Monrovia : Learn

Sparkling white, semi-double blooms with glossy, dark green foliage make beautiful cut flower arrangements. A shorter form with spreading habit makes this plant perfect in smaller gardens.  Excellent choice for a colorful low hedge, espalier, or groundcover.  Mid season bloomer.  Evergreen.  Slow growing 4 to 5 ft. tall and wider.  Partial sun.  Cutting grown.

Performance and Requirements

Light needs: Partial sun

Watering Needs: Needs regular watering - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.

Pruning Time: Winter after flowering

Growth Rate: Slow Growing

Growth Habit: Spreading

Design Information

Design Styles: This semi-double white Camellia makes a wonderful backdrop to a moonlight garden in backyard beds close to your outdoor living space. Excellent choice for a colorful low hedge, espalier, or ground cover due to its short, pendulous habit.  A great addition to an Asian inspired garden or in mass at the front fringe of a woodland setting.  Perfect for hanging baskets or pots.

Care Information

Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Provide well drained soil, rich in organic matter. Feed with an acid fertilizer after bloom. Keep roots cool with a thick layer of mulch.

Background Information

History: Sometimes referred to as Christmas Camellias, the sasanqua varieties of Camellia are native to the evergreen, coastal forests of southern Japan.  It was introduced by Dutch traders into Europe in 1869.  White Doves originated at Nuccio's Nurseries in Altadena, CA.  The Japanese use the leaves of sasanqua to make tea, and the seeds are pressed into tea seed oil for use as a lubricant and in cooking and cosmetics. 

Botanical Pronunciation: ka-MEL-i-a sa-SANG-kwa

Catalog Description: Sparkling white, semi-double blooms with glossy, dark green foliage make beautiful cut flower arrangements. A shorter form with spreading habit makes this plant perfect in smaller gardens.  Excellent choice for a colorful low hedge, espalier, or groundcover.  Mid season bloomer.  Evergreen.  Slow growing 4 to 5 ft. tall and wider.  Partial sun.  Cutting grown.