- Mature height
- 2m to 4m
- Mature width
- 2m to 3m
Camellia japonica 'Drama Girl' produces some of the largest flowers of any japonica, semi-double and salmon rose pink, often 13 to 15 centimetres across. The habit is vigorous and open rather than tight, with arching branches that let the heavy blooms hang clear of the dark, leathery foliage.
Give it filtered light and shelter, in acidic soil kept moist through summer. The size of the flowers means wind and driving rain will mark them, so a protected aspect pays off. Light to moderate frost is tolerated once established. Growth runs 20 to 50 centimetres a year in reasonable conditions.
Its scale suits larger gardens, woodland edges and established shade under a high canopy, where an open framed shrub does not look sparse. Plant it where the pendulous flowers can be seen from below or from a path. It is the cultivar to choose when flower size is the whole point.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Drama Girl Camellia
What is a Drama Girl Camellia?
Drama Girl is a japonica cultivar known for producing very large semi-double flowers, often 13 to 15 centimetres across, in salmon rose pink with a centre of gold stamens. Growth is vigorous and open, with arching branches. It is grown for flower size rather than for a tight, formal shape.
How big does Drama Girl Camellia grow?
It is vigorous, reaching around 3 to 4 metres high and 2 to 3 metres wide over time. The habit is open and slightly pendulous rather than compact, so allow room for it. Pruning after flowering keeps it denser and lower if the full size does not suit the position.
How fast does Drama Girl grow?
It grows at 20 to 50 centimetres a year, at the upper end of that range in warm temperate gardens with good soil and steady moisture. It is one of the faster japonicas. Growth slows markedly in poor drainage, alkaline soil, or where established trees are competing for water.
When does Drama Girl flower?
Flowering runs through winter and into spring, generally July to October. The large blooms are heavy and hang downward, which sheds rain and helps them last. Wind and driving rain will still mark the petals, so a sheltered aspect gives a noticeably better display over the season.
Does Drama Girl need sun or shade?
Filtered light, or morning sun with afternoon shade. The large thin petals scorch quickly in hot sun and the foliage yellows in full exposure. Deep shade is equally unhelpful, producing long bare stems and few buds. High canopy shade from established trees gives close to ideal conditions.
How do I prune Drama Girl Camellia?
Prune straight after flowering ends in spring. Shorten the arching leaders by about a third to build density, remove any crossing or inward growing branches, and thin the centre to let light in. Camellias respond well to hard renovation pruning into old wood if a plant has gone bare at the base.
How do I care for a Drama Girl Camellia?
Keep the soil acidic, moist and heavily mulched, particularly through summer when buds are setting. Feed with a camellia and azalea fertiliser after flowering. Because the blooms are so large, thinning the buds in autumn to one per cluster produces fewer flowers but noticeably bigger ones.
