If blooming time is important, your best bet is to have several different red varieties in the location where you wish to see the flowers. Sasanquas normally bloom Fall through early winter or thereabouts. Local weather issues will, of course, affect all plants' blooming time but not necessarily in the same way. By having different red varieties, at least one or some of the reds may be blooming at the time that you wish to see blooms. Just a suggestion....

As you compile a list of reds, write down and compare the blooming time, the bloom type and the shade of red.

Do not limit yourself to sasanquas if you desire to see blooms on a given month since some japonicas may also flower during the desired time frame. Some sasanquas worth considering: Midnight Lover, Yuletide and Bonanza (spreads somewhat). From the japonicas, check Bob Hope, Tom Knudsen and Prof. Charles Sargent

Finally, see them or see pictures before ordering since you may prefer certain shades of red more than others. Some shrubs sold as reds are not "true" reds but maybe a hot pink, dark pink or dark lavender. By viewing them or their pictures, you can make sure you will be happy with your selection.

You do not indicate where do you live but local nurseries in your area may now be carrying a god inventory of camellias. You can also check pictures in the Internet at mail order nurseries or wholesalers like monrovia.com.

Have a good time shopping,
Luis

Luis, that is very good advice! I always like to see the actual bloom in a nursery before buying a plant.

Dear kal2002,
As Gertrude Stein famously said, "Rose is a rose is a rose!" The same can be saud of a red _Camellia sasanqua_, "Yuletide is Yuletide is Yuletide." The Nuccio variety 'Yuletidë' is about the only truly red _Camellia sasanqua_ that is readily available in the nursery trade. It is a true "Christmas red," Our plant starts blooming in October in Zone 7B and is gorgeous. Don't waste your time with 'Bonanza,' and those other varieties that are dark, purplish pink rather than "true red." 'Midnight Lover' is red but so darkly colored as to be almost black. Unless you want something that looks like Halloween, don't waste your time with that one, either. Go with 'Yuletide" if you want a true red.

Thanks everyone for your input. I already have Yuletide. I am looking to grow a camellia tree with red flowers if possible. I like bright colors especially in the winter when not much else is blooming. Midnight Lover sounds good. Where can I find one of these? By mail?

I live by Elk Grove in northern California. Our summers are super dry and hot. I don't think I can grow japonica's simply because I don't have enough shade to keep them from being burnt in the summer unless there are japonica's that can take a lot of heat and sun.

I did a quick search on Google. Midnight Lover looks like Yuletide. Does that sound right? So does Crimson King, these 3 look alike to me but maybe not for those of you who grow them. I can't really tell from looking at the pictures online.

Thanks, I will research 'professor charles s. sargent'. I did not not that some japonica's are sun tolerant. If so, are there other japonica's that I can grow in full sun? Besides red, I also like bi-colors ones like Edna Bass, KramerÂs Supreme and Prince of Fairhope.

Check out the 'Red' camellias offered at Camellia Forest.

I have April Tryst, but it has not bloomed yet. It looks like there might be other true reds there, mixed in with the roses and dark pinks, burgundies, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: Camellia Forest Reds

Dear kal2002,
We've had a _Camellia sasanqua_ 'Midnight Lover' for at least ten years, and I don't recommend that variety unless you really want to have a camellia that produces black-red flowers. To me, the flowers are hideous. Not only are 'Midnight Lover's' blossoms so dark that they're virtually black, but also this variety produces beaucoups of those awful, fleshy galls in the springtime, which disfigure the plant. It would be grand as a horticultural prop in _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_. Fortunately, our 'Midnight Lover' is far away from the house, hidden by slash pines and wax myrtles. We have to make a special trip to see it, and those trips are few and far between.

_Camellia sasanqua_ 'Rosea' is another truly fine arborescent variety. It is a showy garden variety with single, rose pink blossoms featuring bright yellow stamens. 'Rosea' is also historically significant in that plant historians believe it to be the first sasanqua introduced into American horticulture, probably by Augusta's renowned nineteenth-century Fruitland Nursery, which we should thank for so many of the exotic trees and shrubs that flourish in the Southeast today.

Thanks, jay_7bsc, I won't bother with Midnight Lover. It does not sound like something I would want to deal with. So far I have Bonanza, Chansonette and Kanjiro and an unknown pink sasanqua that resembles Jean May. I will look for Rosea. I would like to have a japonica but I was told that the japonica's will burn here in the summer unless I have shade and I don't. I am still debating if I should try just one japonica. One of the nurseries here is selling Kramer's Supreme and I am so tempted......

I have Kramer's Supreme and it is quite tolerant of sun. It is on the north side of the house, but it gets alot of afternoon sun and that's the hottest of the day. It is a beautiful blood red (blue red). If you're going to gamble, it's a good risk.

Thanks everyone. After reading your postings, I broke down and bought Kramer's Supreme and a few other japonicas while I was at it: Tom Knudsen, Mabel Bryan, Pope Pius and Scentsation. Now I need to learn where to plant these so they don't get too much sun. They are all in 1 gallon pots. Mabel Bryan is already tall - about 2.5 ft. Any suggestions?

A suggestion? Well, how about "buy more - buy some sasanquas to get earlier blooms"? Hee hee hee. Oh well.

So many plants I would love to add... and so little room.... maybe I should play the lottery and when I win, I should buy the houses next door to plant more camellias?!?!?!?!

I have a few sasanquas too. They are easier because the plants are generally smaller. The japonicas will get so much bigger eventually so finding suitable spots for them is harder. I will keep them pruned to 6'or shorter. I also need to get rid of some bushes to make room.

I happened on this post considerably too late, but, if you decide to buy another red in the future, I highly recommend "Bob Hope'. It is a beautiful red w/ yellow centers and has been a prolific bloomer for me- without any special care. I also like the rather vase shape of the bush. Brandyray

Red etc. varieties of these types aren't Camellia sasanqua botanically. 'Yuletide', for instance is considered to belong to C. x vernalis. The red color would come from a C. japonica half of its parentage.