Salty Thumb wrote:

I was planning on growing it indoors (at least
during the winter), in a movable container (despite warnings about herbs
not doing too well indoors).

If you're in a warmer spot in 7 or can plant it in a sheltered
spot, perhaps near a west-facing wall that will help keep it
warm, it might be fine outside, at least until an unusually
warm winter. I would expect that until it gets VERY cold all
you'll see is tip or twig dieback, which will keep it smaller
but still big enough for culinary and many ornamental
purposes.

By the way, if you buy it mail-order, it will probably cost
you at least $15 including freight and you will receive
something small, possibly a single bare-root stem. If you can
find it at a garden center, you will pay about the same for a
robust specimen in a 3-gal container. The former would be OK
for indoor use, but I'd rather have the big one for planting
outdoors. It will have the rootmass to withstand occasional
errors in care. Don't know about you, but I miss watering a
new plant occasionally.

Since it supposely is going to turn into a
tree, that's probably an insane idea.

It is relatively slow growing. Even here in 8b, ours have
grown to about 4' h x 2' w in 3-4 years, while Camellia
sasanqua planted at the same size and time have grown to 6' h
x 4' w. So yes, it can become a tree, but considerably south
of you or e.g. around the Mediterranean. I saw 15' specimens
used as shrub borders on a visit to France.

Also, if you keep it in a pot, it won't get that big! In the
house, the dry warm air in the winter may bother it. You
could try misting. That's a guess based on growing
houseplants.

Good luck!


Mike Prager
Beaufort, NC (on the coast in zone 8a)
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