Camellia Spring Festival

Short Description
Hybrid. Soft pink miniature rose form to semi double. Mid to late season. Narrow upright columnar growth habit. 2.5m.

More Information
Synonym: Camellia Chunjie (Chinese)
Parentage: C. cuspidate hybrid
Breeder: Toichi Domoto, Hayward, California, a chance seedling which first blossomed in 1970.
Reference: NZ Camellia Bulletin, vol XIII, No. 3, 1983.

Use as an Ornamental
Camellia Spring Festival is best used as a stand-alone ornamental. Its upright columnar form means it requires little to no maintenance.

Like all Camellias if the plant gets old and loses form, prune severely back to a stump 30 - 50cm high. After a few weeks new shoots will appear from the stump and the plant will reform.

Cultivation
Camellias will grow in full sun or partial shade. In very dark shade the plant may still grow but will likely lose all form as it searches for light.

Camellias do like a good rich loamy soil to grow in. Poor soils (clay, sand) will cause stunted growth, and foliage color may fade to a lighter green and even cause yellowing.

Ground should be average garden conditions. Excessive irrigation should be avoided once planted as excessive water can cause root rot. Root rot shows the same foliage symptoms as drought.

Plant at the same depth as it is in the container, give a good water to settle the dirt around the roots, and generally leave alone apart from pruning. A newly planted plant will only need additional water through the first summer, and then only 1 to 2 times per week in very dry conditions.

Generally, Camellias should require no fertilizer after planting assuming reasonable top soil. If fertilizer is required use an NPK with FE, and only a teaspoon fill sprinkled over the soil surface within the drip line.
After planting Camellias tend to do nothing for several weeks while the settle in. Most growth occurs mid spring onwards.