How to Prune a Camellia Shrub

Camellia in bloom.

Camellia is a long-living, broad-leaved evergreen that requires little pruning to maintain its compact growing habit. It grows 7 to 12 feet tall and 5 to 10 feet wide and produces 2- to 5-inch-wide flowers that come in white, pink, red or variegated with more than one color swirled together. The glossy, green foliage and profuse number of showy blooms makes the camellia a popular landscape shrub. With a regular pruning schedule, camellia shrubs prosper and continue to produce striking blooms for many years.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Prune flowering shrubs such as the camellia in late winter or early spring, before the new blooms and foliage appear and while the shrub is in its dormant state. Pruning during the dormant season ensures easy access to the plant, as the foliage and buds do not obscure the plant.

2. Remove all old or weak stems to keep the natural shape and form and ensure that the number of blooms is not reduced the following year. Cut off all disease- or insect-infested branches by removing the entire branch. Discard the branches away from the garden to prevent spreading to nearby plants.

3. Cut off all misshaped branches by trimming them back 6 to 8 inches from the ground and before new spring growth begins. Don't cut the branch back too early, or a flush of growth could be killed by frost.

4. Shear away one-third of the branches at one time to retain the shape of the camellia plant. This allows light to filter into the plant and opens up the shrub.

5. Sparingly prune young camellia shrubs to keep the natural shape. Once the young shrub is established, remove the lowest branches that are clustered around the trunk.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear protective gardening gloves when pruning.

References

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Proper Pruning Techniques
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Camellia Japonica