
Camellia - the tea plant

Sasanqua or Japonica - which is better?


Camellia sasanqua - for warmer humid climates
Camellia sasanqua is often called the ‘tough camellia’. This Camellia type is more sun tolerant, can cope with heat and humidity better, and is fine in deep shade too. Camellia sasanqua is generally faster-growing than Camellia japonica – very useful if you’re looking to grow a beautiful camellia hedge in a hurry. Sasanqua needs a sheltered site to thrive best in southern locations, where it might get frost.In more humid northern areas Camellia sasanqua will be right at home in a range of sites and spots - though it will bloom better in a less wind-exposed site, and with regular irrigation.

The flowers - which can be single cup-shaped blooms or more ornate loose flowers with multiple petals - start to arrive in late autumn when other plants are going to sleep, and power on through into spring. The dark green glossy leaves look elegant and evergreen all year round.
Camellia sasanqua plants make an excellent flowering evergreen screen as they can be clipped to a narrow formal shape, or left to grow naturally in a more informal-style garden, where those blousy blooms look right at home.

Camellia japonica - for cooler dry climates
Camellia japonica is the more commonly-found ornamental form of the plant worldwide, especially in European gardens.It is less sun and heat tolerant, and will be happier in a cooler, semi-shaded location. Japonicas prefer a western-facing site so the morning sun doesn’t scorch any dew or frost that might be on the flower petals. Japonica camellias can cope with a less sheltered position in southern locations than sasanqua camellias can, and can tolerate a certain amount of chill, and even light frost.

The flowers are usually smaller than sasanqua, and unscented. Some have a neat, regular, symmetrical form that is very distinctive; some are loose and irregular like sasanqua flowers. The dark green glossy leaves look elegant and evergreen all year round. Camellia japonica plants make an excellent hedge, or a feature shrub in the border. Japonica camellias are typically slower growing than sasanqua so if you want a taller hedge, you’ll need some patience, but that's useful if you have a small back yard. Camellia japonica make lovely potted plants too, which is good if your garden has alkaline soil, as you can grow them in potting compost or the neutral-acid loam they prefer.

Camellia reticulata - trees for subtropics
You might also see Camellia reticulata, as in our variety 'Flower Girl'. Reticulata camellias can grow into small trees, and the flowers are large and full. They bloom from late winter until late spring, later than most other camellia species. They don't like cold, so this reticulata species is one for northern states and sheltered spots, unless you can overwinter it indoors.We also have Camellia hiemalis, which is a cross between sasanqua and japonica camellias, giving you the best of both worlds.Camellia - lots of variety


