Great Design Plant: Sasanqua Camellia
Pretty fall flowers belie this plant's hardworking nature and relative tough attitude toward disease
I’m not sure if plant breeding, birth order or something else explains this, but in the camellia clan the Sasanqua camellia is the striving, accommodating, hardworking sibling — compared to the hoity-toity Camellia japonica, with its perfect, almost waxen flowers and precious cultivar names like 'Debutante' and 'Swan Lake'.
There are dozens of Sasanquas, and they bloom earlier, with smaller flowers, than Japonicas. They also can perform far more landscape jobs in a garden, in sun or partial shade: ground cover, hedge, espalier, container plant, freestanding specimen. And they take much more sun (full sun except in hottest climates) and bloom earlier — in fall and winter, when flowers are particularly welcome. All in all, Sasanquas are among the top tier of useful evergreen landscape plants in California, the Southeast and similar mild climates.
There are dozens of Sasanquas, and they bloom earlier, with smaller flowers, than Japonicas. They also can perform far more landscape jobs in a garden, in sun or partial shade: ground cover, hedge, espalier, container plant, freestanding specimen. And they take much more sun (full sun except in hottest climates) and bloom earlier — in fall and winter, when flowers are particularly welcome. All in all, Sasanquas are among the top tier of useful evergreen landscape plants in California, the Southeast and similar mild climates.
Distinguishing traits. Evergreen leaves are deep green and handsome all year. Flowers in shades of red, pink and white, single or double, are small (2 to 3 inches or so) but abundant. Shown here is rose-red, double-blossom 'Shishi-Gashira' (also considered a Hiemalis camellia).
Bright red with a yellow center, 'Yuletide' Sasanqua camellia blooms in late fall, just in time for the holidays. The plant is distintively upright, perfect for a container near the front door or other narrow spot.
'Pink a Boo' is an offshoot of 'Yuletide' — note the similar bright yellow center. The flower is bigger but this plant is also a holiday bloomer. It shares the same upright habit, which means it's also great in a pot.
How to use it. Choose a Sasanqua variety based on colors you like plus growth habit. Some varieties tend to spread; others stand upright. You can see tendencies in young nursery plants, such as 'Shishi-Gashira' (shown), which is compact and fairly low growing by nature. For a ground cover, look for spreaders such as 'Mine-Yo-Yuki' or 'Bonanza'. For a hedge, try a more upright type, such as 'Jean May' or 'Setsugekka'.
Growing tips. Plant in partial shade or full sun except in hot climates. Make sure the soil drains well. At planting time refill the hole or bed with at least 25 percent organic matter. Cover the soil with mulch, keep it moist and feed regularly with special camellia food. To prevent diseases from spreading, try to pick up fallen blossoms — although Sasanquas aren't as susceptible to petal blight as Japonicas.
To grow a Sasanqua in a container, start with commercial camellia mix or make your own with up to 50 percent organic matter. Pot size is also important: choose a diameter of 12 to 14 inches for gallon-can-size plants, and 16 to 18 inches for 5-gallon size.
Growing tips. Plant in partial shade or full sun except in hot climates. Make sure the soil drains well. At planting time refill the hole or bed with at least 25 percent organic matter. Cover the soil with mulch, keep it moist and feed regularly with special camellia food. To prevent diseases from spreading, try to pick up fallen blossoms — although Sasanquas aren't as susceptible to petal blight as Japonicas.
To grow a Sasanqua in a container, start with commercial camellia mix or make your own with up to 50 percent organic matter. Pot size is also important: choose a diameter of 12 to 14 inches for gallon-can-size plants, and 16 to 18 inches for 5-gallon size.
USDA zones: 7 to 10 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Moderate; do not overwater.
Light requirement: Partial shade, especially in hot climates. Will take more sun than Camellia japonica.
Mature size: Up to 10 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, depending greatly on variety
Tolerances: Generally trouble free if conditions are right; not as prone to petal blight (disease) as Japonicas.