Dead Camellia

Anyone been spraying nearby?  It doesn't look good, but I would leave it and wait and see if it put out new leaves during the summer.

No, nothing the other side, that patch of ground was fairly water logged for a while over winter but the other Camellias are Ok......2 others within 5-6 ft. It's just this one has curled up it's toes.

Shame really, it was bought in 1994ish, moved in 1998, and again in 2001.

I didn't expect it to survive either of those moves, the first was in spring, the second in summer.

Both times it had holes prepared with ericacious compost etc.....it has been fed......not regularly I must admit  , the last time was about 3 yrs ago.
4 yrs ago it was absolutely covered in blooms, last year not good at all, this autumn there were loads of buds & I expected a good show this year 

Oh well, it will stay for a couple of months "just in case"

Just as an aside....when is the best time to cut back a Camellia...........my mum has one which is about 20ft tall.
It grew right up through a Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' conifer & would produce a fantastic display at the top of the conifer.

She had the conifer taken down because it restricted light into the utility room.....................now the camellia is a 16ft bare pole with a 4ft flowering head & is quite unsightly..........I have suggested she has it cut down to 3-4ft to see what happens.............nothing to lose??? 

I have cut a camelia back quite hard when I wanted to move it and it grew again quite happily.  I don't remember when the correct time to do it is.  I did it late spring, early summer I think.