6 Japanese camellias to have in your garden

Camellia Nuccio's Pearl

Flowers of Camellia Nuccio’s Pearl leave no one indifferent. Very geometric, they are double with regularly imbricate petals. Their colours vary subtly from light pink at the heart of the flower to carmine-pink at the petal edges. Flowers are darker at the start of flowering and gradually lighten to become rosy-white. They measure between 6 cm and 7 cm in diameter and appear between February and April.

At ripeness, Camellia Nuccio’s Pearl forms an upright shrub 1.50 metres tall with an 80 cm spread. It is hardy down to -15°C and is perfectly suited to cultivation in pots.

Standout feature: geometric form and pink gradation of its flowers.

Camellia 'Lady Vansittart'

Camellia Lady Vansittart surprises with its semi-double flowers, each different from the next. Sometimes striate with red or pink, variegated or simply plain white, pink or red, you will find at any one time on your bush a great diversity of flowers. With each new bud, a new spectacle unfolds. A unique flower opens before your eyes. These flowers, 6 to 9 cm in diameter, bloom between March and May. They appear on dense foliage of dark glossy evergreen leaves with a rolled margin. They resemble holly leaves. Leaves measure up to 10 cm long.

After 10 years, your bush with a bushy habit reaches 1.30 m in height and 1.20 m in width. Hardy down to -15°C, it nevertheless prefers mild Atlantic climates because temperatures below -5°C destroy its flower buds. It grows perfectly well in a pot.

Little extra: flowers all different — plain white, pink or red, variegated or striate.

Camellia Coquetti

Camellia Coquetti undeniably charms with rose-shaped flowers. In an intense red, its double flowers have imbricate petals with rounded edges. They evoke the softness and classicism of the rose. They appear between March and May on glossy dark green foliage.

This variety is a safe bet in French-style, Italianate or romantic gardens. It is a large-scale camellia. At ripeness, expect over 2 metres in height and about 1.75 metres in spread. Like other Japanese camellias, it prefers mild Atlantic climates. Any exposure to temperatures below -5°C risks destroying its flower buds.

Its little extra: intense red, rose-shaped flowers.

Camellia Dahlonega

Camellia Dahlonega is a sight to behold thanks to its ivory, rose-shaped flowers. Fragrant, each measures up to 7 cm in diameter. Classic in form, the flower opens to a pale yellow centre that gradually lightens to ivory at the edges. Its petals are imbricate and slightly rounded. Flowering runs from February to April. The bush has a free, dense habit and can reach 1.20 metres in height. It tolerates down to −15 °C. It can be grown in a pot or in open ground.

Its little extra: ivory, rose-shaped flowers.

Camellia Sweet Olive

Camellia Sweet Olive is a classic winter camellia that blooms between March and April with magnificent double rose-shaped flowers. Geometric in form, the flowers have imbricate petals whose colour varies in a gradient from pale pink, almost white, at the centre of the flower to deeper pink at the outer edges. Flowers are small, about 6 cm in diameter. They appear on the bush’s glossy evergreen foliage. Leaves are elliptical and measure between 10 and 12 cm long. Mature bush reaches about 1.4 metres tall with 1 metre spread. It can withstand temperatures down to -14°C but a mild climate sheltered from wind is preferable to protect flower buds from cold.

Highlight: soft pink gradient of its rose-shaped flowers.

Camellia 'Volunteer'

Camellia Volunteer is unique in its kind. This new variety produces large peony-shaped flowers that can reach up to 10 cm in diameter. Its flowers are formed of a crown of rounded petals surrounding a centre of dense, crumpled petals. Each flower has its own colour gradient. The petals are pale at the edges, very pale pink almost white, and progressively darken to claret and cherry red. During flowering, the first flowers are frequently paler than the last flowers of the season, which are almost uniform and red. They appear between February and April on a bush with a bushy habit that can reach up to 1.20 metres in height. The bush tolerates both container growing and open-ground planting. However its floral buds are as sensitive as those of other varieties to snow, cold winds or temperatures below -5°C.

Its little extra: its dazzling large peony-shaped flowers.

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• See also 7 classic white camellias