Plant Development Services Debuts Early Surprise Camellia

Plant Development Services Inc. has introduced Early Surprise™ Camellia, a unique new hybrid that delivers blooms from late summer through fall.

Unlike current camellia varieties on the market that bloom from late fall through winter, Early Surprise and its upcoming sister releases were developed as crosses with Chinese summer-blooming camellias, resulting in a hardy hybrid variety that’s unlike anything widely available to consumers.

“Camellias are a landscape staple in the U.S., but their traditional blooming period falls during the colder months of the year when people aren’t spending as much time in their gardens,” says Kip McConnell, Vice President of Business Development at Plant Development Services. “That’s what makes Early Surprise a gamechanger. Growers and retailers can now bring summer color to the camellia bench, taking camellias from an evergreen backdrop to a standout of the summer landscape.”

The introduction of Early Surprise represents an industry-leading approach to extending the camellia season for Southern Living® Plant Collection. Consumers can now enjoy nearly a full year of bloom succession through the brand’s varieties. With Early Surprise now opening the season with summer blooms, it’s followed by the brand’s October Magic® Camellia series and Early Wonder® Camellia to carry the story through fall, winter, and into early spring.

Among its many benefits, Early Surprise also demonstrates a vigorous growth rate, a benefit for production and finished plant performance. It produces abundant medium-to-dark pink blooms against dark evergreen foliage and continues flowering until a hard frost. Early Surprise matures to 5–6 feet high by 3–4 feet wide and thrives in USDA Zones 7-9 in full sun to partial shade. The variety’s compact, upright form makes it particularly well-suited as a narrow planting, container, or patio tree, opening additional opportunities for renters and small-space dwellers.

Early Surprise is the latest introduction in the “Early” camellia series, with additional colors currently under development. It will be available to the trade in 2027, followed by consumer availability through the Southern Living and Sunset® Plant Collections in 2028. For more information, please visit plantdevelopment.com/introductions.