Camellias – Pruning

Q: I need some information on pruning camellias at this time of year.

A: Flower buds have already formed on camellia branch tips. If you want flowers next season, prune lightly now, trying to remove only the longest branches but leaving many smaller branches untouched. If you need to drastically reduce the size of the camellia, plan on making it a two-year job, removing a third of the height now and another third next May.