Species and cultivars gallery
1. Introduction
Yuri Panchul Garden
2. Wild form
Camellia sasanqua, selection ‘Shikoku Stars’. Thunberg 1784. Native to southern Japan: southern Shikoku, Kyushu, Ryukyu islands. Thought to be a geographical variant of C. oleifera native to China. Grows up to 26 ft (8 m) Flowers early fall to mid-winter. Chromosome numbers: 2n = 90 (wild forms), 45-120 (cultivars) (Kondo, 1977).
3. Big white single
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.
4. White double
White Doves. The Japanese name is ‘Mine-no-yuki’ meaning “Snow on the Ridge”. Introduced in 1898.
5. Single pinks
Hugh Evans. Originated in Coolidge Rare Garden Plants, California in 1943.
6. Double pinks
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.
7. Semi-formal pinks
Enishi. Means “Charming Appearance” in Japanese. Originated in Kumamoto. A seedling of a seed given to Kiyofusa Saito by Shigeru Sugiyama. This cultivar is recognized by Higo Sasanqua Society.
8. Peony pinks
Rosette. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1980.
9. Anemone pinks
Chojiguruma. Means “a wheel of anemone” in Japanese. Introduced in 1789. Originated in Kansai, spread to many places.
10. Dark pinks
Bonanza. C. x hiemalis, seedling of ‘Crimson Bride’. Originated by Tom Dodd Jr, Semmes, Alabama in 1962.
11. Yuletide and Hiryu
Yuletide. C. x vernalis. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1963. A seedling of ‘Hiryu’.
12. Bicolor
Navajo. Imported from Japan by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California in 1956. The original name is lost.
13. Egao group
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 (?).
14. Oleifera and Ackerman hybrids
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.
15. Other species and hybrids
Stars’N'Stripes. A chance seedling of ‘Christmas Rose’ (Williams’ Lavender x Shishigashira). Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.
16. Low growing and small foliage
Starry Pillar (N#9820). A chance seedling, might be a sasanqua-tenuiflora hybrid. Columnar habit. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries.
17. Foliage
Silverado. Light gray green small leaves. Originated by Nuccio’s Nurseries, California.
18. Credits
All photo pictures © Yuri Panchul.
Text information is compiled from the following sources:
Ackerman, William L. 2007. Beyond the Camellia Belt. Breeding, Propagating, and Growing Cold-Hardy Camellias. Batavia, Illinois: Ball Publishing.
Ackerman, William L. 2002. Growing Camellias in Cold Climates. Baltimore, Maryland, Noble House.
Camellia Forest Nursery Catalog. Fall 2007. Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Chang Hung Ta and Bruce Bartholomew. 1984. Camellias. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
Gao Jiyin, Clifford R. Parks and Du Yueqiang. 2005. Collected Species of the genus Camellia. An illustrated outline. China.
Japan Camellia Society. 1999. The Nomenclature of Japanese Camellias and Sasanquas (Nippon Tsubaki . Sasanqua Meikan). English Translation supervised by Thomas J. Savige.
Macoboy, Stirling and Roger Mann. 1998. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Camellias. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
Nuccio’s Nurseries Catalog. 2007-2008. Altadena, California.
Sealy, Robert J. 1958. A Revision of the Genus Camellia. London: The Royal Horticultural Society.
Trehane, Jennifer. 2007. Camellias. The Gardener’s Encyclopedia. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.