where are you .. whats the deadline ... anything can be moved ... hence the nursery industry ...

the first thing you should do.. is cut it down to manageable height ... and if successful.... it will grown to size ...

do you have any experience doing this type of thing ....??

a shrub is a shrub... so here are some vids: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=camellia+transplanting&t=ffcm&iax=videos&ia=videos

my bottom line.. if you can buy a new one for 50 bucks ... is it really worth 6 or 8 hours of back breaking hard work to move this old thing ... often.. the answer is no ... [or paying someone a couple hundred dollars to do the job for you???]

if you decide to go ahead... dig the new hole first... then dig this thing out.. drag it over there ... and water it in ... and keep it moist.. but not sodden... for the rest of the year ... letting it near dry in between waterings ...

ken

ps: no shrub hugging.. if you go buy a new one.. mother earth net zero ... no hard feelings ... you are just in the way ...

btw.. all flowering shrubs do much better in more light... presuming you arent in some god forsaken area.. where the sun will burn it up ... so choose the next location ... with proper sunlight in mind ...

camelia can tolerate partial shade.. some suggest even prefer it... but next to a house can be problematic ... as half the plant is getting nothing.. from the house itself .... that might be one reason this thing grew over the eaves... looking for more light ...

This is a shade loving shrub....especially in the south. Other than the fall bloomers (sasanquas), I wouldn't suggest siting anywhere where they receive strong sun.

Ken, locating these next to a structure (as in foundation plantings) or on the north side of a building is pretty much SOP. It didn't grow tall "looking for more light".......it grew tall because that's what they do. 20' is not out of line of an established shrub.

Thanks so much for all your ideas. I am in Southern California... We get a lot of Sun out here. I think I am going to try and move it. If it doesn't work out I will just buy another. New location will be on the north side of a shed. I'll cut it down halfway to a manageable height, trench it out and go for it. I'll keep ya updated with photos and stuff... will try to get better pictures next time.

You won't be able to move a long established camellia like this without the right equipment and experience - unlike rhododendrons they do not produce dense, sod like root systems that lend themselves to transplanting. So I think if you try moving it by yourself, in the manner described you are quite likely to be wasting your time and effort.

i didnt quite get to my point.. ill try again ...

its over the house ...

a plant can be very big.... underground... to hold itself up.. over the house ....

when you dig it up.... and cut off a lot of the roots ... it will have a hard time.. holding itself upright without those roots.. in the new spot ... especially during wind.. storms.. etc ...

that is one reason to cut it down ...

the other reason ... is to make the job easier for you to hoik it around the yard ...

so you might want to go a bit smaller than half the height of the house ... for most of us.. that would still be over our head ....

i like your idea of at least trying.. think of it as exercise .. most of us..need more ...

here is a general primer on doing such: https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

timing is usually imperative .. like not doing this in august ... but often.. you do what you have to do.. when you have to do it.. because of some other project ...

good luck

ken

ps:one of our most frequent discussions are about understanding the future size of the babe you bought ... too often.. peeps buy this babe of a plant.. and plant it ON THE FOUNDATION .. and then 20 years later find out.. the babe was a beast .. should you buy anything else... look for named varieties.. that have smaller future potential if they need to be placed near the house .. and then add at least a couple feet extra away form the house.... foundation plants are planted to hide the foundation.. not on the foundation ...

PPS: if you are unsure about utilities... do call miss dig before digging around the house ... and do sharpen your shovel... it makes a great difference ....