I have a weakness for British gardening magazines, and it gets me in trouble all the time. So many beautiful gardens, so many interesting plants, and so many great ideas. The ideas are not out of reach, nor are the gardens—if I decided to take a trip across the pond—but many of the plants are either unavailable in the United States, or not suited to my climate here in the Northeast.
I have seen delphiniums—six feet tall and brilliant blue—and known with certainty that they can only be grown as annuals in this part of the world. Even doing that would not yield the enormous plants depicted on the magazine pages. The same is true of gorgeous sweet peas, Himalayan blue poppies, and other plants too numerous to mention.
My heart sank when I noticed that one of the British magazines featured a splashy article about camellias, those botanical southern belles that shrivel in the face of cold northern winters. I was born with a covetous gene—at least with regard to plants—and I coveted the lovely flowering evergreens.
But the article gave me reason for hope. It profiled Camellia sasanqua, a fairly common species native to Japan. Unlike the Camellia japonicas that ornament gardens below the Mason-Dixon Line, the sasanquas are relatively cold hardy, with some varieties tolerating the climate in USDA plant hardiness Zone 7, which includes my garden. A few even make it to the colder conditions of USDA Zone 6. The news set my covetous heart aflutter.
Sasanqua camellias grow from six to 10 feet tall, and equally wide, but take well to pruning. Like their japonica relations, they feature glossy, oval-shaped green leaves. Unlike the japonicas, the sasanqua stems are slightly pubescent, or covered with very fine, soft hairs.
The shapes and evergreen character of camellias make them handsome year round, but the flowers are what entrance most people. Though the plants are part of the Theaceae or tea family, the flowers are somewhat reminiscent of roses, though most have no scent. The bloom time is late fall through early winter, outpacing the japonicas, which open their petals later. Many plant breeders and merchandisers capitalize on this trait, including “fall”, “early” or “autumn” in varietal names. Flower color can be white or shades of pink. Unusual varieties, like ‘Green’s Blue’s’ feature petals that have a blue cast, resulting in lavender-pink blooms. A few true red varieties are also on the market, as well as numerous cultivars with bi-colored blooms.
If you are hunting for a simpatico sasaqua, you can take your pick of flower forms, including singles, semi-doubles and plants with blossoms that are almost peony-like. Many bear Japanese names, in keeping with the long-established breeding efforts in the species’ country of origin. ‘Yuletide’ is a true red variety, with a single row of petals surrounding bright gold stamens. Lovely, ruffly ‘Cecilia’ is a white-flowered double that is pink at its heart, with just the slightest hint of the same color on the petal edges. ‘Susie Dirr’, named after the daughter of woody plant guru, Dr. Michael Dirr, is an opulent pink-flowered double with rounded petal edges.
I love the elegant, glossy foliage of the average Camellia sasanqua, but it you are in the market for additional garden interest, breeders have come up with plants that will meet your needs. ‘Golden Phoenix’ boasts pink and white single flowers, accompanied by dark green leaves edged in cream.
To increase cold-hardiness and other desirable traits, sasanquas are sometimes hybridized with other species, especially Camellia oleifera, native to parts of China, which is also noted for cold tolerance. Hybrids are easily identifiable by the “x” in the plant name, as in Camellia x ‘Winter Waterlily’.
No matter which sasanqua you choose, treat it to the light shade that the species prefers, accommodating the roots with well-drained, acidic soil. Consistent moisture is necessary, and mulch is helpful—as long as the mulch is applied doughnut-fashion and does not touch the camellia’s trunk. As with other flowering specimens, prune just after the flowers fade. Hard pruning will not traumatize a healthy camellia.
Sasanquas work equally well as single specimen plants or as flowering hedges. I especially like the hedge option because it keeps the floral show going in the last fall, while upholding the tradition of evergreen hedging.
Sasanquas are not impossible to find in local nurseries, but the choices are wider online. Go to Camellia Forest Nursery, 620 NC Hwy 54 W, Chapel Hill, NC 27516; (919) 968-0504; www.camelliaforest.com.