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Gardeners sometimes consider ShiShi-Gashira, Camellia hiemalis a “sasanqua-type” hybrid camellia. The original was recorded in 1894 in Ikeda, Japan and was in a nursery catalogue in 1935. ShiShi Gashira camellia is a slow-growing shrub reaching 5-7 feet tall by 3–5-feet diameter. Note the trunk size on this old, pruned plant. Jane took this photo in the North Carolina Arboretum botanical garden in Wilmington where the plant sign said “Camelia hiemalis Shishigashira (Lion’s Head)”. Different spellings of the name have been patented, trademarked, registered and marketed by plant breeders.
LEFT: Louisiana State University Ag Center, lsuagcenter.com. explains that ShiShi Gashira belongs to a different species called Camellia hiemalis although gardeners call manmade hybrids sasanqua-type camellias. Shi-Shi Gashira has been one of the most widely planted and popular camellias in southern landscapes for over 8 decades. It’s often called a dwarf camellia because it is smaller growing than sasanqua species. The flowers and foliage are similar to early-season sasanquas, and they bloom at the same time. RIGHT: In Jane’s garden, pink, early season Shishigashira flowers from November to December. The planting bed was well-amended with fine decaying mulch made from yard waste at the landfill. In 11 years, this plant grew to 6-feet tall by 5-feet diameter. It is in the shade beneath tall Sand Live oak trees.
In Jane’s garden, pink, early season Shishigashira flowers from November to December. The planting bed was well-amended with fine decaying mulch made from yard waste at the landfill. In 11 years, this plant grew to 6-feet tall by 5-feet diameter. It is in the shade beneath tall Sand Live oak trees.
Professor Charles S. Sargent is a popular Camellia japonica that flowers from December to January at holiday time. Homeowner Calvin Simpson has pruned this lawn specimen annually since he planted it about 16-years ago in Pine Ridge, Citrus County, FL. The treetop is now too high to prune. It is named after American botanist Charles Sprague Sargent, first director of Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts.
Professor Sargent is a popular mid-season Camellia japonica that has red, pompom-like flowers in time for the Chinese New Year, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year and Solstice winter holiday season. Its lustrous dark green leathery leaves can sunburn in summer. It can take full sun if the roots are well protected with ample organic top mulch while it is young. Older trees shade their own roots which grow deeper than young camellia roots.
Camellia sasanqua Kanjiro is popular throughout southern gardens. It becomes a tall shrub. As camellias develop flower buds on new growth they can be pruned in spring after the shrub has stopped flowering for the season and before or as it starts growing new leaves. The plant will develop many more new shoots below the cut and these new stems will have flowers next flowering season
LEFT: Camellia sasanqua Yuletide, hardy to 0–10 degree F. in zones 7-10, is a compact shrub with glossy, evergreen, dark green leaves throughout the year. Bright red single blooms have contrasting yellow stamens in December in Jane’s Central Florida zone 9A garden. In 10 years, it may grow 7–10-feet tall and 3–5 feet diameter. RIGHT: Stephany Golden Camellia sasanqua is an early-season bloomer. Here it is used as a pruned privacy screen hedge. Jane took the photo on 2021 12 08 during a 2-hour visit to Georgia Coastal Botanical Gardens just off I-95 near Savannah, Georgia. The sign said this university garden has more than 36 camellia species. The $5 entry fee was well worthwhile.
October Magic White Shi-Shi is a trademarked brand from the renowned Southern Living Plant Collection. Gardeners can research October Magic camellias at southernlivingplants.com / the-collection. Then shoppers can order online or pick up varieties at local big box outlets or private retail nurseries. The Southern Living plant breeding facility in Loxley, Alabama developed 12 different colors and forms of early-season camellias that start to flower in October and continue through November.
Mine-no-Yuki is a Camellia sasanqua name registered by the Yokohama Gardener’s Association. It originated in Japan in 1891 and was introduced in the U.S.A. around 1895. It has smallish, 2-inch-diameter pure white double flowers. There may be 100–150 flowers on a single small shrub during its early-season, November to December. The variety has a spreading willowy or open growth habit rather than becoming tree-like. Gardeners who propagate it often call their plant Mi-no-yoki which is not a registered name.
Stephany Golden Camellia sasanqua is an early-season bloomer. Here it is used as a pruned privacy screen hedge. Jane took the photo on 2021 12 08 during a 2-hour visit to Georgia Coastal Botanical Gardens just off I-95 near Savannah, Georgia. The sign said this university garden has more than 36 camellia species. The $5 entry fee was well worthwhile.
Grown by Ray Pateracki at GreenEarth Wholesale Nursery in Hernando, a Stephany Golden Camellia sasanqua joined 8 other varieties of camellias in Jane’s garden in Marion County. It flowers reliable from late October to early December in part shade, in humus-rich amended and well-drained soil.
Camellias are popular ornamental evergreen plants zones with mild short winters. They thrive in the southern U.S. and along the coasts warmed by the nearby oceans. They grow from southern British Columbia in Canada south to California in the west and from Florida north to Long Island, New York. Camellias cannot survive temperatures below 0 degree F. and may die in prolonged cold snaps under 10 degrees F.
Camellia japonica Tama No Ura is a moderately slow growing shrub in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7A–9B. It can grow 6–12-feet tall by 6–10-feet diameter. Mature size depends on soil richness, climate, precipitation, irrigation, fertilizer, pruning, etc. The single petaled form flower colors look formal.
This camellia called October Magic Ruby was created by Southern Living plant breeder in Loxley Alabama. It grows in zones 7-9. Camellias are large, low-maintenance shrubs that are disease resistant, and deer, drought, and heat tolerant. The October Magic collection includes Black Magic, Carpet, Orchid, Ivory, Ruby, Snow, and White Shi-shi. In season, October Magics are available in big box and home improvement chains.
Southern Living’s early-season camellias called the October Magic collection flower from October through November. Inspiration camellia, sold as Camellia sasanqua Green 97-039 PP20566, has masses of white double blooms with bold magenta margins and yellow, pollen-covered stamens. In 10 years in Jane’s zone 9A garden it grew 6 feet tall and 4 feet diameter.
Stephany Golden is an early season Camellia sasanqua that flowers in Jane’s garden from late October to December. Jane bought 8 plants from Ray Pateracki at GreenEarth wholesale Nursery in Hernando to grow in partly shaded ornamental beds with well-amended, humus-rich soil on her property in Marion County.
Camellia japonica Rosa Plena is a long-standing old-fashioned camellia in zones 7–9. It grows over 12 feet tall and to 10 feet diameter in time. In late winter its attractive large flowers are formal double, rose-pink set against evergreen dark lustrous leaves. It needs part shade in zones 7–9.
he real, one-and-only, tea plant, Camellia sinensis is sold in flowering season in big box and home improvement outlets like Lowe’s. Its small, single flowers are mostly hidden under the leaves. Pea consumption is popular around the world.
Real tea is made from the caffeinated tea plant, Camellia sinensis. It comes as white, green, Oolong and black tea depending on the tea-producing process. In the continental U.S. the largest plantation is south of Charleston, South Carolina.
CC 5. Camellia japonica, ‘Professor Sargent’, exotic
Professor Sargent is a popular mid-season Camellia japonica that has red, pompom-like flowers in time for the Chinese New Year, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year and Solstice winter holiday season. Its lustrous dark green leathery leaves can sunburn in summer. It can take full sun if the roots are well protected with ample organic top mulch while it is young. Older trees shade their own roots which grow deeper than young camellia roots. Jane Weber / For the Chronicle
Fall and winter is blossom time for beautiful camellias.
CC Homefront Jane Weber column sig mug
Jane Weber
Jane’s Garden
These ornamental, flowering shrubs or small trees are cold hardy in zones 7 to 9. In South Florida zones 10–11 camellias cannot tolerate overhead sun, heat and humidity. Each variety flowers for about 4-6 weeks.
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