Camellia sasanqua ‘Crimson King’

Award-winning Camellia sasanqua ‘Crimson King’ is a Japanese beauty with masses of large, up to 5 in. wide (12 cm), single blooms with glowing, crimson-red, twisted petals and a wonderful prominent boss of gold stamens. Fragrant, the blooms are produced over a fairly long period in the early season (October – January in the Northern Hemisphere; March – June in the Southern Hemisphere). They contrast beautifully with the evergreen foliage of ovate, glossy, leathery, dark green leaves.

• This medium-sized evergreen shrub has an open, upright to spreading form. It grows up to 8-12 ft. tall (240-360 cm) with a spread of 10-15 ft. (300-450 cm)
• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• A part shade to full shade lover, this plant is best grown in consistently moist, acidic, organically rich, well-drained soils.  Will thrive in full sun once established provided that the roots are kept cool and moist. Provide a site sheltered from cold, dry winds as buds and flowers may be damaged by cold winds. Protect from the early morning sun and from the direct hot summer afternoon sun.
• May be attacked by aphids, scale insects, and vine weevil
• Mass in mixed shrub borders for dramatic winter blooms. Great flowering shrub for woodland gardens or as a screen and hedge. Perfect as a specimen plant and may be effectively grown in tubs or large containers.
• Apply a root mulch (leaves or shredded bark)
• Prune after flowering. Prune to thin branching and control size and shape.

Camellia sasanqua is one of the loveliest fall flowers, graceful in form, tender in color and pleasing in fragrance. As summer fades and the leaves begin to turn, this camellia opens with aplomb during the camellia season. The flowers, mostly single or semi-double, are not quite as large and showy as those of Camellia japonica, but they are born in such profusion that a camellia sasanqua in full bloom becomes one of the glories of the fall garden. Never bigger than 3-4 in. (7-10 cm), the scented blooms feature fluted, ruffled petals and range from white through to deep pink. Each flower only lasts a couple of days before it drops its petals which makes them ill-suited for cutting. The elegant and open habit of Camellia sasanqua allows them to blend beautifully with other shrubs, without dominating the way the larger leaved, denser growing camellia japonica do. Faster growing than Camellia japonica, this broadleaved, evergreen shrub may grow from 18 in. (45 cm) up to 12 feet (360 cm). Camellia sasanqua shrubs are more sun tolerant than Camellia japonica, but slightly less cold hardy (USDA Hardiness Zone 7 – 9).