My showa-no-sakaes started blooming this week (3 or 4 flowers open already)...and they go til January.

Ooops - of course, showa-no-sakae is a sasanqua. Never heard of a Japonica blooming this early in Southern California. October is about as early as they're likely to show here.

Jane that's great! Our Showas don't show for at least another month. Can you post a picture? We have a prize for you anyway, I will e-mail you! Now who can post the first japonica????? It is about time for the very early ones. I have a friend who has an 'Arejishi' with buds that are showing color, it should be any day now.

Thanks, Forrest (and for the prize!).

Will try to post a picture tomorrow, but the few that have opened look pretty ratty in the heat, compared to the beauties I photographed & posted last November '03 (they're still in the gallery, BTW, toward the bottom of the second page). The older picture really does them justice, and would give everyone a much better idea of why I love these sasanquas (that, and their amazingly long bloom season!)

We usually don't have early japonicas in bloom before September, when 'Daikagura' begins to bloom. There is an 'Arejishi' out in the longleaf pines, which is just coming into its own. By that, I mean that it is just getting to be large and mature enough to amount to anything.

Our earliest sasanqua is an old, not very spectacular variety called 'Pink Dauphin.' I planted this camellia as a child in the 1960's; so, in 2004, the plant is a towering hulk. It came from K-Mart during that era when the "big box" stores in the Southeast stocked a veritable cornucopia of incredibly fine shrubs and trees priced at a dollar or less for a gallon pot.

The 'Pink Dauphin' began blooming this week and is a light pink single with a high fragrance. The yellow jackets and bees love it. It also attracts lightning bugs. But as far as the bloom is concerned, it's a little frumpy, no doubt, due in part to the summer heat. The fragrance, however, scents the air for several feet, or maybe even yards, in all directions. I don't mind the odor of sasanqua blossoms, but it is a cloying fragrance that makes me think of funeral parlors.

Our spider lilies are also blooming now.

How's this? A japonica 'Arejishi' on August 27. Mine doesn't count, but I couldn't resist posting it, I walked outside and found it blooming this morning. It is a 2-foot tall airlayer that I made last year, still in the container where I am letting it root out, and already blooming. Let's see some more early ones !!

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Hi Forrest,
I think you have earned the "prize". And you layered the plant yourself. Beautiful bloom.
BTW, did you ever get rid of the Spider Wort??

WannaB... I haven't had much time to do anything with the Spider Wort this year, its everywhere and still blooming!! The way it spreads, I should have a world class crop next year, for better or worse. The blooms are pretty blue, but it looks sort of ragged. I honestly don't know whether to get rid of it or just learn to appreciate it. What would u do? ... Forrest

Wow, japonicas in August, or more astounding, late July! I was just noticing some color to the tips of a couple buds on Shishigashira the other day and I thought that was early! None of my other Cams are close. This is a very neat thread. It has inspired me to monitor my plants carefully this year to see just who starts first.

Those Shishi buds opened overnight! I know you're looking for early japonicas, but had to share.

I was out hosing the spider webs off the camellias last week and noticed the Hana Jiman's first flower had opened.

But we're having a crazy heat wave (high 90s or more, very dry) so I'd as soon the camellias wait to blossom - their flowers won't wilt so fast!

Does anyone know what the earliest blooming formal double is? ... or even semi-double?

In our area, in about another month I would expect to start seeing some Alba Plena (white japonica) and Joe Nuccio (pinkish red non-retic hybrid). October Affair has varying forms here, sometimes formal double.

'white-by-the-gate' should be in flower by november. that is the earliest blooming japonica that i am growing. it's a classic beauty.

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Forrest: Why don't we give a trial membership in the American Camellia Society to the winner. I think that I can get H.Q. to go along with that.

Bob

My Bonanza camellia is about to bloom - I noticed one spent blossom that had already fallen to the ground - I totally missed it in bloom!