Sasanqua Camellia

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Sasanqua Camellia

Are you tired of plants that tend to drop dead on you, even though you seem to spend half your life mollycoddling them? If so, Don suggests you consider planting sasanqua camellias (Camellia sasanqua). These wonderful plants are hardy, versatile, and they don’t have to be sprayed with chemicals. They can be clipped into a formal style or left to grow naturally. Most varieties have attractive glossy green foliage, with the added bonus of a stunning autumn flower display when the rest of the garden looks bare. Sasanqua camellias do best in the cooler parts of Australia, from Perth to Brisbane and south.

In recent years, many outstanding new varieties of
Camellia sasanqua have been produced, including:

‘Silver Dollar’ This camellia was developed at Nuccio’s Nurseries in California, and was first released in 1985. It is a slow grower to 1-2m (3-6′), with dense foliage and pure white, peony-form flowers from mid-March to late June. ‘Silver Dollar’ makes a good container plant or low hedge.

‘Star Above Star’ Excellent hedging sasanqua camellia, with white semi-double flowers shading to pink at the edges.


‘Early Pearly’
has pink buds opening to large, ivory white flowers resembling waterlilies. It has a medium to strong, upright growth habit and dark green, shiny leaves. A taller grower than ‘Silver Dollar’, it will reach about 3-4m (10-15′). ‘Early Pearly’ can be used for hedging, as a privacy or specimen plant, or as an espalier. As well as having long lasting, exquisite flowers, it is also sun hardy, and very long flowering (mid-March to end of July).

Getting started

Camellia sasanquas cost around $17 for 200mm (8″) sized pots. They are available at specialist camellia nurseries around Australia, including:

NSW
Camellia Grove Nursery (where our segment was filmed)
240 Mona Vale Road
St Ives, 2075
Phone: (02) 9144 3402

QLD
Hawkins Gardenway,
1666 Old Cleveland Road,
Chandler, 4155
Phone: (07) 3390 1633
Fax: (07) 3390 1618

SA
Newman’s Nursery
North East Road
Tea Tree Gully, 5091
Phone: (08) 8264 2661

VIC
Camellia Lodge Nursery
310 Princes Highway
Officer, 3809
Phone: (03) 5943 2500
Fax: (03) 5943 2555
Web: www.camellialodge.com.au

WA
John Cole’s Nursery
Lot 5, Beenyup Road
Banjup, 6164
Phone: (08) 9417 9834