growing organic camellias in Texas?

Is possible to grow camellias organically in the Texas hill country. Our soil is very alkaline and I need something unusual for a semi-shady spot. There are pictures of the spot in the curb appeal forum on the thread titled "Holly fern and what kind of hosta"

This message was edited Nov 4, 2005 11:11 PM

Maybe this page from the American Camelia Society's site will be of some help:

http://www.camellias-acs.org/qanda/growing11.asp
Yuska

Wow, Yuska. That was immensely helpful! Have you tried camellias? If I used Gardenville rose dirt to replace the dirt I dig out, do you think this would actually work?

Would you do me a favor and go the curb appeal forum and look at the thread I started "Ferns and what hostas?". I guess the people that follow that forum all live up north and have no idea how to advise me. I don't know much about camellias and how they grow. If I can get a camellia to grow there, is there a possibility that it will get too big and take over the porch or maybe even start working its way under the shingles on the roof. I don't want to hide the porch, just decorate it. The bed in front of the porch is about 8 feet long.

This message was edited Nov 7, 2005 2:05 PM

Here's a link from TAMU - http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/newsletters/hortupdate/jan01/art10jan.html

No, I have never grown camellias and I don't know why. They are lovely. When I lived in southern California (zone 9a and slightly alkaline soil) a neighbor had a pair of them on the north side of her house that I could see from my kitchen window. They performed faithfully for the 16 years I was there (left in '95). Obviously an older variety, they were small trees about 7-8 feet. She had an arborist trim them to show more of the trunk forms and they were quite artistic. Surely there are varieties that stay much smaller. They can be contained in pots, too, as suggested in the TAMU article.

As for hostas, I think I'm jinxed. My success rate after 3 tries is exactly zero. Not much better with ferns, which I really admire very much. I'm going to try again now that my place has a lot more shade.

From looking at the picture of the bed to be planted, I think I'd be inclined to put
the ferns in back and the hostas center front, with perhaps a lenten rose for the uneven design that is more visually pleasing. Then a low-growing shrubby perrennial like pink skullcap at the corners for low maintenance. The ferns would have room for their arching foliage, and pots of annuals could be popped in/out during the spring and summer. The camellias, if used, might go between the hostas and ferns.

The camellia society takes questions from the public at
culture@camellias-acs.org. Maybe send your picture and ask for suggestions on varieties that would be sized right for the space?

Yuska





This message was edited Nov 7, 2005 6:11 PM

Thanks for the response, Yuska. I haven't read the article yet. I figured you might still be at the computer, so I decided to write this now. You really gave me something to think about. The idea of holly ferns and pink skullcap in the same bed is a really interesting idea. Great contrast.

Mary Lee

See also my edit just now........

Yuska, I sure am glad you're a DG'er. Thanks much for your help.
Mary Lee

The japanes Camellia sasanqua and its hybrids like the heat - they thrive out in the full sun here in SW France, but my soil is neutral. They flower in the autumn and have a delicious scent :) I garden organically and they have been doing OK for me - though early days yet