Camellia is a genus that contains 224 species and countless hybrids and cultivars of flowering shrubs and small trees. Camellia flowers have a rich symbolic tradition in their native regions of Asia, and they are beloved worldwide. All camellias are beautiful, but we’ve rounded up some of the most stunning camellia varieties with red flowers for you to plant in your garden.
- 17 Beautiful Red Camellia Varieties
- 1. Camellia ‘Black Lace’
- 2. Camellia ‘Dr. Burnside’
- 3. Camellia ‘Dr. Clifford Parks’
- 4. Camellia ‘Emperor of Russia’
- 5. Camellia ‘Grand Slam’
- 6. Camellia ‘Freedom Bell’
- 7. Camellia ‘Kimberley’
- 8. Camellia ‘Les Jury’
- 9. Camellia ‘Margherita Coleoni’
- 10. Camellia ‘Yuletide’
- 11. Kramer’s Supreme Red Camellia
- 12. Alabama Beauty Camellia
- 13. Black Tie Camellia
- 14. Glen 40 Camellia Japonica
- 15. October Magic Ruby Camellia
- 16. Tama Vino Camellia Japonica
- 17. Tomorrow Camellia
- Essential Tips for Growing Red Camellia Flowers
- Red Camellia Flower FAQs
- Elegance and Beauty for the Patient Gardener
17 Beautiful Red Camellia Varieties
1. Camellia ‘Black Lace’
The black lace camellia is a hybrid cultivar first bred in 1965 that produces stunningly romantic blossoms in a dark shade of red with petals that feature a silvery, velvet-like sheen. The flowers are large, formal double blossoms that stand out vibrantly against a backdrop of deep-green foliage. The black lace camellia is an evergreen shrub that provides greenery throughout the year and blooms from November through April.
| Scientific Name | Camellia reticulata × williamsii ‘Black Lace’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Late fall to early spring |
| Light Requirements | Full to partial shade |
| Mature Height | 10 feet |
2. Camellia ‘Dr. Burnside’
The Dr. Burnside camellia is an evergreen shrub that produces semi-double blossoms in a vibrant, cherry-red hue. Each rosette of fluttery petals surrounds a golden-yellow central circle of prominent stamens. This variety of camellia can grow to about 13 feet in height, creating a dazzling centerpiece of attractive foliage and abundant blooms during spring.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Dr. Burnside’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 8 |
| Flowering Season | Spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 13 feet |
3. Camellia ‘Dr. Clifford Parks’
This hybrid was created in 1970 from the pollen of a Camellia japonica ‘Kramer’s Supreme’ and the seed of a Camellia reticulata ‘Crimson Robe’. This camellia variety can grow up to 20 feet in width and height, producing some of the largest camellia flowers to match. The flowers are peony to semi-double in form. The petals are cast with a fiery reddish-orange hue, and the spring blossoms feature showy yellow anthers at their centers.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica x reticulata ‘Dr. Clifford Parks’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Mid-spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 10 to 20 feet |
4. Camellia ‘Emperor of Russia’
The Camellia ‘Emperor of Russia’ is a medium-sized camellia plant with a bushy growth habit that can be trained into a tree form, as well as a shrub. It produces very large peony-form flowers with scarlet petals dappled with spots of white. The flowers have smaller petaloids at the center that twist gracefully around clutches of golden anthers. Foliage is kelly-green, ovate, and glossy.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Emperor of Russia’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zone 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Early winter through spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 3 to 6 feet |
5. Camellia ‘Grand Slam’
The Camellia ‘Grand Slam’ was first produced in 1962 by Nuccio’s Nurseries in Altadena, California. This aptly named variety soon became a big hit and an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Mature plants are large, growing up to 13 feet in height, and they produce large to very large semi-double flowers in a vibrant scarlet hue.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Grand Slam’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10 |
| Flowering Season | Late winter to mid-spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 13 feet |
6. Camellia ‘Freedom Bell’
1962 was a fortuitous year for Nuccio’s Nurseries, as it also led to the creation of the Camellia ‘Freedom Bell’. The freedom bell camellia is a moderately sized shrub with dark-green foliage. The plant produces clusters of coral-red, semi-double, funnel-shaped blossoms along long, slender stems.
| Scientific Name | Camellia x williamsii ‘Freedom Bell’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Early winter to early spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 7 to 8 feet |
7. Camellia ‘Kimberley’
The Camellia ‘Kimberley’ is a large, evergreen shrub growing up to 13 feet tall. It offers luscious, deep-green, glossy foliage year-round, producing a proliferation of cup-shaped, single-form flower blossoms in the spring. The flowers have five scarlet petals surrounding a golden center of prominent stamens. At about 3 inches across, the flowers are relatively small for camellias. However, their abundance more than makes up for their size.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Kimberley’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 8 to 13 feet |
8. Camellia ‘Les Jury’
This smaller-sized camellia shrub produces attractive evergreen foliage that can be enjoyed throughout the year. Its blossoms come during winter and remain through the early parts of spring. The flowers of the Camellia ‘Les Jury’ are stunning and large. This camellia produces rose-like, formal double flowers in a vibrant shade of crimson. The Camellia ‘Les Jury’ is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
| Scientific Name | Camellia x williamsii ‘Les Jury’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 8 |
| Flowering Season | Winter to early spring |
| Light Requirements | Full shade to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 4 to 6 feet |
9. Camellia ‘Margherita Coleoni’
The Camellia ‘Margherita Coleoni’ is a moderately sized camellia variety. Like other camellias, it is an evergreen shrub with dark-green foliage. The flowers are large, formal double blossoms that range from scarlet to pinkish amaranth red. You can also find variegated varieties of the Camellia ‘Margherita Coleoni’ that feature flowers dappled with white for additional visual interest during the blooming season.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Margherita Coleoni’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Spring |
| Light Requirements | Full to partial shade |
| Mature Height | 5 to 7 feet |
10. Camellia ‘Yuletide’
This variety of camellia produces glossy, vibrant-green foliage and single-form flowers in a festive shade of red. The flowers are relatively small when compared to other varieties of camellia plants. They are, however, quite attractive, with a single layer of five petals encircling prominent, pom-pom-like central stamens in a buttery shade of yellow. The Camellia ‘Yuletide’ grows compactly with a moderately sized, mature profile that is typically two feet taller than it is wide.
| Scientific Name | Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zone 7 to 10 |
| Flowering Season | Fall to winter |
| Light Requirements | Full to partial shade |
| Mature Height | 8 to 10 feet |
11. Kramer’s Supreme Red Camellia
This camellia variety produces prized blossoms that are both stunningly attractive and fragrant. At five inches across, the blossoms are large, rose double form. Their copious petals open up in a shade of tart, pinkish-red. Kramer’s Supreme Red Camellia is a Royal Horticultural Society Garden Merit Award winner. Growers can enjoy the blossoms from winter to spring and the foliage year-round.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Kramer’s Supreme’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Winter to spring |
| Light Requirements | Full to partial sun |
| Mature Height | 8 to 10 feet |
12. Alabama Beauty Camellia
With its lush, year-round foliage and 15-foot profile, this camellia makes a wonderful privacy or hedge plant that produces flowers in proliferation from early fall until winter. The flowers are large, semi-double blooms with petals in a vibrant crimson hue. As an additional bonus, these camellias are sure to attract butterflies and birds to your yard.
| Scientific Name | Camellia sasanqua ‘Alabama Beauty’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Fall to winter |
| Light Requirements | Partial sun |
| Mature Height | 12 to 15 feet |
13. Black Tie Camellia
Aptly named, the Black Tie Camellia produces formal double flower blossoms in a deep, true red. The flowers are small, spanning just two to three inches across, but with an impressive 60 petals each, the impact of these flowers is significant. The blossoms are also vibrant against the plant’s dark-green evergreen foliage. The first Black Tie Camellia, registered in 1975, did not bloom until its twelfth season.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Black Tie’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Late winter to early spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade |
| Mature Height | 10 to 12 feet |
14. Glen 40 Camellia Japonica
The Glen 40 Camellia is a moderately sized shrub. Created in 1942, the variety produces formal double blossoms with elegantly layered petals in a deep shade of red. The flowers are medium to large and are set attractively against the plant’s dusty-green evergreen foliage.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Glen 40’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Late winter to mid-spring |
| Light Requirements | Full shade to partial shade |
| Mature Height | 8 to 10 feet |
15. October Magic Ruby Camellia
The October Magic Ruby Camellia produces an abundance of large, rose-form double flowers in a shade of red fit for celebrating the holidays. Reaching just about five feet in height and four feet in width, the October Magic Ruby Camellia is small and compact compared to other camellias, making it an excellent option for smaller spaces, garden beds, and backyards.
| Scientific Name | Camellia sasanqua ‘October Magic Ruby’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Fall |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade to full sun |
| Mature Height | 3 to 4 feet |
16. Tama Vino Camellia Japonica
This camellia variety is moderately sized and produces small to medium-sized, semi-double blossoms. The petals open up in a deep shade of merlot and fade to a white border at their edges. This gradient appearance creates quite a beautiful effect, giving the blossoms additional visual impact.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Tama Vino’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 |
| Flowering Season | Late winter to early spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade |
| Mature Height | 5 to 6 feet |
17. Tomorrow Camellia
The Tomorrow Camellia features vibrant, evergreen foliage and large to very large flower blossoms in the peony flower form. The countless vermillion petals are ruffled, and the flowerheads blossom slightly pendulously, accentuating their size as they hang heavily from their branches. These beauties are some of the first to bloom near the end of winter and bring a splash of color into spring.
| Scientific Name | Camellia japonica ‘Tomorrow’ |
| Growing Zones | USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10 |
| Flowering Season | Late winter to spring |
| Light Requirements | Partial shade |
| Mature Height | 10 to 12 feet |
Essential Tips for Growing Red Camellia Flowers
Camellias are sensitive plants, and they require fairly specific growing conditions and care needs to thrive. The following recommendations are general, but different camellia varieties do have different growing specifications. Researching the camellia variety, you are growing is vital to ensure you provide it with the right conditions and care.
Ideal Climate
Most camellia plants can be grown in USDA growing zones 7 through 10. There are some hardier varieties that can be grown down to zone 6. Camellia plants can be started indoors before being transplanted to the garden in spring.
Sunlight
Camellia plants prefer partial shade and partial sun. A location that receives sunlight in the morning and is shaded in the afternoon is best.
Soil and Planting
Camellia plants require slightly acidic soil. They can grow in a mix with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.5. The potting mix should also contain plenty of organic matter to provide nutrients and retain moisture. While the soil needs to be slightly moist, it should also be well-draining to prevent root rot.
In a natural garden bed, it’s worth testing your soil before planting (similar if you’re planting camellias in a pot or a container). You can add sulfur to lower the pH or lime to raise it. If purchasing a potting mix for a camellia, choose one explicitly formulated for ericaceous plants.
Watering
Camellias are somewhat drought-tolerant and very sensitive to root rot. They need about one inch of water every two weeks and one inch of water weekly while they are in bloom. Be careful not to overwater your camellias.
Fertilizing
Camellias don’t require much fertilizer, but feeding can help your plants to produce more impressive flowers and growth. Feed camellias after they have finished blossoming and once more halfway through their off-season. Use a balanced 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer to feed camellia plants. Apply only to the root sections of the plant to avoid burning the leaves and stems.
Pruning and Deadheading
Camellias are especially prone to blight which can develop when spent blossoms and dead foliage are left on the shrubs. Diligently reading your camellias will also prevent seeds from forming, helping your plant retain more nutrients for growth.
Camellias can also be pruned if they become overly thick and bushy, preventing blossoms from opening up fully.
End-of-Season Care
Winterizing a camellia varies from climate to climate. If you’re in a location that freezes, however, you’ll want to water your camellia well before the first frost occurs and apply a layer of straw or mulch to protect the roots from frost during winter.
Red Camellia Flowers FAQs
What Do Red Camellias Symbolize?
Red camellias symbolize passion, romance, deep desire, and love.
Are Red Camellia Flowers Rare?
One type of red camellia, the ‘Middlemist’s Red’ camellia, is considered the rarest flower in the world, with only two known plants growing worldwide: one in Chiswick, England, and another in a botanical garden in New Zealand.
What Month Do Red Camellias Flower?
Different camellia varieties bloom at different times of the year. The climate can also affect the period when they are in bloom. Some camellias in certain environments blossom from late fall until early spring, while others start blooming in early spring and continue until the beginning of summer.
Are Red Camellia Flowers High Maintenance?
Camellias are relatively sensitive plants, so they can be more challenging to grow and keep healthy. Ensure yours is provided with the proper growing conditions, and it will thrive.
How Fast Do Red Camellia Flowers Grow?
Camellias are slow-growing plants. Seedlings can take about two years to become well-established in the soil and four to five before they bloom for the first time. Once established in good growing conditions, camellias, on average, can gain about 12 inches each year.
Elegance and Beauty for the Patient Gardener
Red camellia flowers grow relatively slowly compared to other garden shrubs and trees, but they are worth the patience and care. Whether you grow a shrub or tree variety, your camellia plants will provide you with stunning blossoms that you can enjoy for years to come.
Andrew is the Editorial Director at Petal Republic. He holds a BSc degree in Plant Sciences and has trained professionally at leading floristry schools in London and Paris. In amongst overseeing a global editorial team, Andrew's a passionate content creator around all things flowers, floral design, gardening, and houseplants.
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