Camellia x williamsii ‘E.G. Waterhouse’

Award-winning Camellia x williamsii ‘E.G. Waterhouse’ features eye-catching, fuchsia-pink flowers, 4 in. wide (10 cm), of formal double form with many rows of imbricated petals. The pretty blooms are profusely produced in the mid to late season (January to May in the Northern Hemisphere; June to October in the Southern Hemisphere). Vigorous, this camellia forms a narrow, almost columnar shrub and has a luxuriant evergreen foliage of dark green leaves along its ascending, gray-barked branches.

• This evergreen shrub has an upright habit and grows up to 8-15 ft. tall (240-450 cm) with a spread of 6-15 ft. (180-450 cm)
• Winner of the prestigious National Camellia Hall of Fame Award.
• A part shade to full shade lover, this plant is best grown in consistently moist, acidic, organically rich, well-drained soils. Provide a site sheltered from cold, dry winds as buds and flowers may be damaged by cold winds. Protect from the early morning sun and from the direct hot summer afternoon sun.
• May be attacked by aphids, scale insects, and vine weevil
• Mass in mixed shrub borders for dramatic winter blooms. Great flowering shrub for woodland gardens or as a screen and hedge. Perfect as a specimen plant.
• Apply a root mulch (leaves or shredded bark)
• Prune after flowering. Prune to thin branching and control size and shape.

Camellia x williamsii are the first camellia hybrids. Generally blooming after the Japanese camellias, they result from the cross of Camellia japonica and Camellia saluenensis. Among the most cold-hardy camellias (inherited from the japonica parent), most of them are extremely vigorous, free-blooming, with attractive, semi-glossy, leathery leaves. Graceful shrubs, they tolerate low light intensity and bloom over a long season, providing a spectacular show. They drop their spent heads with elegance (no deadheading required!), leaving a tidy bush. They feature a wide range of habits, from dwarf to large and spreading.