Pruning

When your camellia is established you should know what space you wish it to occupy.  Always start pruning before the plant reaches the size at which you wish to control it.  A few minutes each year with the secateurs will achieve this result. Start by removing any weak internal or crossing branches.  Also remove any branches too close to the ground.  These rarely give clean flowers.  Then shorten or remove other branches to shape and open out the plant.  Always shorten to a bud facing in a suitable direction for the next growth run.  To grow a camellia in a restricted space, allow one central trunk to develop, but be quite ruthless in removing or shortening any laterals that are thickening out into heavy branches.  After a few prunings you will produce a plant capable of a good flower display on many short branches, in very little space.