E.G. Waterhouse Camellia Live Plant – Pink Formal Double Flowers, 0.667 Gallon

Overview

Introduce a touch of timeless beauty to your landscape with the magnificent E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant. Renowned for its exceptional blooming period, this evergreen shrub graces gardens with an abundance of perfectly formed, formal double flowers in a captivating true pink hue. Blooming from mid-winter, typically January or February, and continuing through April, it provides much-needed color during the colder months. The vibrant blossoms are beautifully complemented by its glossy, dark green leaves, creating a striking contrast that enhances any garden setting. As one of the longest-flowering camellias, the E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant is a true horticultural treasure, offering consistent beauty and a sophisticated presence.

This vigorous camellia variety, scientifically known as Camellia japonica ‘E.G. Waterhouse’, thrives in various garden applications. Whether you’re looking for a stunning focal point, a lush hedge, or an elegant backdrop, this plant delivers. Its adaptability also makes it suitable for container gardening, particularly for those in cooler climates who wish to bring it indoors during winter. The flowers are not only spectacular on the bush but also make superb cut flowers, ideal for display in a vase or floating gracefully in a bowl of water, bringing their charm indoors.

Key Benefits

The E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant offers a wealth of benefits that make it a highly desirable addition to any garden. Its impressive attributes contribute to a vibrant and low-maintenance landscape.

• Extended Bloom Season: Enjoy a spectacular display of flowers from mid-winter to mid-spring, providing vibrant color when most other plants are dormant. This long flowering period is a standout feature of the E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant.
• Stunning Pink Flowers: Produces an abundance of perfectly formed, formal double flowers with true pink petals, adding elegance and charm to your garden. These exquisite formal double camellia blooms are truly eye-catching.
• Versatile Landscape Use: Can be grown as a large shrub or small tree, making it ideal for specimen planting, hedges, background plants, or even espalier. It fits seamlessly into various garden designs.
• Attractive Foliage: Features glossy, dark green leaves that provide an excellent evergreen backdrop for the vibrant flowers and year-round visual interest.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, this camellia requires minimal care, making it an excellent choice for both experienced and novice gardeners.
• Deer Resistant: Its foliage is generally not favored by deer, offering a natural resistance against common garden pests.
• Heat and Humidity Tolerant: Exhibits good resistance to heat and humidity, ensuring it thrives in a variety of climates within its hardiness zones.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant is straightforward, ensuring years of beautiful blooms and lush foliage. This pink camellia shrub thrives with the right conditions and a little attention to detail. It prefers a location that receives morning sun with afternoon shade or filtered sun throughout the day. Direct afternoon sun, especially in warmer climates, can scorch the leaves and stress the plant. Ensure good air circulation around the plant to prevent fungal issues.

Watering needs are average; the plant prefers consistently moist, but not waterlogged, soil, especially during its establishment period and blooming season. Once established, it becomes more drought-tolerant. The ideal soil type is well-drained and acidic, with a pH ranging from 5.0 to 6.5. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter to improve drainage, and sandy soils to enhance moisture retention. Fertilize in late winter or early spring after the blooming period, using a slow-release granular fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants. Pruning can be done after flowering to maintain shape, remove dead or damaged branches, and encourage bushier growth. Understanding proper camellia care guide principles will ensure your plant flourishes.

The E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant is hardy in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7a through 10b, with some reports suggesting it can tolerate Zone 6 with adequate protection. It’s important to protect young plants from severe freezes. While generally resistant to deer, drought (once established), heat, and humidity, it does not tolerate constantly soggy soil, which can lead to root rot. Monitor for common camellia pests like aphids or scale, though they are usually not a major problem. Proper light, watering, and soil conditions are key to a healthy and vibrant winter blooming camellia.

Size & Details

The E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant is a robust evergreen shrub that matures into an impressive specimen in the landscape. It typically reaches a height of 9 to 12 feet and spreads 6 to 9 feet wide, developing into a substantial presence. When grown as a shrub, it forms a dense, upright habit, making it excellent for creating privacy screens or adding structure to garden beds. With strategic pruning, lower branches can be removed over time to train it into an attractive small evergreen tree, perfect for a focal point. This plant is shipped in a trade gallon container, which holds approximately 0.667 gallons of potting mix, providing a well-established root system ready for planting.

This Camellia japonica variety boasts large, 3-4 inch soft pink flowers that are semi-double to formal double in type, appearing consistently from late winter to early spring. The dark green foliage maintains its color year-round, ensuring continuous visual appeal. Spacing recommendations are 5 feet apart for a solid hedge or 12 feet apart for individual specimen plants, allowing ample room for mature growth. Its moderate growth rate means it will develop into a beautiful, mature plant over a reasonable timeframe, rewarding patient gardeners with its stunning display.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant get? A: This camellia typically grows to a height of 9 to 12 feet and can spread 6 to 9 feet wide, forming a substantial shrub or small tree. Its mature size makes it suitable for various landscape applications.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant is shipped in a trade gallon container, which is approximately 0.667 gallons in volume, providing a healthy start for your plant.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This camellia is primarily an outdoor plant, hardy in USDA Zones 7a-10b. However, it can be grown in containers and brought indoors during winter in colder regions not suitable for its outdoor hardiness.
• Q: How much sunlight does the pink camellia shrub need? A: It thrives in morning sun with afternoon shade or filtered sun all day. Avoid direct, intense afternoon sun, especially in hot climates, to prevent leaf scorch.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, once established, the E.G. Waterhouse Camellia live plant is relatively low maintenance. It requires consistent moisture during establishment but becomes more drought-tolerant. Following a basic camellia care guide will ensure its health.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your winter blooming camellia will arrive as a healthy, live plant in a trade gallon container, with its root system intact and ready for planting.
• Q: When is the best time to plant this camellia? A: The optimal time for planting is typically mid to late spring, after the danger of hard frost has passed. Summer and early fall are also suitable, provided the plant receives adequate water during hotter periods.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: It is reliably winter hardy in USDA Zones 7a-10b. If you are in Zone 6 or a colder area, container growing with winter protection or bringing it indoors is recommended.
• Q: What type of soil does this formal double camellia prefer? A: It prefers well-drained, acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.5. Amending soil with organic matter can improve conditions.