When to Prune Red Camellia?

Camellia is a showstopper in warm-climate gardens. Camellias (Camellia spp.) beautify landscapes in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9. Once established, a camellia -- red or any other color -- requires occasional pruning. Pruning tasks in winter and spring focus on gently shaping the tree and removing the odd damaged or diseased branch.

Prune camellias when it doesn't interfere with blooming. Camellias should be pruned shortly after they finish blooming. Fall-blooming species (Camellia sasanqua), such as "Yultide," with small, red flowers, can be pruned in winter or early spring. Spring bloomers (Camellia japonica), such as red "Adolphe Audusson," with its large flowers, and red "Adolphe Audusson," which blooms late in the season, should be pruned in spring after they bloom. Pruning any camellia in summer or fall will remove newly formed buds, spoiling the show for the following year.

Prune camellia into a lovely vase shape by removing lower stems to expose the trunk and main branches. From the single trunk should arise five to seven evenly spaced branches, facing upward and outward. Trim as far up the shrub as you need to achieve the legginess you desire. Allow newly planted camellias to grow a sturdy branch structure for a few years before pruning it to shape.

If you want your camellia to assume its natural, round shape, little pruning is necessary. Cut away stray branches that compromise a pleasing, round form. Every few years, thin the branches by removing those that cross or crowd each other. Cut all the way to a main branch in the center of the plant. This opens the interior of the plant to sun and air, resulting in a full shrub with foliage that looks dense and three-dimensional. It also minimizes the presence of the pathogens that often affect camellias.

While most camellias do best in partial shade, your red camellia is better suited to handle part or full sun because red cultivars are more sun-tolerant. Use handheld pruners or lopping shears to prune camellias. Disinfect tool blades with rubbing alcohol before and after each pruning job to minimize the spread of disease. Remove diseased and damaged branches whenever you encounter them. When removing diseased plant parts, bag them and set them out for collection, rather than putting them on the compost pile.