January/February 2013 Issue - Filoli

A B C
Here, the process is depicted in an easier to visualize manner. Drawing A shows a camellia before renovation. Drawing B shows the same
tree after the renovation cuts have been made. Drawing C shows the flush of new sprouts, with Circle 1 detailing the burst of new shoots,
and Circle 2 showing the same branch after thinning and heading cuts have been made. All photos and drawings by the author.
photo). Other buds will sprout further down the
trunk, but unless the plant is in a lot of sun, there
probably won’t be much sprouting in the bottom
third of the plant. Since the goal of renovations
at Filoli is size control in addition to flower
promotion, we thin or cut back most of the new
growth.
Starting at the top, any new sprouts growing into
the center, rather than toward the outside, can
be removed or cut back to two buds. Multiple
sprouts often form from the same bud. Leave the
strongest, remove any others, then cut the sprout
back to two buds (bottom photo, previous page).
If possible, trim sprouts back to an outward facing
bud. This is especially important for sprouts on
the bare lower portions of the trunks. Buds sprout
in the direction they are facing- outside facing
buds sprout toward the outside of the plant, inside
facing buds sprout toward the inside of the plant.
Even the slightest directional encouragement can
be helpful when training camellias. As part of
the training process, horizontal branching of new
shoots is to be encouraged.
The rest of the plant can be pruned in a similar
manner, i.e., cut back most of the new growth
to two buds, thin out congested sections, and
encourage horizontal branching whenever
possible. Occasionally, the original renovation
cuts may not have taken back the main stems
to where they should optimally be located for
good structural regrowth. If this is the case, the
main trunks can be further cut back to maintain
the shape. Any pruning should be done before
the camellia sets flower buds for the next year,
usually before mid-July to August. Flower buds
are much fatter than vegetative buds and can be
easily distinguished.
All the hard pruning cuts should make the plant
respond vigorously throughout the growing
season. This may necessitate another pruning in
the late winter to take off the longest branches to
highlight the flowers. Care should be taken not
to remove any flower buds that may have formed.
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The second year after renovation should produce
sporadic flowering. Pruning and training the
second year is similar to the first year, with some
thinning at the top and pruning to encourage
horizontal branching and dense growth. The
shape of the plant should start to become visible
at this point and it will be easier to see what
will need to be pruned to maintain the desired
form. Continue in this vein year after year, and
eventually the plant will become the desired size
and shape.
Renovation is an effective method for maintaining
and reshaping old and overgrown camellias. As
long as proper pruning happens in the years after
renovation, plants can be safely and effectively
brought back into a proper garden size. The end
result, long term, will be a more beautiful, better
shaped plant to enjoy for many years.
For further reading on camellias and camellia
renovation, please see the following excellent
reference books available in the Friends of
Filoli Library: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of
Camellias by Stirling Macoby, Camellias: The
Gardener’s Encyclopedia by Jennifer Trehane,
and Camellias Illustrated by Morrie L. Sharp.
Paul Cady was formerly the assistant horticulturist in the
Walled and Woodland Gardens. He left Filoli last summer to
pursue his Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecure from
the University of Georgia.
The Sundial Times
The Sundial Times is a quarterly supplement to the
Friends of Filoli Highlights.
Jim Salyards, Editor
Alex Fernandez, Managing Editor
Paul Littlepage, Proofreader
Paul Cady, Contributing Writer
Filoli, 86 Cañada Road. Woodside, CA 94062
(650) 364-8300
Website: www.filoli.org; Email: jsalyards@filoli.org
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