Deciduous & Flowering Shrubs
Sasanqua camellia
Camellia sasanqua
Camellia sasanqua is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with an often open habit and flowers in fall and winter. Wild plants have single white blooms, while cultivated forms vary in color and shape. In Southwest Washington, it can serve as a hedge, screen, or accent where a winter display is welcome. Allow for a mature height of about 6–14 feet and spread of about 5–7 feet, with size varying among cultivated forms. Give it sun to partial shade, shelter from cold wind, and moist, well-drained soil that is acidic to neutral. Its flowers can provide nectar for pollinators, including overwintering Anna’s hummingbirds.
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At a glance
- Mature height
- About 6–14 feet
- Mature spread
- About 5–7 feet
- Light
- Sun to partial shade
- Hardiness
- USDA zone 7
The right plant, the right place
Make room for something good.
Its evergreen foliage and fall-to-winter flowers suit a hedge, screen, or accent planting. An often open habit gives it room to show its natural form.
Where to plant
Choose sun to partial shade and a spot sheltered from cold wind. Leave room for a shrub that may reach about 6–14 feet tall.
Through the seasons
Flowers appear in fall and winter. They can provide nectar for pollinators, including overwintering Anna’s hummingbirds.
Southwest Washington gardens
Give it a good start.
Camellia sasanqua is grown in the maritime Pacific Northwest, including Corvallis, Oregon. Site conditions and cultivated forms will affect its performance in Southwest Washington.
Soil, drainage & water
Plant in moist, well-drained soil that is acidic to neutral. Avoid waterlogged ground, which can contribute to leaf damage.
A little care goes a long way
Growing well, season after season.
Shelter the shrub from cold wind. The available guidance does not establish a species-specific pruning schedule.
Know what to look for
Common growing concerns.
Symptoms can have more than one cause. These notes are a starting point for observing your plant and improving its growing conditions.
Cottony camellia scale
Cottony egg masses beneath leaves, sticky honeydew, black sooty mold, and yellowing foliage.
Help your plant thrive
Inspect leaf undersides and twigs. Remove small infestations or egg masses, and avoid broad-spectrum insecticides that kill scale predators.
Oedema
Watery blisters beneath leaves that turn brown or yellowish and corky.
Help your plant thrive
Improve drainage and avoid waterlogged sites; chemical treatment is not recommended.
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Explore this plantGood gardens start with a conversation
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