Camellia Sasanqua Yuletide #3

Does your garden completely shut down the moment the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone? Is your yard looking a little gray and depressing right when you want it to look festive for the holidays?

Meet the ‘Yuletide’ Camellia. The name isn't just marketing fluff; this plant literally brings the holiday spirit. While most Camellias wait until late winter or spring to show off, ‘Yuletide’ is a Sasanqua type, meaning it blooms right in late fall and early winter. It features single, brilliant red blossoms with a bright golden-yellow center, set against deep green waxy leaves. It is nature’s version of red-and-green holiday decor, and you don’t even have to untangle any lights to enjoy it.

Camellias are the queens of the Southern garden, and ‘Yuletide’ loves the Piedmont Triad. It thrives in our naturally acidic soil (it loves the same spots as your Azaleas). It handles our morning sun beautifully and doesn't mind the variable weather we get in December, whether it's 60 degrees or freezing.

Why We Recommend It:

• Blooms When Nothing Else Does: This is the main reason to buy it. When your Hydrangeas are sticks, and your Hostas are asleep, this shrub is exploding with color. It keeps the garden interesting during the "boring" months.

• The "Tougher" Camellia: Sasanqua Camellias generally have smaller leaves and a denser habit than the spring-blooming types. This makes them a bit more drought-tolerant once established and less likely to get battered by winter winds.

• Vertical Privacy: ‘Yuletide’ grows in an upright, pyramidal shape. It’s perfect for tight spaces between houses or near a corner where you need height and privacy but don’t have room for a wide, sprawling bush.

Best Used For:

• Entryways (to greet holiday guests).

• Screening/Hedges (plant them in a row for a green wall).

• Woodland borders.

• Espalier (training flat against a wall or fence—it loves this!).

The Specs:

• Growth Rate: Moderate (faster than other Camellias).

• Mature Size: Upright; 8–10 ft tall x 6–8 ft wide (can be kept smaller with pruning).

• Sun/Soil: Part Sun to Part Shade (Morning sun/Afternoon shade is the "Goldilocks" spot). Needs well-drained, acidic soil.

Check out the full technical details on the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, or come see us at Mitchell’s Nursery to see the line up of Camellias.