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Ask a Gardening QuestionBeginner Gardening Questions & Guides: First time gardener questionsBeautiful but unruly camellia

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Beautiful but unruly camellia

#1 · 23rd March 2024, 6:20 pm

Hi there - we’ve inherited a garden with an absolutely beautiful camellia but it’s rather out of control and I’m not sure what it needs - a hard prune, staking up, something else?? I don’t want to kill it but I think it needs something to tame it a bit. All advice hugely appreciated. Many thanks

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#2 · 24th March 2024, 2:28 pm

Hi @wendywoo

Great question about unruly Camellias!

The best time to prune Camellias is usually after they have finished flowering at the end of April. Try not to hard prune it too much, they don't react well to anything too brutal. Only take off 1/4 max each year. That should take some of the whippy length out of it!

Let us know how you get on!

Lee