April Rose Camellia
Camellia japonica ‘April Rose’
April Rose Camellia
Camellia japonica ‘April Rose’
How are the heights measured?
All tree, and nothin' but the tree! We measure from the top of the soil to the top of the tree; the height of the container or the root system is never included in our measurements.
What is a gallon container?
Nursery containers come in a variety of different sizes, and old-school nursery slang has stuck. While the industry-standard terminology is to call the sizes "Gallon Containers", that doesn't exactly translate to the traditional liquid "gallon" size we think of. You'll find we carry young 1-gallons, up to more mature 7-gallons ranging anywhere from 6 inches to 6ft.
How does the delivery process work?
All of our orders ship via FedEx Ground! Once your order is placed online, our magic elves get right to work picking, staging, boxing and shipping your trees. Orders typically ship out within 2 business days. You will receive email notifications along the way on the progress of your order, as well as tracking information to track your plants all the way to their new home!
Why are some states excluded from shipping?
The short & sweet answer is: "United States Department of Agriculture Restrictions." Every state has their own unique USDA restrictions on which plants they allow to come into their state. While we wish we could serve everyone, it's for the safety of native species and helps prevent the spread of invasive disease & pests. We've gotta protect good ole' Mother Nature, after all.
About Me
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The April Rose Camellia is an extremely hardy variety suitable for gardens in zone 6, where other camellias won’t grow. It is also so beautiful you will want to grow it, even if you garden in warmer areas. It forms a dense, upright evergreen bush with glossy leaves, but it is the flowers that will win your heart. Formed with perfect geometry, the many overlapping petals are a rich, glowing pink. Flowering begins in March and continues for a full 8 weeks, with buds opening in succession, keeping your bush in constant bloom. This plant will grow up to 8 feet tall, and be around 5 feet wide, and it is ideal for woodland gardens, shady beds and growing on containers.
- Rich, deep pink flowers for 8 weeks in spring
- Lush, glossy evergreen foliage is always beautiful
- A top choice for zone 6 gardens – very cold-hardy
- Forms a beautiful upright bush to 8 feet by 5 feet
- Easily grown in partial shade and acid soil
The April Rose Camellia is hardy from zone 6 to zone 9. It grows best in partial shade, or the light dappled shade beneath deciduous trees. Plant in acidic soil, with a pH below 6.5. The soil should be rich and organic, moist but well-drained. In suitable light and soil it is very easy to grow, with no problems and very little care needed. If you don’t have suitable soil in your garden you can grow this bush in a large pot for many years, using soil for acid-loving plants, and feeding with fertilizer for camellias, azaleas or rhododendrons. Feed in spring and early summer.
- Plant Hardiness Zones 6-9
- Mature Width 3-5
- Mature Height 5-8
- Sun Needs Partial Sun, Shade
Camellias in bloom are one of the most beautiful flowering shrubs you can grow. If you have partial shade they are ideal, and their lush evergreen foliage is always appealing. If you live in zone 6 it is especially frustrating, as just a little further south they bloom easily, but usually not in your zone. If that is what you think, we have a surprise for you. The April Rose Camellia is the result of dedicated breeding to create hardy camellias, and it blooms magnificently even in zone 6 – and of course in warmer zones too.
The April Rose Camellia is an evergreen bush with deep green, glossy, oval leaves. They are 3 to 4 inches long, and about 2 inches wide, with a leathery texture and smooth surface. The end is slightly pointed and the edges (margins) are finely toothed, but not sharp. Leaves are carried all along the branches, and plants remain dense and bushy to the ground, with little or not visible trunk. Plants will grow 6 inches a year, or more, and in time your camellia bush will be between 5 and 8 feet tall, and up to 5 feet wide, making a broad bush that will be smothered in hundreds of flowers during the blooming season.
Growing April Rose Camellias
The flowers of the April Rose Camellia are incredibly beautiful. There are many different shapes to camellia flowers, and this one is the type called ‘Formal Double’. The flower contains many petals, neatly arranged in concentric, overlapping circles, with a tight center. The flowers are large, fully 4 inches across, and they are a deep, rich pink and simply gorgeous. Not only are the flowers beautiful, they are also gently fragrant, a very rare and desirable trait in camellia blooms. Flowering usually begins in March, and continues for 6 or 8 weeks, particularly as the bush matures. That’s right, a full two months of blooming every year – no wonder camellia bushes are so popular. As the flowers mature they fall naturally to the ground, so your bush is always neat and beautiful. New buds continue to open as the old blooms fall.
Unlike most other Camellias, which are hardy only to zone 7, the April Rose Camellia is hardy in zone 6, passing through winter temperatures as low as minus 10 Fahrenheit without any bud or foliage damage. It is also hardy in zones 7 to 9, and with its gorgeous blooms you will certainly also want to grow it if you live in those warmer areas. The secret to success with camellia bushes is location, location. The ideal spot has some direct sun in the morning, and light shade for the rest of the day. Beneath deciduous trees is often perfect, as the extra light from spring to fall is ideal for them. You can also grow this bush in areas with light shade all day, but try to avoid the deep shade beneath large evergreen trees. It will also grow well against the north wall of your home, with blue sky overhead.
Suitable soil is the other requirement of the April Rose Camellia. The soil should be acidic, with a pH value between 5.5 and 6.5. If you can grow azaleas and rhododendrons in your garden, you can also grow camellias. You can easily test your soil with a kit from a garden center. The soil should have lots of organic material, like peat moss, in it, and it should be moist, but not wet. In clay soil plant on a low mound. If you don’t have suitable soil, don’t worry, just grow your bush in a large pot, using soil blended for acid-loving plants. It will grow happily in a pot for many years, and bloom profusely. Feed in spring and early summer with fertilizer for camellias and other acid-loving plants. Pruning is not usually needed, and your plant will normally be free of pests or diseases. If you do need to trim, do it immediately after flowering.
History and Origins of the April Rose Camellia
The Japanese camellia, Camellia japonica, has been grown in Asian gardens for centuries, and many varieties were developed. The first plants were grown in America by 1800, in Charleston, South Carolina, and it soon became a big favorite of southern gardeners. In the 1970’s and 80’s there were a series of harsh winters, and many camellia bushes in the South were killed by frost. This inspired experts and breeders to develop hardier varieties, and Dr. Clifford R. Parks of the North Carolina University was especially prominent in this. He is not only a highly-regarded scientist and camellia expert, but also a breeder and nursery owner. After those killing frosts, he shifted his work from breeding fragrant camellias to breeding cold hardy ones, and all his plants have ‘April’ in their name. To breed ‘April Rose’ he took pollen from a variety called ‘Kumasaka’, a plant already known for its cold tolerance, and used it to produce seed on a variety called ‘Berenice Boddy’. He tested the resulting seedlings, and chose one to be ‘April Rose’, one of the hardiest plants in his series.
Our plants are grown from stem pieces derived from that original plant, and they have all its superb properties. If you live in cooler zones, you should choose plants that will thrive, and this is the camellia for zone 6 – and warmer zones too, of course. Don’t hesitate to order right away, because plants of this special variety are hard to come by, and they will soon be gone.