wide vigorous grower, hybrid C. x ‘J.C. Williams’ sports beautiful single, soft pink flowers that bloom away merrily in even the most extreme weather.
Finally, my personal favorite winter-blooming camellia is C.s. ‘Yuletide.’ The wonderfully fragrant, brilliant single red blossoms, centered with bright yellow stamens, bloom right on time for Christmas.
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