How do you recognise Sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua)?

Leaf

Krzysztof Ziarnek, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sasanqua camellia

Camellia sasanqua Thunb.

Also known as: Autumn camellia

Family: Theaceae

2 to 4 m tall

Planted as a specimen or hedge in gardens, acid, moist soils

Flowering: October – December, autumn and winter flowering

Part shade

Full sun

Fairly hardy, to about -9 to -10°C, slightly less hardy than the Japanese camellia

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Unlike common camellia, which flowers in spring, sasanqua camellia flowers in the middle of autumn and into winter — a valuable flowering that extends the camellia season by several months. Sasanqua camellia flowers in autumn and winter with smaller leaves, whereas common camellia flowers in spring with larger leaves and often more double flowers.

🍃 Leaves

Evergreen, oval, leathery, glossy, smaller than those of common camellia

🌸 Flowers

Single or semi-double, white, pink or red, fragrant, appearing in autumn

🍎 Fruits

Small woody capsule

🪵 Bark

Grey, smooth

🗺️ Distribution

Native to Japan; widely planted in France as an ornamental shrub

🐝 Value for pollinators

Valuable autumn and winter flowering, one of the few nectar sources of this season

✂️ Horticultural uses

Ornamental shrub planted for its fragrant autumn and winter flowering, at a time when few other shrubs are in flower

⚠️ Possible toxicity

No notable toxicity known

⚠️ Look-alike species

Sasanqua camellia

Camellia sasanqua

Common camellia

Camellia japonica

Sasanqua camellia flowers in autumn and winter with smaller leaves, whereas common camellia flowers in spring with larger leaves and often more double flowers.

🌿 Other Theaceae to discover

Japanese stewartia

Stewartia pseudocamellia

Common camellia

Camellia japonica

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.