How cold is too cold for camellias?

How far north will camellias grow?

By Judy in KansasMay 03, 2025.

I have comellias blooming. I have a big camellia bush, but it's in full flower, I don't know the name of it, just an old type of plant that has never bloomed before and not too tall to reach the tree line to be out of danger of freezing.

So far no one has asked about how far north the camellias will go, I guess it depends on the climate and how well the soil is prepared to grow in a particular area. I live in the state of Kansas, where winters can get quite cold in the spring months with temperatures of zero degrees and even down to minus 25 degree temps. We were hit with a big freeze last month, but the ground is still frozen at zero degrees.

Most nurseries don't sell camellia plants in zone 6 and I would think it's impossible to do so, but if you order them in zone 7 they probably grow just fine. I've seen people talk about buying plants in zone 8, it might be possible in more extreme climates, but I've heard of a nursery that had some camellias growing well in zone 9 or 10. I'm not sure.

Does anyone know the answer to my question? How far north can camellias growfor ? I live in the South - zone 10 - and we have a lot of camellias. They are in full bloom all winter long and when Spring comes, the buds swell out and they look gorgeous. I am guessing they can be grown as far north as zone 8 or 10.

I have one that is only two feet tall right now, but it will be around eight or ten feet in a couple of years. Your question is very interesting. The climate here is very mild. We had snow a few times, but not very often. It has rained 2 days in the last 5 weeks and my garden hasn't gotten wet. And I have had one of the mildest Winters I can remember. The snow melts early and I have not been able to go anywhere because the roads are slick. So, I was going to make a trip to some friends this weekend, but I don't know if I will make it.

How cold is too cold for camellias?

For my mother and my sister, I have planted camellias.

We have had very cold winters lately, with snow falling in February. I have come to the conclusion that camellias don't like it cold. My father's camellias survived a lot of extreme cold. How cold can they survive before they begin to fail?

Replies to This Discussion. My first camellia is coming along nicely, but has never really been cold tolerant. It's from the garden club, and they grow their plants in January. We usually get a few days of sub-zero temps here, and I don't think she would be hardy enough to survive that. However, it has survived temps down to -25F.

I've got a camellia (from my mother) that I planted back in August. I just picked it up today, and the leaves are only about halfway up the stem. It had a heavy frost on Monday night, so I assume the soil is frozen solid.

What is the proper way to water camellias? We are still in Florida where it is hot year round. Should I water in the morning and evening? Or should I water in the morning and noon? If I am watering them during the heat of the day will that cause any problems for them? I have camellias in a pot, planted in July. They are thriving and producing some lovely flowers. The question is, should I plant them now in the garden, or wait until late fall or even winter?

The problem with camellias is that their roots are shallow and very small. When a winter comes and freezes the ground, the roots are too small to move. You'll have to wait until spring. Camellias are just not designed for winter weather.

I just bought a potted camellia. I was shocked to find it already sprouted! Is it ready to go in the garden? Or should I wait till the end of February or early March? It has been a very cold winter.

I planted my camellias last summer, and although the plant looks happy, I'm concerned. The plant looks much smaller than my other camellias, and it seems to be taking root in a different way, as if it doesn't know how to get its roots to spread out.

Are any camellias hardy in zone 5?

I'm in Zone 5 and my favorite trees are all Hardy from a local nursery, "Sunkiss".

They are in bloom for months.

Hi - this is a bit of a newbie question.any hardy camellias that you have grown and survived, if so, how many bulbs are needed to 'stock' a planting area? I live in zone 7, and love a couple of species (Nanling and Japanese). I use cormels at the base of each bulb - is this necessary, is it important and does the plant need it's own cormel, or will it just grow away and die without it? I know that I can't have cormels if they don't come from a reputable supplier, but does the plant grow without cormels at the base? The camellia doesn't seem to like a cold site, so I'd like to find a location for one in my yard where it gets sun and some moisture during the summer. I was thinking of using a hanging basket. Does that work well enough for a camellia? The roots don't seem very deep. Can the roots be pushed into the ground?

Hi - thanks again for all the great info - there are so many questions! Re the bulbs - yes I like them but am wondering if you prefer to use cormels, or can it survive if I use plain ol' bulb - if so, would it better to get plain ol' bulb from a reputable source, or do they usually grow fine without being cormeled? Re: cormels - I use them when I want to control the size of the bulb. If you keep the cormels on a camellia when you buy the bulbs it will cause the bulb to flower small. The cormels give them the right size. This is especially important when growing double bulbs. They won't flower in the first year as the bulbs take two years to produce.

The only way to tell for sure is to grow the bulbs without them. Cormels can be an option. Do you think you'll need any fertilizer?

If you decide to grow in a hanging basket, did you cut the holes for the hanging basket, or did you already have them in your ground when you planted your camellia? You're welcome.