April Dawn Camellia

Camellia blossoms come in many forms, and some of the most delightful are the ‘formal’ type, with neat petals arranged in a geometric form, just like we see in the April Dawn Blush Camellia. A beautiful pink color, accented by darker-pink veins, and with a narrow, irregular white edging on each petal, it’s a captivating beauty, and one of the best in its class. It blooms later than most camellias, in March and April, which is part of the reason it is also one of the best choices for gardeners in zone 6, where this plant thrives the way most other camellias don’t. It is an offspring of the April Series of cold-hardy varieties, especially bred for zone 6. Forming a broad, upright bush, with dark-green, glossy foliage, it makes a lovely, broad column of branches maturing around 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Perfect for those of you in colder zones, but very worthwhile everywhere for its stunning blooms and late arrival. Ideal for growing in a pot, too.

• Formal, pink flowers with a white edge on the petals
• One of the last varieties to bloom, flowering between March and May
• Attractive dense, upright form, broad at the base
• Bred especially to be hardy even in zone 6 – great choice for colder regions
• Grow in moist, acidic soil in partial shade for the best results

Plant the April Dawn Blush Camellia in a spot with some morning sun that turns to light shade later in the day, or in a spot with light, dappled shade, such as beneath deciduous trees or at the base of a north-facing wall. It should be grown in well-drained but moist soil that is also rich and acidic, with a pH value below 6.0. Add plenty of lime-free compost when planting, and also use it as a mulch over the roots – but not touching the stems or leaves. If you don’t have suitable soil, grow it in a pot using soil blended for acid-loving plants. In zones 6 and 7 pots will need to be protected from cold in winter. If you have a cold glass porch, bring it inside in late fall and enjoy earlier blossoms that will be perfect and undamaged by the weather. Place outside again once frost is unlikely. It isn’t eaten by deer, and camellias are easy and free of problems if you have the soil and light conditions correct.