Pink camellia flowers are a beautiful spectacle in any garden. These gorgeous evergreen shrubs produce large flowers and glossy green leaves. Horticulturalists have developed approximately 26,000 camellia cultivars, including some pretty pink varieties. In this article, we’ll discover 20 types of pink camellia flowers to grow in your garden.
20 Beautiful Pink Camellia Varieties
1) Camellia sasanqua ‘Plantation Pink’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Plantation Pink’ is a gorgeous early-season pink camellia. This cultivar is bred from Camellia sasanqua – one of the most popular camellia species. Camellia sasanqua is indigenous to parts of China and Japan.
‘Plantation Pink’ produces large, blousy pink flowers with a cluster of yellow stamens in the center. This variety has single or semi-double flowers with a lovely sweet scent. ‘Plantation Pink’ grows well in Zones 7 to 9 and can tower up to 20 feet tall. It requires a sheltered spot in full sun or partial shade.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia sasanqua ‘Plantation Pink’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Fall to winter |
| Light Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 20 feet |
2) Camellia japonica ‘Jerry Hill’
Camellia japonica ‘Jerry Hill’ is a hardy pink camellia variety derived from the common camellia (Camellia japonica). This species is native to parts of East Asia, such as Japan, China, and Taiwan. As a hardy cultivar, ‘Jerry Hill’ grows in Zones 6 to 10 and prefers sheltered areas of full sun or partial shade.
‘Jerry Hill’ is a long-lived pink camellia, capable of surviving for decades. It produces spectacular rose-like double flowers. This pink camellia shrub grows up to 12 feet high and approximately 10 feet wide.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia japonica ‘Jerry Hill’ |
| Growing Zones: | 6 to 10 |
| Flowering Season: | Winter to spring |
| Light Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 12 feet |
3) E.G. Waterhouse Camellia
The E.G Waterhouse camellia dazzles with its large, pink double blooms from January until May. Each flower can grow up to four inches wide. This is a hybrid camellia created by breeding Camellia japonica with Camellia saluenensis.
This astonishing pink camellia variety is cold-hardy in Zones 7 to 8. It grows up to 15 feet tall and wide, creating a dramatic focal point in any garden. This cultivar needs a sheltered location that provides partial or full shade.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia x williamsii ‘E.G. Waterhouse’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 8 |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to late spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 15 feet |
4) Camellia x williamsii ‘Anticipation’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Anticipation’ is another breathtaking hybrid pink camellia. This cultivar produces blousy deep pink double flowers that resemble peonies, known as ‘peony-form’. The center of each bloom has ruffled inner petals.
This pink camellia variety is easy to grow, making it one of the most popular camellia cultivars. In the right conditions, these pink camellias grow up to 15 feet tall and approximately 10 feet wide. ‘Anticipation’ thrives in partial or full shade in sheltered locations in Zones 7 to 9.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia x williamsii ‘Anticipation’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Fall to late spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 15 feet |
5) Camellia ‘Pink Icicle’
Camellia ‘Pink Icicle’ is a beautiful pink camellia hybrid bred by Dr. William Ackerman from the United States National Arboretum. It was crafted by hybridizing Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ with the tea oil camellia (Camellia oleifera).
‘Pink Icicle’ has stunning shell pink peony-form double or semi-double blooms. Each flower can be up to 5 inches wide. The flowers emerge in late winter and continue until spring.
‘Pink Icicle’ grows up to 10 feet tall and approximately 6 feet wide. This cultivar prefers partial shade and sheltered areas in Zones 6b to 9.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia x ‘Pink Icicle’ |
| Growing Zones: | 6b to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
6) Camellia x williamsii ‘Joe Nuccio’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Joe Nuccio’ is a hybrid pink camellia with gorgeous formal double blooms. These intoxicating pink flowers have petals that curve inward and emerge from February until April. Each petal morphs into a darker pink towards the edge, giving a beautiful two-tone effect.
This hybrid camellia grows as a mid-sized shrub, reaching 10 feet tall and spreading approximately 8 feet wide. It takes around ten years for this variety to reach its mature size. ‘Joe Nuccio’ thrives in partial shade and grows best in sheltered areas in Zones 6 to 9.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia x williamsii ‘Joe Nuccio’ |
| Growing Zones: | 6 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
7) Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’
Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’ is a beautiful pink camellia cultivar grown from Camellia japonica. This cultivar has pale pink informal double flowers that grow up to 3 inches wide. This camellia shrub also produces light green glossy leaves throughout the year.
‘Debutante’ grows to a modest height of approximately 8 feet tall and wide. This slow-growing camellia can take up to 20 years to reach full size. However, ‘Debutante’ also enjoys a long blooming season during the spring. ‘Debutante’ prefers sheltered conditions and partial sun in Zones 7 to 9.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial sun |
| Mature Height: | Up to 8 feet |
8) Camellia sasanqua ‘Maiden’s Blush’
This delicate pink camellia variety is a cultivar of Camellia sasanqua. ‘Maiden’s Blush’ is an early-season camellia that produces pale pink single or semi-double flowers with a subtle fragrance. The elegant flowers almost resemble those of a clematis vine.
‘Maiden’s Blush’ grows up to 10 feet tall and wide and thrives in Zones 7 to 9. This pink camellia grows well in sheltered conditions with full sun or partial shade. Like many Camellia sasanqua cultivars, ‘Maiden’s Blush’ is straightforward to grow.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia sasanqua ‘Maiden’s Blush’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Fall |
| Light Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
9) Camellia × williamsii ‘Donation’
Camellia × williamsii ‘Donation’ is an award-winning pink camellia hybrid with a place in the US National Hall of Fame. ‘Donation’ produces semi-double flowers with prominent pink veins on the petals. Each bloom can grow up to 5 inches wide.
This mid-season pink camellia blooms from January to March. ‘Donation’ grows best in Zones 7 to 8 and is happiest in sheltered areas with partial shade. ‘Donation’ is a strong grower and has a reputation for being one of the most accomplished camellia varieties ever crafted.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia × williamsii ‘Donation’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 8 |
| Flowering Season: | Winter to spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 15 feet |
10) Camellia x williamsii ‘Ballet Queen’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Ballet Queen’ is another exquisite pink camellia hybrid. It produces large peony-form double flowers with ruffled centers. A variegated variety of ‘Ballet Queen’ is also available.
‘Ballet Queen’ thrives in partial shade in Zones 7 to 10. This gorgeous pink camellia grows up to 10 feet tall and approximately 5 feet wide. The flowers grow in impressive clusters and also produce a subtle scent.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia x williamsii ‘Ballet Queen’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 10 |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
11) Camellia japonica ‘Paul Jones Supreme’
Camellia japonica ‘Paul Jones Supreme’ is a dazzling cultivar bred from the Japanese camellia. This variety wows with its light pink semi-double peony-form blooms. The flowers often display dark red flecks or stripes, making a sensational visual statement.
‘Paul Jones Supreme’ likes partial shade to full shade and grows best in Zones 7 to 9. This is a slow-growing camellia variety that takes up to 20 years to reach its full height.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia japonica ‘Paul Jones Supreme’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
12) Camellia sasanqua ‘October Magic Rose’
Camellia sasanqua ‘October Magic Rose’ is a scintillating pink camellia cultivar with dark pink double flowers. These blooms emerge in attractive clusters during the fall. This variety is part of the gorgeous ‘October Magic’ series.
‘October Magic Rose’ grows up to 8 feet tall and about 4 feet wide. This camellia cultivar is fairly hardy and thrives in Zones 7 to 9. Like many Camellia sasanqua varieties, ‘October Magic Rose’ can handle full sun or partial shade.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia sasanqua ‘October Magic Rose’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Fall |
| Light Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 8 feet |
13) Camellia japonica ‘Doctor King’
Camellia japonica ‘Doctor King’ is a beautiful pink camellia cultivar. ‘Doctor King’ is bred from Camellia japonica, which means it flowers during the spring. This cultivar produces reddish-pink single or semi-double blooms with golden yellow stamens in the center.
‘Doctor King’ also has lovely dark green glossy leaves. This evergreen shrub can reach up to 10 feet tall and approximately 8 feet wide. It grows best in shady, sheltered locations in Zones 8 to 10.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia japonica ‘Doctor King’ |
| Growing Zones: | 8 to 10 |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
14) Camellia ‘Spring Festival’
Camellia ‘Spring Festival’ is a hybrid pink camellia with beautiful semi-double pale pink blooms. The individual petals are reasonably large and surround a cluster of delicate stamens. ‘Spring Festival’ is bred from Camellia cuspidata.
‘Spring Festival’ grows up to 12 feet high and can spread for up to 10 feet. It grows well in Zones 7 to 9 and prefers a sheltered spot in partial shade. ‘Spring Festival’ is a mid to late-season camellia that blooms from early to late spring.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia x williamsii ‘Spring Festival’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 12 feet |
15) Camellia japonica ‘Nuccio’s Cameo’
Camellia japonica ‘Nuccio’s Cameo’ is an elegant pink camellia variety with formal double light pink flowers. Each bloom may be up to 4.5 inches wide. ‘Nuccio’s Cameo’ starts flowering in late winter and continues until early spring.
‘Nuccio’s Cameo’ can reach up to 10 feet tall and about 8 feet wide. This gorgeous pink camellia requires a sheltered area in partial to full shade. ‘Nuccio’s Cameo’ grows well in Zones 8 to 10.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia japonica ‘Nuccio’s Cameo’ |
| Growing Zones: | 8 to 10 |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
16) Camellia × williamsii ‘Debbie’
Camellia × williamsii ‘Debbie’ is a breathtaking hybrid pink camellia celebrated for its exquisite blooms. ‘Debbie’ produces large semi-double peony-form flowers with ruffled pink petals. Each flower can spread up to 5 inches wide.
‘Debbie’ blooms from January until March in Zones 7 to 8. This cultivar needs a shaded spot that provides shelter from cold or strong winds. ‘Debbie’ grows up to 15 feet tall and spreads for approximately 10 feet at full size.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia × williamsii ‘Debbie’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 8 |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 15 feet |
17) Camellia ‘Winter’s Star’
Camellia ‘Winter’s Star’ is a compact pink camellia hybrid developed by the US National Arboretum Collection. It was created by hybridizing Camellia hiemalis ‘Showa-no-sakae’ with Camellia oleifera ‘Lu Shan Snow’.
‘Winter’s Star’ produces delicate single purple-pink flowers with yellow stamens. As a compact variety, ‘Winter’s Star’ only grows to approximately 6 feet tall and spreads for up to 7 feet. It grows well in sheltered areas with partial or full shade in Zones 7 to 9.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia ‘Winter’s Star’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Fall |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 6 feet |
18) Camellia japonica ‘Pink Perfection’
Thanks to its elegant pale pink formal double flowers, Camellia japonica ‘Pink Perfection’ was popular with Victorian horticulturalists. These flowers can be enjoyed for several months, from January until May.
Camellia japonica ‘Pink Perfection’ grows best in Zones 7 to 9. It needs sheltered areas that provide partial shade to protect it from cold winds. ‘Pink Perfection’ can grow up to 10 feet tall and spread approximately 8 feet wide.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia japonica ‘Pink Perfection’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to late spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
19) Camellia sasanqua ‘Cleopatra’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Cleopatra’ is an early-season pink camellia with rose pink semi-double blooms. The flowers bloom during fall and winter, while the glossy dark green leaves last throughout the year. Each flower also has visible yellow stamens in the center.
‘Cleopatra’ can grow up to 10 feet tall and wide, making a dramatic statement in the winter when little else is in bloom. ‘Cleopatra’ needs a sheltered location with partial or full shade. This cultivar thrives in Zones 7 to 9.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia sasanqua ‘Cleopatra’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Fall to winter |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade to full shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
20) Camellia japonica ‘Betty Sheffield Pink’
Camellia japonica ‘Betty Sheffield Pink’ is part of the gorgeous ‘Betty Sheffield’ series of camellia cultivars. ‘Betty Sheffield Pink’ produces deep pink semi-double blooms that can grow up to 6 inches wide. The glossy dark green leaves can grow up to 4 inches long.
‘Betty Sheffield Pink’ grows best in Zones 7 to 9 and needs a sheltered spot in partial shade. This pink camellia variety can grow up to 10 feet tall and wide. The flowers bloom in the spring, making this a late-season camellia cultivar.
| Scientific Name: | Camellia japonica ‘Betty Sheffield Pink’ |
| Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
| Light Requirements: | Partial shade |
| Mature Height: | Up to 10 feet |
Essential Tips for Growing Pink Camellia Flowers
Pink camellia flowers are relatively low-maintenance shrubs once their basic needs are met. Camellias are evergreen shrubs from the tea family (Theaceae) and grow pretty slowly. Most pink camellias are hardy in USDA Zones 7 to 10 and can be grown in colder areas in pots.
Pink camellia shrubs require acidic, fertile soil that’s also well-draining. Camellias thrive when the soil’s pH level stays between 5.5 and 6.5. Use ericaceous compost and mulches such as pine needles to increase the acidity of your soil.
Most pink camellia shrubs require partial shade, although some can handle full sun. Partial shade protects camellia flowers from intense afternoon sunlight. Provide a sheltered spot that receives morning sun.
Pink camellias need moist soils, so water whenever the top two to four inches of soil feel dry. Camellias aren’t hungry plants and only need fertilizing once a year after they finish flowering. Prune your pink camellias after flowering before leaving them to develop next year’s flower buds on new growth.
In colder growing zones, planting camellias in pots allows you to still enjoy these wonderful flowering shrubs. Containers help keep camellias compact and make it easier to protect the plants during the winter. Either bring your camellia pots inside or wrap them in fleece.
Pink Camellia Varieties FAQs:
What Do Pink Camellias Symbolize?
In the language of flowers, pink camellias symbolize longing for someone you care about. They also represent romantic or platonic love.
Are Pink Camellias Rare?
Pink camellias aren’t particularly rare. Pink is a common color for many camellia varieties.
What Month Do Pink Camellias Flower?
Most pink camellias start flowering in late winter and continue until spring. Some pink camellia varieties bloom during the fall.
Are Pink Camellia Flowers High Maintenance?
Pink camellias aren’t high maintenance if you attend to their basic needs. Pink camellias require acidic soils or ericaceous compost and partial sunlight.
How Fast Do Pink Camellia Flowers Grow?
In general, pink camellia flowers grow pretty slowly, taking up to ten years to reach six feet tall. While many pink camellias can flower within a few years, it takes several years for the best blooms to emerge.
Wrapping Up
Pink camellias come in various forms and sizes, but there’s always one to suit every garden. Pink camellias need sheltered areas with either full sun or partial shade. Most pink camellias thrive in Zones 7 to 10.
For more, see our ultimate guide to camellia flower meaning and symbolism and discover our favorite red camellia flower varieties.
Edd is a budding content writer and gardener living in the United Kingdom. He has a bachelor's degree in Creative and Professional Writing and has written for several gardening publications online. He is passionate about nature and sustainability with a focus on gardening and wildlife.
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