Pruning Camellia Bush

Question

I need to massively prune my camellia bush. It is at the top of my roofline and I want to cut it back to about 4 feet. When is the best time for this pruning, and can I just cut it back to the large branches without causing harm? If I cannot prune as needed,  I may have to remove the entire plant, which I prefer to leave in its original spot of 30 years. I need to know how far I can safetly cut it back.

Answer 1

I would only prune it back by 1/3. You can follow up next year with a pruning of 1/3 again. Any more than 1/3 and most plants start to have problems. Here is an article that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/camellia/pruning-camellias-how-to-prune-a-camellia-plant.htm