7 pink autumn camellias

Camellia sasanqua ‘Choji Guruma’: an early flowering in shades of pink

‘Choji Guruma’ is one of the earliest flowering autumn camellias, blooming between September and November-December. Its lovely small double fragrant flowers measure 5 to 6 cm in diameter and are anemone-shaped. The outer petals surround another row of tightly packed, crinkled petals in the centre.

The flowers reveal several shades of pink: the petals are a soft light pink, edged with a brighter, darker pink. The golden stamen heart is quite discreet.

This slow-growing evergreen bush offers an upright yet compact silhouette, reaching 1.5 metres in height and 80 cm in spread at maturity.

This sasanqua camellia will shine in a flowering hedge with other heather soil shrubs, such as hydrangeas. Witch hazel, rhododendrons and azaleas will, of course, also make excellent companions, either in shades of pink and red or by mixing colours, according to your preferences.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Choji Guruma’

Camellia sasanqua ‘Interlude’: a compact variety with rare shades of lavender

‘Interlude’ is a charming compact variety, measuring 80 cm in all directions. It is an ideal candidate for autumn pots, to enhance small spaces, entrances, terraces, or balconies.

From October to December, it produces large double flowers reminiscent of old roses, in an uncommon lavender pink colour.

In a large container of heather soil, pair it with pink summer heathers, such as Calluna vulgaris ‘Marleen’, ‘Silver Knight’, or ‘H.E Beale’. Also consider the sweet violet, whose evergreen foliage will dress the base of our pink camellia all year round.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Interlude’

Camellia sasanqua 'Sekiyo': a vibrant colour

The Camellia sasanqua ‘Sekiyo’ is another early-flowering variety, revealing itself between September and November. It boasts large flowers measuring nearly 8 cm, which can be single or semi-double, with a slightly crinkled appearance. Their bright pink colour ranges from raspberry to fuchsia, all enhanced by a sunny nest of stamens. The glossy dark green foliage perfectly highlights this vibrant colour. These flowers are also lightly scented.

This bushy shrub reaches a height of 1.6 metres and a width of 1.4 metres after a few years.

In a heather soil bed, it will accompany skimmias, with their small decorative red or white fruits in winter, the Clethra alnifolia or the pink variety ‘Ruby Spice’, for a lovely colour harmony during the autumn flowering period.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Sekiyo’

Camellia sasanqua 'Yume': a long star-like flowering

‘Yume’ is a pink camellia with a long and abundant flowering period, fragrant from October to December, and even into January.

Its original colour, almost bicolour, combines a soft pink mixed with white around the edges of the petals. The nest of golden stamens is clearly visible. As for the shape of the flowers, they are simple, measuring 5 to 8 cm in diameter and resembling stars.

This compact bush reaches only 1 metre in height and 1.2 metres in spread. It is ideal in pots to adorn terraces and balconies, but also in borders. For flowering throughout the cold season, do not hesitate to combine autumn camellias. By mixing early (‘Showa no Sakae’, ‘Choji Guruma’, and ‘Sekiyo’) and late (Camellia x hiemalis ‘Bonanza’), your border will provide a spectacle in the garden for nearly half the year.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Yume’

Camellia sasanqua ‘Waterfall Pink’: an adorable pink groundcover

‘Waterfall Pink’ offers an unusual silhouette among sasanqua camellias. It is a variety with a spreading and low habit, wider than it is tall, measuring 1 metre in height and 1.7 metres in spread.

Flowering occurs in October and November. Our camellia then adorns itself with lovely lightly scented double flowers, in a fresh pink colour that becomes paler over time.

It will look magnificent grown above a low wall and trailing like a true floral cascade in autumn. In the foreground of a shrub hedge, it will serve as groundcover and elegantly dress the bases of other bushes, such as witch hazels and Japanese dogwoods (Cornus kousa ‘Heart Throb’, ‘China Girl’ or ‘Satomi’) or even prunus.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Waterfall Pink’

Camellia sasanqua ‘Showa no Sakae’: a vibrant early-flowering compact variety

‘Showa no Sakae’ has a small silhouette, barely exceeding 1 metre in all directions. It forms a true carpet of bright fuchsia flowers, bringing plenty of light and a real splash of colour.

This is an early variety: flowering occurs between September and December. Its flowers are semi-double, with a slightly crumpled appearance, beautifully highlighted by the dark green, glossy foliage.

Its small size makes it an excellent candidate for pot cultivation. Pair it with small autumn bulbs for a lovely flowering pot: Persian cyclamen, colchicums or nerines.

Camellia sasanqua (Showa no Sakae)

Camellia sasanqua 'Kanjiro': a long late pink flowering

‘Kanjiro’ flowers a little later than other varieties, but this flowering lasts through the winter months, until February. It only stops when temperatures are really too low (hardiness around -10°C).

Its large semi-double rosette flowers reach nearly 7 cm and are pleasantly fragrant. Very vibrant, they are adorned with a beautiful bright pink shaded with carmine and illuminated by a centre of golden stamens. The petals are beautifully undulated.

This less common variety offers quite rapid growth and a very graceful upright habit. The bush measures 3 metres in height and 1.5 metres in spread. This silhouette will look wonderful as a standalone, dressing up a rather strict lawn. And in a border, our camellia can be placed in the background of small varieties of hydrangeas.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Kanjiro’