October Magic White Shi Shi Camellia

• Partial Shade to Full Sun (At Least 3 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)
• Height 3 - 4 Feet
• Width 3 - 4 Feet
• Growing Zones 7-9

Like the Shi Shi Gashira Camellia Sasanqua, with its peony like dazzling pink blooms, White Shi Shi Camellia is a compact shrub, only growing about four feet tall and wide. It blooms in October through January in its hardiness zones, and can be grown in colder climates in a container with some indoor winter protection. Luminescent fully double 3 inch white blooms cover the glossy green foliage, lasting about a week before another bud opens, providing an almost unending season of bloom until late winter. Other varieties bloom in January through to March, and still other varieties have a long bloom season from November until April. As always, check the hardiness zones listed to be sure you are able to successfully grow these lovely shrubs.

Native to China and Japan, this is a high altitude shrub, with a hardiness from 0 - 10 degrees Fahrenheit for the low range of the zone, Zones 7a to 9b. White Shi Shi was a newer introduction in 2017, bred especially for an autumn bloom time, providing a beautiful complement to late winter to spring blooming camellias. First time camellia gardeners will want to try this smaller, more compact Sasanqua to get their feet wet in growing them. Chances are you will be hooked and this may become a lifelong passion for you, too.

October Magic White Shi Shi Camellia Care

Camellias need a well drained acidic soil with a pH range of 5.0 to 6.5. They tolerate a part sun to sun location, but need protection from the early morning and afternoon sun, especially in the hottest regions of their hardiness zone. They will tolerate even clay soils that are properly amended and that drain well. They are not drought tolerant, so when natural rainfall is less than one inch per week, you will want to supplement that by watering regularly to keep them evenly moist. Fertilize yearly in the spring with a well composted organic matter. Any other type of fertilizer can do more harm than good. If you have a location that is near a pine forest with dappled shade, this camellia will be very happy there. These lovely shrubs grow on the fringe of evergreen forest naturally, your job is to mimic this as best as you can in your landscape.

Deadheading blooms is not necessary as the blooms will fall off the shrub when spent. It may be heartbreaking to see them on the ground, but that one act guarantees that more than likely there are buds just waiting to open up above. Harvest nearly spent blooms a couple days before they drop and float them in a vase with water for a lovely centerpiece. Pruning should be done judiciously as you could be pruning off next season’s flowers. Prune only to shape and to remove any dead or damaged branches. Mulch root zone in winter to protect it from frost heaving in colder winter regions. Keep the mulch from the immediate trunk area to prevent critters from accessing the bark and water from pooling at the trunk.

October Magic White Shi Shi Camellia Spacing

Space your plants about 48 inches apart. You want good air circulation and to give them room to grow. Most camellias, when they meet another plant's branches, will stunt their growth on that side, creating an asymmetric shrub where it would have been rounded otherwise. Not a deal breaker, just looks better. If you haven’t tried camellias in your garden landscape, this is a great one for first timers as it is smaller in size and easier to handle. Warning: you may become hooked on growing camellias!