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A versatile performer displaying profuse shell pink double blooms, with deeper shades of pink towards the center. Glossy, dark green foliage make it an excellent choice for a colorful hedge or screen, espalier, and border shrub.  Mid season bloomer.  Evergreen.  Moderate growing 10 ft. tall and 6 ft. wide.  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: Moderate Growing

Growth Habit: Erect

Design Information

Companion Plants

FLAVOCIRCINALIS PLANTAIN LILY
Hosta tokudama 'Flavocircinalis'

PLUM PUDDING CORAL BELLS
Heuchera x 'Plum Pudding'

BENI GAKU HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea serrata 'Beni Gaku'

DUC DE ROHAN AZALEA
Azalea `Duc de Rohan` (Southern Indica)

AUTUMN MOON AZALEA
Azalea `Shugetsu` (Satsuki hybrid)

PLUM PASSION^® HEAVENLY BAMBOO
Nandina domestica 'Monum' P.P.# 12069

WOLF EYES JAPANESE DOGWOOD
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes'

BLACK JAPANESE MAPLE
Acer palmatum 'Nigrum'

LITTLE HEATH LILY OF THE VALLEY
Pieris japonica 'Little Heath'

AFRICAN IRIS
Dietes iridioides (Moraea iridioides)

MYSTERY GARDENIA (GRAFTED)
Gardenia jasminoides 'Mystery' (Grafted onto G. thunbergii)

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Companion Plants (Description): Jean May's versatility in shade and partial sun, as well as wet and dry conditions, make this a plant that pairs well with a variety of garden shrubs and perennials. Combine with the big, bold foliage and blooms of Hosta, Coral Bells, Hydrangea and Rhododendron. For an Asian theme, design with mixed Azaleas, Heavenly Bamboo, Dogwood, Japanese Maples, Lily of the Valley, Iris and Gardenia.

Design Styles: This soft pink camellia deserves a place in high profile foundation planting or as a backdrop to outdoor living spaces in the backyard. A must for Asian or woodland garden settings under large, old shade trees with filtered canopies.  Dress up a wall or garage as a shrub or train the dense, spreading habit of this Camellia as an espalier for a formal look.

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.  Jean May originated by Ralph May of Gerbing Camellia Nursery of Fernandina, FL from unknown parentage.  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: A versatile performer displaying profuse shell pink double blooms, with deeper shades of pink towards the center. Glossy, dark green foliage make it an excellent choice for a colorful hedge or screen, espalier, and border shrub.  Mid season bloomer.  Evergreen.  Moderate growing 10 ft. tall and 6 ft. wide.  Partial sun.  Cutting grown.