Spring Marches Forward

CAMELLIA SASANQUA "YULETIDE"

This camellia is planted in the back garden next to the house. This shrub has always been odd, it bloomed the first year that it was planted. Now three years later it has decided to bloom again, because I told it at the beginning of the season if it did not bloom it was gone! Yes, plants to listen........I love the red color of the flowers against the deep green leaves of the shrub. Across from it I have a double pink (tagged but I can not remember the name) that has always been a reliable bloomer since it was planted. This year it is covered in buds, it will be very pretty when it blooms out. They'll be perfect to take inside to enjoy.

Camellias often bloom during the cool season, varying according to the species. Winter blooms are common, flowers appearing October-March. Blooms on camellias range from pure white to dark red, as well as yellow. Some cultivators have multi-colored or variegated flowers! Flowers can be saucer shaped single flowers or double blooms. Peony form camellias have ruffled double blossoms. Being shrub sized woody perennials, compact cultivators are suitable for ground cover, raised bed or container planting. The foliage is dark green and glossy adding evergreen interest to the garden. The shrubs are typically upright or slightly weeping in their growth habit. Camellias are native to eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia.

USDA hardiness zone 7 to zone 9