Buy your camellia in bloom to choose the most beautiful flowers. Learn about its characteristics keeping in mind the use you want to make of it.
There is a multitude of hybrids with very different qualities. If your home has a long, cold winter, choose a late blooming variety.
Japanese camellias are the most classic, the most rustic and those which present the greatest number of varieties with flower forms and colors sometimes very sophisticated or original. English hybridizations between Camellia japonica and Camellia saluensis, a Chinese from Yunnan, have given the x Williamsii series. These are extremely floriferous and have the advantage of being self-cleaning unlike Japanese camellias (the faded flowers fall off by themselves). With a more flexible habit and a more vigorous growth, the garden scenes will have a more natural style.
How to choose?
- The earliest: Bow Bells, Cornish Snow, Nobilissima, St Ewe, Sugar Dream, 'Takanini'.
- The longest bloomers: Bow Bells, Brigadoon, Donation (a very popular variety, soft pink that is bursting with flowers), Freedom Bell, Gloire de Nantes, Inspiration (large flowers), Takanini
- The most resistant to cold: A Audusson, Gloire de Nantes, Nobilissima
- The most adapted to pot culture (moderate vigor, reduced size, slow growth): Gay Baby, Night Rider, San Dimas
- The safe values (easy): A. Audusson, Debbie, Inspiration, Lavinia Maggi, Elegans, Mme Lourmand
- The most sophisticated (perfect shapes, shades): Ave Maria, Désir, Sunny Side
- The most original : Elegance Champagne (tinted with yellow), Tulip Time
- The most natural : Donation, Lily Pons, Mark Alan
- The fragrant ones: Cinnamon Cindy, Sugar Dream
- Extra in hedge (fast growing and important development): Cinnamon Cindy, Inspiration, St Ewe
- To be trained: soft branches: Cornish Snow, Debbie, Donation, Elegant Beauty
The reds
- Adolphe Audusson: (jap) camellia of French origin very popular and widespread. Vigorous, hardy, upright habit. Large semi-db cherry red flowers. Feb to April.
- Elegant Beauty: (hyb) vigorous, salmon red semi-db flower. March to May.
- Mark Alan: (jap) double anemone flower, cherry red, hardy and vigorous. March to May.
- Night Rider : (jap) semi-db miniature flower, dark red with purple young shoots. Very compact. Feb to April.
- San Dimas (jap) medium flower, bright red Feb to April.
- Takanini: (jap) small red anemone flower, fast growing. Nov to April.
The roses
- Ave Maria: (jap) vigorous variety, upright habit, medium size imbricated flower, pearly pink. Dec. to Mar.
- Bow Bells: (hyb de Saluenensis): bell-shaped pink flower, very early and very floriferous. January to April.
- Brigadoon: (hyb) very hardy, very floriferous, large single flower, likes cool summers. Feb to April.
- Debbie: (hyb) large peoniform flower, satin pink from February to April.
- Desire : (jap) admirable intertwined flower mixing pale pink and brighter pink. Vigorous. Feb to April.
- Donation : very popular variety, rustic, very floriferous, semi-double soft pink. Tolerates the sun. Jan. to April.
- Gloire de Nantes : (jap) old variety, semi-double bright pink flower. Long flowering. Dec. to March.
- Inspiration: (hyb) large parma pink flower, long bloom, Dec to Mar.
- St Ewe: (hyb) fast growing, slender habit, bright pink bell. Jan to April.
- Sugar Dream: (hyb of Oleifera) medium semi-db soft pink flower with creamy scented heart. Nov to Feb.
- Tulip Time: (jap) small single light pink tulip shaped flower! Dec to March.
The whites
- Cinnamon Cindy (hyb): small double flower, pinkish white, subtle cinnamon scent. Nov to April.
- Countess Lavinia Maggi: (jap) 19th century variety, imbricate, white streaked with carmine. Feb to April.
- Cornish Snow : (hyb) very floriferous. Small simple flower, white. Feb to April.
- Elegance Champagne (jap) large white flower with a champagne heart. Feb to May.
- Freedom Bell : (hyb) floriferous, hardy, small bright red bell-shaped flowers. Dec to March.
- Lily Pons : (jap) large single to semi-db pure white flowers. Jan to April.
- Nobilissima: (jap) early, very double medium white flowers with cream highlights, vigorous, Nov to Feb.
- Sunny Side : (jap) medium white flower hemmed with pink. Feb to April.
