Southern California Camellia Society published a 50-page book called Sun Camellias about Fall-blooming Camellia sasanqua. I contributed to this book 28 photo pictures (mostly from my garden) and a small text about camellia breeders from my website www.sazanka.org. If you are interested in purchasing this book from the Camellia Society, you can do it on their website www.socalcamellias.org in the section Make a Purchase.

Общество Камелий Южной Калифорнии опубликовало книжку на 50 страниц под названием “Камелии солнца” oб осеннецветущей камелии горной или Camellia sasanqua. Я сам внес вклад в эту книжку – 28 сделанных мною фотографий камелий (преимущественно из моего сада) и небольшой текст о селекционерах камелий с моего сайта www.sazanka.org. Если вы хотите приобрести книжку Общества Камелий, вы можете сделать это на их сайте www.socalcamellias.org в разделе Make a Purchase.

I contributed some photo pictures to The Camellia Journal, a quarterly publications of the American Camellia Society (ACS). I made those pictures during the March ACS convention in Foster City, California. You can see one of the pictures published in the last issue of the magazine – a picture with the group of ACS attendies. I included both the cover of the magazine and the article about the convention below. You can see my other posts about the convention here:

Part 1. Bob Ehrhart’s Camellia Garden.
Part 2. Gallo Camellia Garden.
Part 3. Group pictures and the first reception.

All pictures are clickable:

A new book about camellias is published in China. It is written by Shen Yinchun 沈荫椿, a Chinese American living in the San Francisco Bay Area. I (Yuri Panchul) contributed more than 30 photo pictures to this great publication. The preface is written by Barbara Tuffy, a recent president of the American Camellia Society. American camellia people usually call Shen Yinchun “Y.C. Shen” or simply “Y.C.”

This picture shows me, my younger son and Mr. Shen in University of California at Berkeley Botanical Garden, near the Asian section of the garden.

My daughter with this book:

Another Chinese book about camellias has a picture of young Y.C. Shen with his father Shen Yuanru 沈渊如. This picture was taken back in 1967, one year before both of them were arrested by Chinese Communists during Mao’s “Cultural Revolution”:

Continued from Part 1 and Part 2.

Back in March 19-21 I attended the annual meeting of the American Camellia Society. This year it was in Foster City near San Francisco. You can also read about the event on the website of the American Camellia Society.

At the end of the conference I made two group photos. You can click to enlarge:

I also made many photo pictures of the conference attendees during the first reception on March 19:

Alma Buffkin (North Carolina) and Bob Logan (California)

Matt Hunter (North Carolina) and Pat Gregory (California)

Roger Vinson, Florida

Deane Hall, Colorado

Tod Gregory, California

Richard Buggeln, North Carolina

Garland Bayley, Oregon

Patti Perkins (Mississippi) and Larry Barlow (Virginia)

Ann Walton, Georgia

Brenda Beach (South Carolina)

William Bennett, Florida

Garland Bayley, Oregon

Grace Bayley, Oregon

Celeste Richard (Georgia) and Patrick Andrews (Florida)

Jim Dickson, South Carolina

John Newsome, Georgia

Ellen Vinson, Florida

Carolyn Dickson, South Carolina

Carolyn and Jim Dickson (South Carolina), John Newsome (Georgia), Ellen Vinson (Florida)

Bob Weidman, Florida

Lynn King, California

Brad King, California

Nancy Mefford, California

Miles Beach, South Carolina

Miles Beach (South Carolina), Patrick Andrews (Florida) and Brad King (California)

Lynn King, Nancy Mefford and Steve Mefford, all from California

Bob Weidman, Florida

Brenda Beach (South Carolina), Garland Bayley (Oregon) and Patti Perkins (Mississippi)

Slide show with all photo pictures – with Flash-player and without Flash-player.

Part 1. Bob Ehrhart’s Camellia Garden.
Part 2. Gallo Camellia Garden.
Part 3. Group pictures and the first reception.

Continued from Part 1.

Back in March 19-21 I attended the annual meeting of the American Camellia Society. This year it was in Foster City near San Francisco. On Saturday, March 21 all the conference attendees went to the city of Modesto, California for the National Camellia Show hosted this year by the Camellia Society of Modesto. The show was in the Administrative Building of Gallo Winery. As a part of the conference we took a tour in the beautiful Gallo Camellia Garden and had a party inside Gallo Wine Cellar. You can also read about the event on the website of the American Camellia Society.

My photo pictures of the Gallo Camellia Garden, National Show and Gallo Wine Cellar:

Slide show with all photo pictures – with Flash-player and without Flash-player.

Part 1. Bob Ehrhart’s Camellia Garden.
Part 2. Gallo Camellia Garden.
Part 3. Group pictures and the first reception.

Back in March 19-21 I attended the annual meeting of the American Camellia Society. This year it was in Foster City near San Francisco. During the first day we went to the garden of Robert and Linda Ehrhart in Walnut Creek, California. Bob Ehrhart’s garden is one of the largest private collections in the United States. It has several thousand large plants growing mostly in containers. Bob’s website is www.camelliagrower.com. You can also read about Bob Ehrhart on the website of the American Camellia Society.

My photo pictures of the event:

Seedlings:

Slide show with all photo pictures – with Flash-player and without Flash-player.

Part 1. Bob Ehrhart’s Camellia Garden.
Part 2. Gallo Camellia Garden.
Part 3. Group pictures and the first reception.

On January 25, 2009 I visited a well known camellia hybridizer John Wang, a Chinese American living in San Francisco Bay Area.

John Wang places camellias inside the house to hand pollinate them. Room temperature increases the chance of success and no insects can interfere. John does not believe in open pollination of camellias – he chooses parents very carefully because he cannot afford to plant thousands of chance seedlings like for example Nuccio’s Nurseries does:

This camellia hybrid, created by John Wang, is a seedling of Tama-no-ura:

Another seedling from John Wang has a rare yellow tint:

John grows most of his camellias in plastic containers. He constructed an elaborate shading structure using PVC pipes and shade cloth:

John uses fish tanks to grow camellia seedlings. Under room temperature, high humidity and the absence of wind, the seedlings germinate and grow very fast:

John quickly grafts all his seedlings. This significantly reduces time needed to evaluate the seedlings. Without grafting a seedling typically starts to bloom after 4-6 years, sometimes 15 years or more. Grafted seedling may start to bloom in a couple of years.

A small-leaved Camellia species from the garden of John Wang. Neither John nor I can recognize this species. I suspect it is related to C. lutchuensis or even possible C. sinensis. Anybody has any idea?

More pictures:

An unidentified red camellia from the garden of John Wang:

An unidentified camellia from the garden of John Wang:

Wild Camellia yuhsienensis Hu (攸县油茶) from the garden of John Wang.

See also an article about Camellia hybridization written by John Wang: http://www.jhnews.com.cn/gb/content/2003-03/02/content_158713.htm

Toichi Domoto

A Japanese-American nurseryman’s life in California: floriculture and family, 1883-1992

With Introductions by Julius Nuccio and Ernest Wertheim
Interviews Conducted by Suzanne B. Riess in 1992

The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley

http://tinyurl.com/4ohuw6
Copy at http://sazanka.org/pages/toichi_domoto

This sasanqua cultivar, ‘Dwarf Shishi’, was originated by Toichi Domoto in 1988:

It is excellent for bonsai.

Also I found a very likely photo pictures of Toichi Domoto (need to check with Tom Nuccio) on http://tinyurl.com/4795g8. I am almost sure this is the same one (born 1902, high school in East Bay):

Another mention (click to enlarge):

This is probably his sister (click to enlarge):

Camellia sasanqua ‘Nodami Ushiro’. Introduced by Domoto Nursery, California, 1934, but is originally from Japan. Stirling Macoboy believes that the name means “a backward glance” in Japanese, but he is probably incorrect. Since I cannot find this name in Japanese sources and my Japanese wife tells me that Japanese people are not likely to name a flower this way (“mi” meaning “body”), I guess that the original name was different. From browsing the history of Toichi Domoto I got an impression that he did not know Kanji well because he was a second-generation Japanese-American. Because of it, Toichi Domoto probably made a naming mistake when he imported it.

It is difficult to explain what is so special about ‘Nodami Ushiro’. It is a single pink camellia with a lot of single pink competitors – ‘Plantation Pink’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Tanya’ and others. However Jennifer Trehane in her camellia book calls ‘Nodami Ushiro’ “a subtle, sophisticated camellia”. Where does this sophistication come from? I have an explanation.

I noticed ‘Nodami Ushiro’ when I was walking across Nuccio’s nursery in Southern California. The first thought was “A-ha! It is a Higo-like sasanqua”. Higo camellias are japonicas originated by samurai clan Kumamoto¹. They are single asymmetrical somewhat triangular flowers with a cloud of golden stamens. Their simplicity and slight irregularity create a feeling of delicate harmony. I got the same feeling from ‘Nodami Ushiro’ and this feeling was very real, especially if you take into account the fact that I noticed this flower among thousands of other flowers.

‘Nodami Ushiro’ flowers are large (up to 90 mm), single or sometimes semi-double, with 20 mm yellow stamens. Many flowers look bubbly and frequently irregular in shape. Trehane wrote that the petals have “wavy, sometimes notched edges”. Macoboy stated that ‘Nodami Ushiro’ blooms during the early season, while Trehane believes it is mid-season. This year (2008) in my garden ‘Nodami Ushiro’ started to bloom on September 16 (early season) but last year (2007) mass blooming occurred during November (mid-late season).

Leaves are large, up to 40×70 mm.

I like this flower the most on a small container plant. However the main ‘Nodami Ushiro’ plant in my garden is large and very spreading. According to Macoboy, “the shrub is compact in size, but vigorous in growth so it may be readily pruned to whatever shape you choose”. But Trehane is saying “forming a tall, upright bush”. I believe the habit of this shrub is not “compact” and not “upright”. Looks like all three of us (Macoboy, Trehane and me) had different garden environments and applied different pruning. One thing is for sure – the plant is fast-growing and flexible.

¹ In addition to Higo japonicas there are Higo sasanquas, but they are very different from Higo japonicas and people outside Japan usually do not call them Higo camellias. ‘Nodami Ushiro’ is not one of them. When I say “a Higo-like sasanqua”, I mean “a sasanqua that has a feeling of Higo japonica”.

↑ Narimugata. Japan, introduced 1898. Originated in Tokyo, spread to Saitama. Name means “Narumi Bay”. Pentaploid, very vigorous, was crossed with C. reticulata to get ‘Girls’ group of hybrids.

↑ Narimugata. Japan, introduced 1898. Originated in Tokyo, spread to Saitama. Name means “Narumi Bay”. Pentaploid, very vigorous, was crossed with C. reticulata to get ‘Girls’ group of hybrids.

↑ Narimugata. Japan, introduced 1898. Originated in Tokyo, spread to Saitama. Name means “Narumi Bay”. Pentaploid, very vigorous, was crossed with C. reticulata to get ‘Girls’ group of hybrids.

↑ Narimugata. Japan, introduced 1898. Originated in Tokyo, spread to Saitama. Name means “Narumi Bay”. Pentaploid, very vigorous, was crossed with C. reticulata to get ‘Girls’ group of hybrids.

↑ Setsugekka. The meaning in Japanese is “Flower white as a snow reflected by the Moon”. Introduced in Japan. Originated in Tokyo, spread to Saitama. Appeared in 1898 in Jisuke Minagawa’s Chabaika Taishu, then at Minagawa Chinka’en Nursery.

↑ Setsugekka. The meaning in Japanese is “Flower white as a snow reflected by the Moon”. Introduced in Japan. Originated in Tokyo, spread to Saitama. Appeared in 1898 in Jisuke Minagawa’s Chabaika Taishu, then at Minagawa Chinka’en Nursery.

↑ Apple Blossom (from Monrovia). The Japanese name is ‘Fukuzutsumi’, meaning “a bag of good fortune”. The clone available in the West was imported in 1891 from Yokohama Nursery by Victorian nurseryman Basil Hodgins and sent to Bill Wylam in California. Clone available from Monrovia Nurseries greatly differs from clone from Nuccio’s Nurseries and Filoli Garden.

↑ Apple Blossom (from Filoli). The Japanese name is ‘Fukuzutsumi’, meaning “a bag of good fortune”. The clone available in the West was imported in 1891 from Yokohama Nursery by Victorian nurseryman Basil Hodgins and sent to Bill Wylam in California. Clone available from Monrovia Nurseries greatly differs from clone from Nuccio’s Nurseries and Filoli Garden.

↑ White Doves. The Japanese name is ‘Mine-no-yuki’ meaning “Snow on the Ridge”. Introduced in 1898.

↑ White Doves. The Japanese name is ‘Mine-no-yuki’ meaning “Snow on the Ridge”. Introduced in 1898.

↑ Little Pearl. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Little Pearl. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Cleopatra. Imported from Japan in 1929. First made available for sale in the United States by Kosaku Sawada in Alabama in 1934.

↑ Cleopatra. Imported from Japan in 1929. First made available for sale in the United States by Kosaku Sawada in Alabama in 1934.

↑ Plantation Pink. Originated by E.G. Waterhouse, New South Wales, Australia in 1948.

↑ Hugh Evans. Originated in Coolidge Rare Garden Plants, California in 1943.

↑ Showa Supreme. A seedling of ‘Showa-no-sakae’, originated in Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1956.

↑ Showa-no-sakae. C. x hiemalis. The name means “Glory of Showa Era” in Japanese. This cultivar was named after Japanese Emperor Hirohito, whose reign got the title “Showa”, “the era of enlightened peace”. According to Ishii’s Engei Daijiten (1950), Showa-no-Sakae was introduced by Jisuke Minagawa in Saitama in 1937 from a seedling originated in Kansai area (?).

↑ Rosette. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1980.

↑ Rosette. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1980.

↑ Bert Jones. Introduced in 1967

↑ Bert Jones. Introduced in 1967

↑ Yuletide. C. x vernalis. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1963. A seedling of ‘Hiryu’.

↑ Yuletide. C. x vernalis. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1963. A seedling of ‘Hiryu’.

↑ Yuletide. C. x vernalis. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1963. A seedling of ‘Hiryu’.

↑ Yuletide. C. x vernalis. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1963. A seedling of ‘Hiryu’.

↑ Yuletide. C. x vernalis. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1963. A seedling of ‘Hiryu’.

↑ Hiryu. C. x vernalis. Introduced in Nakayama, Japan in 1847. Originated from Kansai, spread to many places. In Australia it is called ‘Kanjiro’ (the real ‘Kanjiro’ is different). A parent of ‘Yuletide’.

↑ Hiryu. C. x vernalis. Introduced in Nakayama, Japan in 1847. Originated from Kansai, spread to many places. In Australia it is called ‘Kanjiro’ (the real ‘Kanjiro’ is different). A parent of ‘Yuletide’.

↑ Hiryu. C. x vernalis. Introduced in Nakayama, Japan in 1847. Originated from Kansai, spread to many places. In Australia it is called ‘Kanjiro’ (the real ‘Kanjiro’ is different). A parent of ‘Yuletide’.

↑ Navajo. Imported from Japan by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1956. The original name is lost.

↑ Old Glory

↑ Double Rainbow. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Double Rainbow. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Egao. C. x vernalis. Name means “smiling face” in Japanese. Originated in Kurume or Fukuoka. Imported to the United States by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in either 1972 or 1977 (?).

↑ Grady’s Egao. C. x vernalis. A sport of Egao.

↑ C. kissii. Wallich 1820. Was callected by botanist named Kiss. Wide range in Southeast Asia – SE China (Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan), Myanmar, Bhutan, northern India, Kampuchea, Laos, Nepal, Sikkim, Thailand and Vietnam. Highly variable, flowers have creamy yellowish tint, flowers in winter.

↑ C. kissii. Wallich 1820. Was callected by botanist named Kiss. Wide range in Southeast Asia – SE China (Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan), Myanmar, Bhutan, northern India, Kampuchea, Laos, Nepal, Sikkim, Thailand and Vietnam. Highly variable, flowers have creamy yellowish tint, flowers in winter.

↑ C. kissii. Wallich 1820. Was callected by botanist named Kiss. Wide range in Southeast Asia – SE China (Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan), Myanmar, Bhutan, northern India, Kampuchea, Laos, Nepal, Sikkim, Thailand and Vietnam. Highly variable, flowers have creamy yellowish tint, flowers in winter.

↑ Buttermint. A hybrid of C. kissii. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1997. Keeps creamy yellowish tint, inherited from C. kissii parent.

↑ C. grijsii. Hance 1879. Was collected in 1861 in Fujian by C.F.M. de Grijs. Distributed in China: Fujian, Hubei, Sichuan, Guangxi. Tidy upright bushes, impressed veins, related to C. yuhsienensis that has larger flowers, there is a double form called ‘Zhenzhu Cha’. Grows to 11 ft (3 m) high, flowers winter to spring. C. yuhsienensis. Hu 1965. Discovered on the mountain Yuh Shan (You Xian) in Hunan in 1960s. Distributed in China: Hunan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Guangdong. Best quality oil of any species, grows to 11 ft (3 m) high, flowers winter to spring, parent of ‘Yume’. Chromosome numbers: 2n = 30, 45, 75 and 90 (Gu, et al., 1988; Kondo, 1990; Xiao, et al., 1991).

↑ Yume. C. x hiemalis ‘Shishigashira’ x C. yuhsienensis. The name means “Dream” in Japanese. The flower has a very unusual alternation of white and pink petals. Originated in Japan.

↑ Yume. C. x hiemalis ‘Shishigashira’ x C. yuhsienensis. The name means “Dream” in Japanese. The flower has a very unusual alternation of white and pink petals. Originated in Japan.

↑ C. puniceiflora. Chang 1981. Distributed in China: Zhejiang, Hunan. Small leaves, grows up to 2 m (6 f) high.

↑ C. puniceiflora. Chang 1981. Distributed in China: Zhejiang, Hunan. Small leaves, grows up to 2 m (6 f) high.

↑ C. puniceiflora. Chang 1981. Distributed in China: Zhejiang, Hunan. Small leaves, grows up to 2 m (6 f) high.

↑ C. puniceiflora. Chang 1981. Distributed in China: Zhejiang, Hunan. Small leaves, grows up to 2 m (6 f) high.

↑ C. puniceiflora. Chang 1981. Distributed in China: Zhejiang, Hunan. Small leaves, grows up to 2 m (6 f) high.

↑ C. brevistyla form. rubida. C. brevistyla (Hay.) Cohen Stuart (1916) form. rubida P. L. Chiu (1987). Distributed in China in hilly areas of Longquan in Zhejiang Province. Chromosome number: 2n = 30 (Kondo, 1977).

↑ C. brevistyla form. rubida. C. brevistyla (Hay.) Cohen Stuart (1916) form. rubida P. L. Chiu (1987). Distributed in China in hilly areas of Longquan in Zhejiang Province. Chromosome number: 2n = 30 (Kondo, 1977).

↑ Gingetsu Perkins. A misnamed cultivar, sent to Nuccio’s Nurseries, California. Possibly a sasanqua-reticulata hybrid.

↑ Gingetsu Perkins. A misnamed cultivar, sent to Nuccio’s Nurseries, California. Possibly a sasanqua-reticulata hybrid.

↑ Gingetsu Perkins. A misnamed cultivar, sent to Nuccio’s Nurseries, California. Possibly a sasanqua-reticulata hybrid.

↑ Kai Mei’s Choice. C. sasanqua x (C. sasanqua x C. reticulata). Originated in Camellia Forest Nursery, North Carolina.

↑ Stars’N'Stripes. A chance seedling of ‘Christmas Rose’ (Williams’ Lavender x Shishigashira). Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Stars’N'Stripes. A chance seedling of ‘Christmas Rose’ (Williams’ Lavender x Shishigashira). Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Stars’N'Stripes. A chance seedling of ‘Christmas Rose’ (Williams’ Lavender x Shishigashira). Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Stars’N'Stripes. A chance seedling of ‘Christmas Rose’ (Williams’ Lavender x Shishigashira). Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Dwarf Shishi. A seedling of ‘Shishigashira’. Originated by Toichi Domoto, California in 1988.

↑ Dwarf Shishi. A seedling of ‘Shishigashira’. Originated by Toichi Domoto, California in 1988.

↑ Jewel Box

↑ Jewel Box

↑ Twinkle, Twinkle. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Sasanqua Compacta. Very short leaf internodes. From Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Sasanqua Compacta. Very short leaf internodes. From Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Slim’N'Trim. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Slim’N'Trim. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

↑ Starry Pillar (N#9820). A chance seedling, might be a sasanqua-tenuiflora hybrid. Columnar habit. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries.

↑ Starry Pillar (N#9820). A chance seedling, might be a sasanqua-tenuiflora hybrid. Columnar habit. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries.

↑ Tanya. Introduced by Coolidge Rare Plants, east Pasadena, California in 1937. Produced from a seed imported from Japan in 1927.

↑ Tanya. Introduced by Coolidge Rare Plants, east Pasadena, California in 1937. Produced from a seed imported from Japan in 1927.

↑ Silverado. Light gray green small leaves. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.

Well-known sasanqua breeders include:

1. Nuccio’s Nurseries’s founders Joseph and Julius Nuccio, and their children Tom, Jim, and Julius, all living in Southern California. The best-known Nuccio’s sasanqua cultivar is Yuletide – the only really red sasanqua. We wrote an article about their operation and maintain a list of sasanqua cultivars and Camellia species available from Nuccio’s.

2. Dr. William L. Ackerman studied genetics of camellias since 1960s and created cold-tolerant cultivars using Camellia oleifera as a parent. Our favorite Ackerman’s hybrid is ‘Winter’s Rose’ – a beautiful formal pink miniature sasanqua. Dr. Ackerman lives in Maryland, pictures of some of his cultivars are available on the website of a local Camellia Society of the Potomac Valley and on the website of the National Arboretum. We also prepared a photo album of some of his cultivars based on pictures Dr.Ackerman donated to us for publication.

3. Camellia Forest Nursery, Clifford Parks, David Parks and Kai Mei created sasanqua-reticulata hybrids, including ‘Kai Mei’s Choice’. Clifford Parks wrote many articles about Camellia genetics. They are located in North Carolina.

4. Paradise Plants, John Robb created beautiful sasanqua cultivars in Australia, including Paradise Sayaka
and dwarf Paradise Baby Jane. Unfortunately Paradise Camellias are not available in the United States at this moment, but will be available soon via Ball Seed Company, the contact name is Peter Kruger.

5. Tom Dodd Nurseries, Inc was started in 1920 with 40 acres of land by Tom Dodd, Sr. The nursery remained owned by the Dodd family until August of 2004 when it was purchased by Jack Williams and John Williams, owners of Twin Oaks Nursery in Wilmer, AL. Tom Dodd Nurseries introduced a dozen of new sasanqua cultivars.