If you prune a camellia regularly in the first five years, you will encourage the flowering beauty to grow densely branched. The reward for the skillful construction is a well-shaped, flower-filled piece of jewelry that only occasionally requires a topiary. Read here when and how to properly cut a camellia.
When and how should you prune a camellia?
A camellia should be cut after flowering, i.e. in late spring or early summer. In the first five years, regular pruning is recommended, in which the growth is cut back to 5-10 cm. Later, an occasional topiary cut is sufficient to remove disturbing shoots.
Cutting camellia after flowering
Please plan pruning interventions in the growth of a camellia for the end of spring and early summer. After the lavish blooms have ended, the ideal time window for pruning care is open for a few weeks. From the beginning/mid of July, camellias activate the bud formation for next year's symphony of flowers. This prohibits pruning on the classic date in late winter, as is common practice for native shrubs.
Secondary cutting stimulates branching
Prune a camellia regularly for the first five years or until it reaches the desired final height. With each cut you cause a sap to accumulate below the cut site, which encourages sluggish buds to sprout. The result is dense branching from the base to the crown. How to complete the perfect build-up cut:
- Cut back the growth since last year's cut to 5 to 10 cm
- Rule of thumb: the weaker a branch, the stronger the pruning
- Place the scissor blades at a short distance from a pair of leaves or eyes
In addition to the pruning, repot the camellia every two years. When young, the Asian ornamental shrub grows up to 25 centimeters per year, so that the pot quickly becomes crowded. Adult camellias reduce annual growth to 5 to 10 centimeters. Make a note of the change to fresh substrate and a larger pot every three years, provided the container is completely rooted.
Topiary cutting if necessary
If your camellia was treated to a systematic pruning, the ornamental tree will shine with a blooming, bushy, shapely silhouette. From this point on, you only reserve a pruning if there is an actual need. Most of the time, excessively long branches are a reason to resort to secateurs (€14.00 on Amazon). How to cut your camellia into perfect shape:
- Cut back shoots that protrude out of shape or are otherwise disruptive
- Specifically cut at a distance of 3-5 mm from a leaf or an easily visible eye
- Thimout dead branches
Do you have doubts about whether a camellia branch is still alive or not? Then do the vitality test. Scrape off a little bark with your fingernail or the tip of a knife. If brown, dried tissue appears, it is dead wood. Bright, green and succulent tissue indicates that the branch is pulsating with life.
Tip
You don't pay attention to the weather forecast and the Ice Saints strike with late frosts. A camellia that is cleared out prematurely pays for the carelessness with shoots that freeze back. A planned derivation cut eliminates the problem. Cut frozen branches back to he althy wood. The ideal intersection point is the junction with a vital, outward-facing side shoot.
