Just Chill Red Tip™ Camellia

Camellia shrubs look great in the garden four seasons of the year with their broadleaf evergreen foliage and gorgeous rose-like flowers. Just Chill Red Tip™ Camellia has another attribute to delight gardeners. The new growth emerges deep burgundy and matures to a glossy, rich green. While the semi-double, fairy-pink flowers bloom from late fall through the winter. Include Just Chill Red Tip™ Camellia in your garden to extend the flowering display and give late or very early-season pollinators much-needed food.

Non-migrating Hummingbirds will happily sip the nectar from Camellias when little else is in bloom. Deer do not often browse on the tough leaves or waxy flowers, making this shrub valuable for locations with high deer pressure. Camellias are very low maintenance and are dependably drought tolerant when established well. The upright and naturally compact growth habit for Just Chill Red Tip™ means pruning for shape is seldom required. Often cutting the flowers for arranging is all the pruning a Camellia needs to look tidy. Camellias are great used as foundation plantings near the house without fear of the roots becoming invasive. They also make lovely specimen plants when situated with other spring-blooming evergreens, such as rhododendrons or azaleas.

Just Chill Red Tip™ Camellia Care

Like many other broadleaf evergreen shrubs, Camellia’s glossy foliage and flowering are best supported by low pH (acidic) soil. Soils between 5.0 and almost neutral at 6.5 are acceptable. Ensure that the soil is well draining and is not too heavy in texture. Heavy clay that retains water for too long could cause root rot issues, especially in the winter when the soil is cold. The ideal planting location will have full sun during the winter and partial shade during the hot summer months. Often planting near deciduous trees and taller shrubs will provide these conditions. Fertilize Camellias late in the summer with a granular, slow-release food designed for acid-loving shrubs. This summer feeding should be watered in the soil well. Watering winter-blooming shrubs during periods of heat or drought in the summer will ensure that the flower buds form fully.  

Red Tip™ requires less pruning than older varieties and benefits from light pruning after flowering early in the spring. Camellias bloom on the previous year’s wood. Camellias can be clipped or sheared to achieve a formal hedge or topiary, although flowers may not form. Deadheading can be done to clean up the shrub, but it rarely encourages more buds to develop. Cut the blooming stem back to a set of leaves to keep the overall shape natural.  

Just Chill Red Tip™ Camellia Spacing

The mature size of Just Chill Red Tip™ Camellia tops out at 8 feet high by 5-6 feet wide. Allow for plenty of air circulation when planting, and place each shrub 5 feet apart on the center. Camellias can be grown in large and durable containers that will withstand being outdoors during the winter. A container for one single plant needs to have at least a 16-inch diameter.

Just Chill Red Tip™ Camellia Information