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Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' (Kramer's Supreme Camellia) care

Camellia japonica 'Kramer's Supreme'

Also called Kramer's Supreme Camellia, Fragrant Camellia.

RHS H4USDA 7-10Pet-safeIndoor 2.5-3.5 m tall and 1.5-2 m wide at maturity

Watering rhythm

7-10days

When the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during active growth

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Light

Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)

Soil

Acidic, humus-rich, free-draining ericaceous compost or amended soil

Humidity

50-65%

Temp

2-24°C

Pet safety

Pet-safe

Mature size

2.5-3.5 m tall and 1.5-2 m wide at maturity

Care at a glance

Light

Bright but filtered. Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' burns within days in unfiltered south-facing summer sun, and stops growing within months in deep shade. Grow in bright, indirect or dappled shade with protection from fierce afternoon sun, which can fade the vivid red flowers. A sheltered south- or west-facing wall with overhead dappled shade from taller trees is optimal in temperate gardens. If you only have a south window, set the plant back 1.5 m or hang a sheer curtain — both knock the intensity down into the right range.

Watering

Watering camellia 'kramer's supreme': when the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during active growth. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Consistent watering from late summer through spring protects bud set and prevents drop. Use rainwater or filtered water in hard-water areas. During summer heat, water deeply once or twice per week and mulch the root zone to conserve moisture.

Soil and pot

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' grows best in acidic, humus-rich, free-draining ericaceous compost or amended soil. Needs pH 5.5-6.5 for healthy growth and flowering. Dig in copious leaf mould or composted bark when planting. In pots, use a quality ericaceous mix and repot every 3-4 years to refresh the growing medium. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' sits happiest at around 50-65% humidity and 2-24°C (35-75°F). Average temperate garden humidity is sufficient. In greenhouse or conservatory culture, maintain ventilation to prevent botrytis on the peony-form blooms, which can trap moisture between petals. If you keep the room above 2 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed camellia 'kramer's supreme' sparingly. Apply a granular ericaceous fertiliser in early spring and liquid ericaceous feeds monthly until late July. The fragrance quality of the blooms is not diminished by regular feeding. Stop all fertilising by late summer. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on camellia 'kramer's supreme' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Bud drop — Moisture stress or root zone disturbance in autumn is the most common trigger; water consistently and avoid repotting container plants after buds form.
  • Botrytis on peony blooms — The dense petal clusters of peony-form flowers trap moisture; improve air circulation and remove spent blooms before they rot.
  • Camellia scale — Flat, brown-grey scale insects on stems and leaf undersides; apply horticultural oil spray in spring when crawlers are active.
  • Chlorosis — Iron deficiency in neutral to alkaline soils causes interveinal yellowing; apply sequestered iron chelate and switch to rainwater irrigation.
  • Frost damage to flowers — Red flowers show less colour-fade from frost than white or pink cultivars, but a fleece cover on forecast frost nights protects open blooms from browning.

Companion plants

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' pairs well with Camellia sasanqua, Pieris, Mahonia, and Helleborus. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings 8-10 cm long taken in late summer are the preferred method. Wound the base, apply hormone rooting gel, and place in a humid propagator with bottom heat at 18-21°C and a free-draining acidic cutting medium. Roots form in 10-14 weeks. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' is pet-safe. The ASPCA lists Camellia (common camellia, Camellia japonica) as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Ornamental camellias pose no known poisoning risk, though any plant can cause mild stomach upset if a pet eats a large amount. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Camellia japonica 'Kramer's Supreme'?

Camellia japonica 'Kramer's Supreme' is most commonly called Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme', but it is also known as Kramer's Supreme Camellia, Fragrant Camellia. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' apply identically to anything sold as Kramer's Supreme Camellia.

How much light does camellia 'kramer's supreme' need?

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' grows best in bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window). Grow in bright, indirect or dappled shade with protection from fierce afternoon sun, which can fade the vivid red flowers. A sheltered south- or west-facing wall with overhead dappled shade from taller trees is optimal in temperate gardens.

How often should I water camellia 'kramer's supreme'?

Water camellia 'kramer's supreme' when the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during active growth. Consistent watering from late summer through spring protects bud set and prevents drop. Use rainwater or filtered water in hard-water areas. During summer heat, water deeply once or twice per week and mulch the root zone to conserve moisture. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is camellia 'kramer's supreme' toxic to cats and dogs?

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' is pet-safe. The ASPCA lists Camellia (common camellia, Camellia japonica) as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Ornamental camellias pose no known poisoning risk, though any plant can cause mild stomach upset if a pet eats a large amount.

What USDA hardiness zone does camellia 'kramer's supreme' grow in?

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' is rated for USDA zone 7-10 and RHS hardiness H4. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of camellia 'kramer's supreme' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' qualifies for 12 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

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Related guides

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' is also commonly called Kramer's Supreme Camellia or Fragrant Camellia.