Together with 'Adolphe Audusson", Camellia 'R. L. Wheeler" (Camellia japonica) is tested one of the hardiest camellia varieties for the garden. It is assigned to winter hardiness zone 7a (down to -18 °C) with its dark pink, semi-double, large flowers to 15cm across from February, whose outer petal edges are wavy. Its frost resistance also applies to the buds, which open over many weeks, giving this proven variety a very long flowering period.  The plants grow well branched, very bushy and vigorous.

General information on Japanese Camellia: The evergreen shrubs with the glossy, leathery dark green leaves love semi-shady places and acidic, well drained but moist, humus-rich soil as well as acidic fertilizers (e.g. rhododendron fertilizer). Their thick flower buds are already formed from (late) summer, ripen from about September until flowering in February/March/April at 0 to 10 °C, and open in cool places around 10 °C. If the temperature is too high, the buds will fall off before they open: Japanese Camellias are not houseplants! But they are wonderful winter garden plants, which rightly bear the nickname "Roses of Winter". Or – due to their surprisingly high winter hardiness, depending on the variety – they can be planted out as permanent guests in the garden, protected from the winter sun with a shade net or fleece. When planted in the garden, flowering starts (depending on the weather) a few weeks later than potted Camellia in a conservatory.

Quality: large & dark pink & robust flowers; long flowering period; evergreen & glossy leaves; dense bushy and vigorous growth; very good winter hardiness

Use: planted in the garden; outdoors in pots from March/April in a semi-shaded place - during winter in an unheated room; all year in an unheated or rarely heated greenhouse