Camellia (Camellia × williamsii): when and how to prune

Camellia (Camellia × williamsii): when to prune it?

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After flowering, in May–June, before the new flower buds are formed.

What else to prune in those months? May · June

Camellia (Camellia × williamsii): how to prune it?

1. Prune lightly: only shorten overlong or awkward branches to just above a leaf.
2. Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches.
3. Rejuvenate an oversized shrub over a few years by cutting back a few old branches hard each time; camellias regrow well from old wood.

How much to cut, and how often?

• One pruning period a year: May–June.
• Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in May–June can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
• Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Camellia
• Sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua)
• Barberry
• Blackthorn
• Box (buxus)
• Californian lilac

Plant profile: Camellia (Camellia × williamsii) · Pruning calendar and basic rules