What Are Good Garden Varieties?
With thousands of varieties, your choices for Camellia's are almost limitless. Selecting the right variety is the key to successfully growing one. Flower colors range from pure white to vivid red. Varieties include C. japonica, C. sasanqua and C. retuculata with Japonica being the most popular and hardiest species. Camellia flowers also have many forms, single, semi double, anemone, peony and formal double. Japonica and Sasanqua’s can reach 7-12 feet high with a spread of about 5-7 feet. Japonicas are typically upright with a pyramidal form and flower from late August to May depending on variety (Zones 7, 8, 9). And Sasanqua’s are usually more columnar and spreading. They typically flower from October through January (zones 7, 8, 9) depending on variety. The blooms of Sasanqua typically are 2-3 1/2 “ wide while Japonica has blooms from 2-6” across. C. reticulata are less hardy and grow tall and lanky.Camellias are excellent for informal borders, specimens and accent plants. Generally speaking, there are early bloomers that bloom prior to January 1, mid-season which bloom from January through February and late bloomers from March on.
Japonica Varieties Red
‘Adolphe Audusson’ – M ‘Dixie Knight’ – M to L ‘Christmas Beauty’ – E
Pink
‘Dr. Tinsley’ – M ‘Marie Bracey’ – E to M ‘Sawada’s Dream’ – E to M
White
‘Purity’ – L ‘September Morn’ – E ‘White Empress’ – E to M
Sasanqua
Red
‘Bonanza’ ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ ‘Yuletide’
White
‘Daydream’ ‘Star Above Star’
Very Cold Hardy
Fall Blooming
‘Polar Ice’ ‘Winter’s Hope’ Winter’s Peopny’
Spring Blooming
‘Fire n’ Ice’ ‘April Blush’ ‘April Remembered’
C. Reticulata
C. reticulata. "Shot Silk" – pink "Captain Rawes” - pink
This is only an overview of the most common species. As new information becomes available the page will be updated.
Entered by Glad2Bhere
GardenWeb Home Page | Forums | Camellia Forum