April Tryst Camellia

Camellia japonica 'April Tryst'

flower

April Tryst is a standout in the cold-hardy April Series of Japanese camellias, bred to bring this classic Southern evergreen into colder gardens. It is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with handsome, glossy, dark green leaves year-round, growing slowly to five to eight feet, and in early spring it opens large, anemone-form, rich red flowers three to four inches across. Camellias are prized for blooming when little else does and for their elegant evergreen presence, and April Tryst is one of the few Camellia japonica cultivars rated to zone 6, making it a treasured choice for gardeners on the northern edge of camellia country, especially in a sheltered spot.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Azalea — Shares the camellia preference for acid soil and part shade and picks up the bloom relay just as the camellia finishes
• Ferns — Soften the ground beneath the evergreen camellia and thrive in the same moist, acid shade
• Hosta — Bold summer foliage at the camellia feet that enjoys the same rich, shaded, well-drained soil

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Tea scale →

  The major camellia pest - tiny scale insects encrust leaf undersides and yellow-mottle the tops; check undersides, prune out heavy infestations for airflow, and treat with horticultural oil

• Aphids →

  Cluster on tender new growth - rinse off with water and encourage ladybugs

• Petal blight →

  A fungus that browns and rots the open flowers - rake up and discard fallen petals and spent blooms, and avoid overhead watering in bloom

• Root rot →

  Phytophthora rots roots in wet soil - ensure sharp drainage and shallow planting, and never let the plant sit in standing water

🌸 Blooms & cutting

Camellias make exquisite, if short-stemmed, cut flowers - snip a bloom or two with a leaf in the cool morning and float them in a shallow bowl of water, the traditional way to display them, since the heavy flowers do not last long on a cut stem. In the garden, removing spent and browning flowers from the plant and the ground reduces petal blight. Any shaping should be done right after the plant finishes blooming, because camellias set the next season buds over summer and fall.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

An ornamental broadleaf evergreen grown for its glossy year-round foliage and large spring flowers when little else blooms. The flowers offer pollen and nectar to early bees, and the dense evergreen form gives birds shelter. Camellia is non-toxic and safe around pets and children.