Camellias are slow-growing, and respond well to pruning, so in theory, you could plant almost any camellia, and keep it in a large pot. Google 'camellia bonsai' and you'll see what I mean. You might want to steer away from any varieties that are described as vigorous growers, though, unless you really like pruning.

Having said that, there are some camellias that are naturally more compact plants, and the first one that comes to mind is 'ShiShi Gashira' which is a hiemalis camellia. 'Purple Haze' is another compact plant, but it's a fairly new variety, so it may be hard to find (and you may not want a purple camellia).

There are many other possibilities, and if your region has very cold winters, you might want to consider a variety that's known to be cold-hardy, even though it will get some protection from the cold on the porch.

If you'll be spending time on the porch nearby, you might want to consider a fragrant camellia such as 'High Fragrance' or ''Cinnamon Cindy' or another of the scented varieties.

Good luck,

Virginia

thank you i wrote down these suggestions

one that has remained small(er) that I grow is 'chansonette'. it has been discussed on this forum in the past. it is a low-growing sasanqua with a slightly pendulous habit. I can envision that it would make a nice container plant. fall flower color is bright pink.

'Chansonette' is a great idea, and a beautiful camellia.

Vmr423 is on the right track, you could plant any camellia in a screened south facing area in a pot. just depends on what you like, all camellia respond to pruning very well and can be kept in 5, 10, 15 gallon pots for a majority of there life. I grew some camellia sinensis large leaf from seed. These are the camellia that produce tea for drinking. However, they produce a very fragrant white flower when they bloom. They have been said to have a sweeter sent than most other hybrid camellia's but sacrifice that for just a plain white flower with yellow in the center. In the end give a thumb through a catalog or walk through a nursery that has them. and select the one that you like the best. happy growing. =)
TheItalian Garden