Sazanka » pink

Nokorika – a Higo sasanqua with a strong scent

Yuri Panchul — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:27:09 +0000

According to the book “Nippon Tsubaki – Sasanqua Meikan” (日本ツバキ・サザンカ名鑑):

Nokorika. 残り香 (Lingering Perfume), from Kumamoto Pref.
Deep purplish red occasionally with slender white streaks, single, medium, very early. Leaves elliptic to narrowly elliptic, medium. Upright, vigorous. The original tree survives in Kumamoto City, designated and named by Higo Sasanqua Society in 1968.

I like this cultivar. It has an interesting color, strong scent and general elegance. It is rare and I will keep it. I found it in Reagan Nursery in Fremont, California in Spring 2009. The container had a label “Belmont Nursery” which is somewhat puzzling since Belmont Nursery does not carry this cultivar (see their list of sasanquas). According to their website they carry only the standard set of sasanquas similar to sasanqua offering from Monrovia.

Another interesting thing about this plant – it is a “Higo sasanqua”. Many people know about Higo japonicas originated by samurai clan Kumamoto and promoted in the West by Italian horticulturalist Franco Ghirardi.

See also mention of ‘Nokorika’ in http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~yoshii/sazannkahinnshu/hinnshu1.htm

‘Nodami Ushiro’ – a Higo-like sasanqua

Yuri Panchul — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:10:27 +0000

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”.

2008 National Camellia Show at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Yuri Panchul — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:15:40 +0000

I got two awards on 2008 National Camellia Show at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. I took part in photography competition.

The first photo picture is of species Camellia puniceiflora from section Paracamellia:

Camellia puniceiflora (粉红短柱茶 in Chinese) Chang 1981. A wild species distributed in China: Zhejiang, Hunan. Small leaves, grows up to 2 m (6 f) high.

The second photo picture is of sasanqua cultivar called Chojiguruma:

Chojiguruma, 丁子車 in Japanese. Means “a wheel of anemone” in Japanese. Introduced in 1789. Originated in Kansai, spread to many places. This anemone form is very rare for C. sasanqua cultivars.

The complete list of all results of the Camellia Photography Show is below:

Dear Exhibitors,
Here are the results of the Camellia Photography Show at Longwood Gardens this weekend.

Focus on Color: Class I

Red.

1. Dianne Schilling
2. Ashley Higgenbotham
3. Fred Shermer

White

1. Manisse Newell * Best in Show *
2. Joanne Rosen
3. Jane Ruffin
4. Mary Wood

Pink

1. Jane Ruffin
2. Penny Ross
3. Don Bergamini
4. Yuri Panchul

Bicolor

1. Ashley Higgenbotham
2. Suzanne P Hyatt
3. Phyllis Reynolds
4. Deane Hall

Elegant Beauties:

Class A

1. Joanne Rosen
2. Marnah Lund
3. Don Bergamini
4. Jane Ruffin

Class B

1. Phylllis Reynolds
2. Fred Schermer
3. Yuri Panchul
4. Ashley Higgenbotham

It was a beautiful exhibit, staged at the entrance to the main conservatory, and much admired by the public. Our thanks to everyone who sent entries: Your participation is what made the show a success.

Single pinks

Yuri Panchul — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 03:13:27 +0000

↑ 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.

Double pinks

Yuri Panchul — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 02:46:56 +0000

↑ Shishigashira. C. x hiemalis. Means “Lion’s Head” in Japanese. Originated and spread in Kansai and Chubu. First mentioned in Engeikai Zasshi in 1894. Called ‘Kan-tsubaki’ in Kanto area since 1933.

↑ Kanjiro. C. x hiemalis. Introduced by Takii & Co. Ltd., Japan in 1954. Originated in Aichi Prefecture. The original tree was raised in Inazawa City. Sometimes single, sometimes semi-double. Very vigorous, widely used for rootstock.

↑ Jean May. Originated by Ralph May, Gerbing’s Camellia Nursery of Fernandino, Florida in 1951. The flower has a very special shade of light pink.

Semi-formal pinks

Yuri Panchul — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:13:50 +0000

↑ Chansonette. Introduced in 1958. A seedling of ‘Shishigashira’.

↑ Enishi. Means “Charming Appearance” in Japanese. It is probably a synonym of 艶姿 (あですがた, Adesugata, “Sexy female body”).　Originated in Kumamoto. A seedling of a seed given to Kiyofusa Saito by Shigeru Sugiyama. This cultivar is recognized by Higo Sasanqua Society.

↑ Sarrel. A recent origination from Bobby Green in Fairhope, Alabama. Available from Camellia Forest Nursery, North Carolina. Very spreading, can be kept under 2 feet tall with pruning.

Peony pinks

Yuri Panchul — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:44:49 +0000

↑ 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.

↑ Bert Jones. Introduced in 1967

Anemone pinks

Yuri Panchul — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:59:51 +0000

↑ Chojiguruma. Means “a wheel of anemone” in Japanese. Introduced in 1789. Originated in Kansai, spread to many places.

Dark pinks

Yuri Panchul — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:14:16 +0000

↑ Bonanza. C. x hiemalis, seedling of ‘Crimson Bride’. Originated by Tom Dodd Jr, Semmes, Alabama in 1962.

↑ Reverend Ida. A seedling of Shishigashira with deeper and more reddish color. A recent origination from Bobby Green in Fairhope, Alabama. Available from Camellia Forest Nursery, North Carolina.

Yuletide and Hiryu

Yuri Panchul — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:07:26 +0000

↑ 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’.

Egao group

Yuri Panchul — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:19:28 +0000

↑ 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.

Oleifera and Ackerman hybrids

Yuri Panchul — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:30:34 +0000

↑ C. oleifera. Abel 1818. Southern China, south of Yangtze River, Shanxi and Vietnam. Cultivated for oil production, used for cold-hardy hybrids, grows to 23 ft (7 m) hight, flowers in fall. Chromosome number: 2n = 30, 60, 90 (Kondo, 1977).

↑ Seedling of C. oleifera. Abel 1818. Southern China, south of Yangtze River, Shanxi and Vietnam. Cultivated for oil production, used for cold-hardy hybrids, grows to 23 ft (7 m) hight, flowers in fall.

↑ Winter’s Rose. C. oleifera ‘Plain Jane’ x C. x hiemalis ‘Otome’. William Ackerman. Survives very low winter temperatures – down to -15 F / -26 C.

Other species and hybrids

Yuri Panchul — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:48:37 +0000

↑ 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.

↑ 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).

↑ 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.

Low growing and small foliage

Yuri Panchul — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:38:09 +0000

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

↑ Jewel Box

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

↑ Sasanqua Compacta. Very short leaf internodes. From 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.

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