Some older plants are so full of leaves and thin branches that they bear poor quality flowers.
Others carry leaves burned by sun and past frosts, making the shrubs look sickly. The best time to prune camellias is after they flower each year, because new growth begins soon after the blossoms fade, said Jan McNeilan, consumer horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Camellias can benefit from pruning every few years to stimulate new growth and eliminate old ratty growth. Or an overgrown shrub can be renovated into a tree or smaller shrub. To make a camellia bushier, prune some branches back to the base of the most recent growth scar.