Camellia sasanqua Hiryu

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hiryu’, or the autumn camellia ‘Hiryu’, is a reliable choice for adding colour to the garden in autumn: its semi-double red to carmine pink flowers bloom generously from October to December, sometimes even into the heart of winter if the weather is mild. With vigorous growth and beautiful dark foliage, it is an excellent variety for informal hedges, topiary, or large containers near an entrance.

Belonging to the Theaceae family, ‘Hiryu’ is often classified in the Camellia × vernalis group (a natural hybrid between C. sasanqua and C. japonica), but is marketed as C. sasanqua; it is an old Japanese cultivar, mentioned in the 19th century (references from 1847), and known in the West in the early 20th century. Its Japanese name Hiryū means "flying dragon". In nurseries, you may also find the synonyms ‘Flying Dragon’, ‘Red Bird’, and ‘Scarlet Bird’. It is sometimes given as a synonym for C. hiemalis ‘Kanjirō’ according to some horticultural authorities, which explains the variable names in nurseries.

‘Hiryu’ is upright to bushy, the shrub is vigorous, with medium to fast growth. Its dimensions at 10 years of age reach 1.20 m high by 80 cm wide. In the ground, it commonly reaches 2.50 to 4 m in height with a spread of 2 to 3 m, depending on the climate and the pruning it receives; in a container, expect a height of 1.50 to 2 m at maturity. The leathery and glossy, evergreen leaves are elliptical with a finely scalloped edge. Flowering occurs from October to December. The single to semi-double flowers measure 6 to 10 cm in diameter. They range from cherry red to carmine pink, sometimes marked with white, and are composed of crinkled petals surrounding a cluster of golden yellow stamens. The root system is made up of fibrous, superficial roots, sensitive to compaction and competition, and anchoring roots.

‘Hiryu’ can be used in an informal hedge 2 to 3 m high, a privacy screen, or as a corner specimen near the house. Space 1.2 to 1.5 m apart for a dense hedge; prune just after flowering to preserve the buds for the following year. Provide it with acidic, humus-bearing, well-drained soil, an east, north, or west exposure, and regular water in summer. In a border, combine it with other acid soil bushes: azaleas/rhododendrons for spring, Pieris for winter-spring, Japanese maples for their light branches, ferns and hellebores as groundcover.

In Japanese culture, autumn camellias (sazanka) are valued for their early flowering; traditional uses mention adding dried flowers and leaves to certain teas to enhance their bouquet, while other camellia species were used to produce the so-called "tsubaki" oil.