Probably inconsistent watering and transplant shock. Camellia leaves transition from greenhouses to the outside slowly and are not used to receiving a strong sun, especially the japonica leaves/ Make sure that they only get morning sun (say until 10 or maybe 11am tops) in the summer months, keep them well mulched at all times and prevent inconsistent waterings (periods of dry soil, followed by periods of moist soil and back to periods of dry soil; aim for evenly moist soil conditions... as best as you can). As the plants get used to the sun outside, the new leaves will be less sensitive to our strong sunlight. May-June is when they shed leaves. If you loose leaves now, wait until the plant develops new ones; they will either do this in early Fall or wait until Spring).

If winter is dry, you may want to check soil moisture during winter to make sure they do not dry out then. In winter you normally can reduce watering to once a week or every two weeks but, they are new shrubs & if there is no rain, you may need to water them if it is dry. I almost lost a few when my sprinkler system was turned off & not turned back on (due to a forecast of ice). How to tell if they need water? Use the finger method: water if a finger inserted into the soil to a depth of 4" feels dry or almost dry. After you water, the soil should feel moist down to a depth of 8" or so.

To prevent flower buds from browning or drying out during winter... if temps are scheduled to go below frezing, make sure that the night before the soil is moist and the plant is well mulched. Water the soil instead of the leaves early in the mornings (6-8am). Start watering from the root ball outwards.

The plants probably have those round fertilizer pellets now so there is no need to feed them now. Wait until Spring to start fertilizing. The last slow release fertilizer application of the year should occur around 3 months before your average date of first frost. If not sure when that is, assume around the end of Nov or the start of December... more or less.

Japonicas definitely have leaves that cannot handle the Texas heat summer stress. Sasanquas can be in full sun here but gosh, I still would never plant them in full sun here. I see them (sasanquas) in full sun in a shopping center instead. ;o)

They get very little sun and it has been raining a lot since we planted them. Not much I can do about the rains. Area drains well as well. At this point just wait and See?

Just noticed one of them is dropping buds. Sigh.

ETA: Its not heat, the sun has barely come out. I think its these incessant rains...we are not over watering, mother nature is! plants are planted higher, so while water is not retained, there is a lot of coming down.

Actually, if you ever notice that rains are a problem, consider relocating the plant elsewhere, into a place where water does not "congregate" as much and drains away quickly. Also, since it was recently planted, you can consider temporarily putting it back into a pot too... useful when it floods or there is a hurricane, etc etc etc.

Water does not congregate, but we have been having rain almost every day. Putting in containers is not an option as Houston always gets a lot if rain. We have pretty much decided to leave them and see what happens. Could be an expensive experiment, but the area drains well. Can't fight mother nature

Update: all the plants have stabilized, no further deterioration and some show new growth. We have not watered at all, since it rains here on and off, atleast once a week. I think that was the issue with my older ones that died, must have been over watering although I cant recollect details, the leaves turned brown.

?

How are your camellias doing now? Well, I hope. I think they were just adjusting from the conditions in which they were originally grown to new conditions. Hope they're going well now!

They are alive. Out if the 4 I recently put in, 1 bloomed well, a couple dropped most buds, but had a bloom or two,and one dropped all buds. Most leaves look the same. Few years ago, all my Japonicas died over the summer .. they were in a location that barely get any sun, so this time I will watch the watering and see.