16

Every spring a few of our members

remember one of our (Hume) founding

members, Claude Jarick, when ‘Jarick’s

Surprise’ brightens up many local gardens

early in the camellia season.

Dr. Bob Withers was our most informative

guest speaker on several occasions, and a

camellia named after his wife, Hari is the

only camellia to be featured on an

Australian postage stamp. He named a

pale pink reticulata after his daughter

Suzanne, and this one is often referred to

as ‘the mother superior’ because of the

outstanding seedlings it has produced.

One of these he named after his great

friend, the late Alan Raper, father of

Andrew, whom many of us know as the

dynamic personality at Rhodo Glen

Nursery.

In conclusion, let us pay homage to the

outstanding plantsman Dr Bob Withers

who held the highest awards in Australia in

the Camellia, Lilium, and Rhododendron

Societies and the Order of Australia for

services to horticulture. As well as all this

he was awarded the Veitch Medal by the

Royal Horticultural Society of Great

Britain, its highest award for overseas

horticulturists.

Dr Ross Hayter was Camellias Australia

and Hume Camellia Society President and

an Australian delegate to the International

Camellia Society for many years. Dr.

Hayter passed away in May 2013 at the

age of 91 years.

John Hadlow

THE CHARACTER BEHIND THE CAMELLIA (cont’d)

Camellia hybrid “Lady Gowrie”

NSW CAMELLIA NSW CAMELLIA NSW CAMELLIA

RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH

SOCIETY INC.SOCIETY INC.SOCIETY INC.

Affiliate of Camellias Australia Inc.Affiliate of Camellias Australia Inc.Affiliate of Camellias Australia Inc.

www.camelliasnsw.orgwww.camelliasnsw.orgwww.camelliasnsw.org

NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER Issue No: 4Issue No: 4 May 2014May 2014 Price: $1.50Price: $1.50

ContentsContentsContents

From The President;

Camellia Calendar;

Appeal for helpers at the Annual Show in July;

Cultural Notes for May;

Editor’s Camellia Sasanqua Photos and Other Photos;

Interesting articles on the naming of Camellias by the late

Dr. Ross Hayter a former President of Hume Camellia

Society and a rerun of an article by Chris and Helen

Chapman on Camellia Culture at Silverdale (NSW)

Country Corner features articles by Brian Kerr and David

Maher

Our Next Monthly Meeting will be held on Monday 19th Our Next Monthly Meeting will be held on Monday 19th Our Next Monthly Meeting will be held on Monday 19th May 2014 at 7.45pmMay 2014 at 7.45pmMay 2014 at 7.45pm

Welcome address by President Richie Griffiths;

Special Guest Speaker is John Robb who will talk about C.

sinensis (the Tea Camellia) and new camellias at Paradise;

Monthly Bloom Competition is in full swing this month;

Donation Prize draw camellia is C.s. ‘Ruby Bells’ kindly

donated by Bill Parker of Camellias-R-Us;

Supper

2

Patron Her Excellency Marie Bashir AC CVO

President Richie Griffiths

39 Hazelmead Road Asquith 2077

rgriffiths@ryde.nsw.gov.au

0418 200139

(mobile)

Vice President Pam Watson

12 Knights Road Galston 2159

Email: pamandalan@pacific.net.au

9653 1036

Secretary Margaret Levick

73 Roland Ave Wahroonga 2076

9489 4482

Treasurer Dale Andrews

Email: dale.andrews@tpg.com.au

N/A

Public Officer Peter Levick

Membership Secretary Margaret Levick

Committee Peter Levick (Immediate Past President)

Richard Fischer

7/70 Albert St Hornsby 2077

Diana Herrald

6 Lisgar Road Hornsby 2077

Marion Moyes

3 Walpole Place Wahroonga 2076

Juliet Muras

11 Ackling Road Baulkham Hills 2153

Liz Navin

PO Box 2515 Bowral 2576

Email: eyeorre@bigpond.com

9489 4482

9476 3141

9482 4487

9489 5363

9639 5445

4871 1146

Newsletter Editor and

Producer

John Hadlow

17 Tudor Place St Ives Chase 2075

9449 8989

Librarian Bill Fleming

National Councillors Richie Griffiths & Marion Moyes

Email Address nswcamellias@hotmail.com

Website www.camelliasnsw.org

NSW CNSW CNSW CAMELLIAAMELLIAAMELLIA RESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCH SOCIETYSOCIETYSOCIETY INCINCINC A.B.N. 16 873 158 367A.B.N. 16 873 158 367A.B.N. 16 873 158 367 Reg. No. Y17693Reg. No. Y17693Reg. No. Y17693---474747

15

Waterhouse’, named after his wife and

C.h. ‘ Margaret Waterhouse’, after his

daughter-in-law, all still grown today.

He and celebrated flower painter, Paul

Jones, scoured the old cemeteries around

Sydney for long forgotten camellias, and

one that caught their eye was the one they

named C.j. ‘Paul Jones Supreme’, the log

of the Narrandera Garden Club.

Professor Waterhouse was one of the

founding members of the Australian

Camellia Research Society, together with

Walter Hazlewood, Alex Jessop and Dr.

Merrillees.

The Melbourne enthusiasts were not far

behind their Sydney friends, with Neville

and Erica McMinn establishing their

nursery on Dandenong Road and

importing many cultivars from overseas.

They produced camellias that bear the

names of Erica and their daughter Robyn.

While the McMinns were establishing their

commercial camellia nursery, Fred

Tuckfield was involved in building up his

tea importing and blending business,

competing successfully against the then

giants, Bushells and Inglis’s ‘Billy Tea’.

Tuckfield aggressively advertised his as ‘

Tuckfield’s Tiny Tips Tea’ and gained a

substantial share of the market. His

enthusiasm for C. sinensis only

encouraged him in his hobby in the pursuit

of getting better C. reticulatas. His C.r. x s.

‘ Fred Tuckfield’ was a show winner in its

day, but like so many others they are

seldom seen.

Edgar Sebire and his wife Beryl in the

Lower Dandenong Ranges had acres of

reticulatas on their property and they

named many after their relatives, including

Edgar’s pioneering grandfather Wandin

Sebire. This camellia is still seen, but most

of the Sebire camellias have gone the way

of Fred Tuckfield’s.

Our own camellia doyen was the late Tom

Savige . Inspite of having many of his

introductions registered, not one bears his

name. He did name one for his father, C.j.

‘Thomas Walter Savige’ and for his wife.

Harry Churchland suggested the name

C.j. ‘Sweet Olive’. Tom registered C.j’s ‘

Celeste Olivia’ and ‘Nicole’ for their

granddaughters and C.r. x ‘ Hilary

Tramonte’ for one of their daughters.

Hilary was not overjoyed, as she never

really liked the big blousy ones.

John Hall now operates the nursery at Tea

Tree Gulley in South Australia. His late

father is always remembered for the out-

standing little double C.j. ‘Roger Hall’.

John Hunt of Melbourne loves his

reticulatas and has used his own name,

his wife’s name Phyllis and son’s name

Tony as camellia names.

Ray Garnett does hundreds of controlled

hybridizations, but registers very few. His

C.x ‘Sweet Emily Kate’ and C.x. ‘Sweet

Jane’ are well known to us. They are

named for his grand-daughters.

Geoff Sherrington, after many, many

hours of work, has just released a

compact disc with photographs of almost

all Australian camellia registrations. The

slides of C.r.x ‘Colleen Sherrington’ and

C.j. ‘Paul Sherrington’ are certainly worthy

of inclusion.

THE CHARACTER BEHIND THE CAMELLIA (cont’d)

14

WHAT’S IN A NAME? WHO WAS.....? WHO IS.....? OR IN

OTHER WORDS THE CHARACTER BEHIND THE CAMELLIA

(by the late DR. ROSS HAYTER, HUME CAMELLIA SOCIETY - Article Reprinted

from Camellia News Autumn 2007 and with thanks to Hume Camellia Society

Inc., November 2006 Newsletter)

Ever since camellia enthusiasts began

giving names to their outstanding

seedlings, they have tended to name them

after special friends or celebrities.

Australia’s first hybridizer of note was un-

doubtedly William Macarthur of Camden

Park. He never named one after himself,

preferring Greek historical and

mythological characters. He used the

imported camellia japonica ‘Anemoniflora’

as one of his seed parents for many of his

hybridizations as all the stamens (male

part) are replaced by petaloids with the

pistil (female part) standing conveniently

above.

He reported in a letter dated 1845 that he

had five hundred seedlings raised mainly

from this old camellia. C.j. ‘Anemoniflora’

was imported to England in 1806 from

China where it was called ‘Precious Pearl

Camellia’, a strange name since it is such

a strong red. It is thought that the William

Macarthur named C.j. ‘Aspasia’ had this

parentage. It was later found that the

name ‘Aspasia' had been previously used

so ‘Aspasia’ was renamed ‘Aspasia

Macarthur’. It follows then that this

camellia is not named after one real

person, but two. After over two thousand

years Aspasia has been quoted as being

the mother, the wife and mistress of

Pericles, a general and administrator in

Greece when it was at the height of its

cultural and political power in the

Mediterranean. We can conclude that

Aspasia, whatever her position, was a

woman of great influence.

The camellia world is forever grateful to

this outstanding camellia C.j. ‘Aspasia

Macarthur, as it has produced many sports

because of its relatively unstable genetic

make-up. Due to this characteristic , it

sported in 1889 to the cultivar ‘Lady Loch’,

named to honour the wife of the Governor

of Victoria. She was a great admirer of

camellias. Another sport occurred in

Sydney in 1958, and was named

‘Margaret Davis’ a great garden enthusiast

and founder of The Garden Clubs of

Australia. Overseas this is probably our

best-loved camellia introduction. Margaret

Davis also has an iris and an azalea

named for her.

With the fall in the popularity of camellias

in the early 20th century, we appear to

have a long gap in the introduction of new

cultivars. After the end of World War II,

this all changed rapidly due to the

availability of C. saluenensis from England

and the C. reticulatas from Yunnan, China.

Language professor at the University of

Sydney, E. G. Waterhouse, was the first in

Australia to import the ‘ Sunnybank’ form

of C. saluenensis and was soon producing

many so-called ‘williamsii’ hybrids,

including the ever-popular one named

after himself. There were many others

including ‘Lady Gowrie’, named after the

wife of the Governor of New South Wales.

He also produced C.j. ‘ Janet (cont’d

overleaf)

3

From the President

Welcome to the May Newsletter. And a welcome to a respite from the constant

rain of the last month or so; it only seems a short while ago that everything

was wilting and frying from the driest January in several decades. I don’t think

we will ever be happy as gardeners!

But there should be no room for complaint with the flowering season so far –

the display produced by the sasanquas in Sydney’s suburbs is without peer,

and considering that 99% of those plants would have had no care or attention,

speaks volumes to their adaptability and robustness. And, as if not to be

outdone, some early japonicas are putting on an equally impressive display.

Unfortunately, the timing of our regular meeting with Easter Monday prevented

the Society from holding our April gathering. I think I speak for those who

regularly attend our meetings, when I say that I cannot wait to bench some of

the fine, early blooms that most of us have growing in our gardens.

Considering we have not gathered for two months, it would be nice to see

some new faces come to this month’s meeting (as well as some familiar faces

of those who may not have been to a recent meeting).

With the show season almost upon us, our monthly meeting is a great

opportunity to gain some advice from experienced judges on the best way to

present blooms and find out what judges are looking for in a champion bloom.

Also, many unusual and rare cultivars can be seen in the flesh , as well as

having the chance to obtain propagating material from other members. You

may also get to see unnamed seedlings, that have produced their first flowers,

and that may one day be as common place as Great Eastern or Elegans.

Whilst on the topic of Annual Shows, in the next month the planning and

execution of the show preparations will commence in earnest. The successful

staging of our show requires many volunteers, not only on the show days, but

also for the setting up on the Thursday morning prior to the show. If you are

available to assist at any time over the three days, please get in contact with

myself or any committee members.

Finally, if any members wish to contribute to our monthly newsletter, please drop a line to our editor. John will be more than happy to receive contributions, regardless of how brief. It is great to receive your feedback.

See you at our meeting!

Richie Griffiths

4

May 2014

19th May Monthly Meeting

22nd May Morning Tea at 10am at Eden Gardens with a speaker from Cancer Council NSW; be entertained by the Denistone East School Choir; plant a daffodil in memory of someone you love - bulbs and equipment provided; write a message for the Daffodil Tree; enjoy the Decorated Hat Competition. $15 per person on the day (gold coin donation for bulb); all profits to Cancer Council NSW. RSVP to 02 9491 9900, at reception or email with NSW in the subject line: info@edengardens.com.au. 301/307 Lane Cove Rd, North Ryde NSW 2113.

June 2014

16th June Monthly Meeting; National President, Jim Powell ,will give a demonstration on propagation by grafting camellia cuttings

July 2014

12th & 13th July Annual Camellia Show at Ravenswood Girls’ School

21st July Monthly Meeting

August 2014

15th - 18th August Wildwood Gardens’ Camellia Show; 29 Powells Road, Bilpin; tel: 4567-2194; www.wildwoodgarden.com.au

18th August Monthly Meeting

September 2014

12-15th September * National Show & Camellia Congress, Canberra*

15th September Monthly Meeting

October 2014

20th October Monthly Meeting

November 2014

2014 Camellia Calendar

The NSW Camellia Research Society meets on the third Monday of

every month February to November inclusive at the Baptist Church Hall,

corner of Park Avenue and Garden Square, Gordon at 7.45pm

13

Regular Contributor, David Maher, writes about his

Camellia Hedge

The Hedge of Camellia Sasanqua ‘Margaret Lyle’

photographed on 28th April 2014, David’s 83rd Birthday!

(photo is shown on page 9 of this newsletter)

The hedge of Camellia sasanqua ‘Margaret Lyle’ was planted on 14th

December 2010, in a deep mix of 80% potting mix and 20% turf underlay soil.

Both products were obtained from a landscape supplier after I did a pH test on

each. Under this mix were some bags of horse manure. The plants, obtained

from Camellias-R-Us, have grown splendidly and show the benefit of a deep

depth of planting mix, that is 80 cms., and a spacing of 90 cms. The tallest of

the plants is now 1.5 metres.

When I planted, I was one plant short owing to my mis-calculation. Thankfully,

James, who works at Camellias-R-Us, was able to procure a plant from a

private source because the nursery did not have any plants in stock. Hence, I

am indebted to James for the quality of his customer service and for his

tenacious detective work.

The photograph of the flower provides convincing evidence of its

attractiveness to bees.

Anne and I will be attending the Camellia Convention and are looking forward

to the opportunity to put some faces to names.

With every good wish,

David Maher

12

Country Corner We are fortunate this month to have the following two articles from our country

members and thank them for their contributions.

Brian Kerr of Yellow Rock, NSW 2777 writes about how the October 2013

bushfires caused significant damage to his garden but luckily did not damage

his home.

Camellias: The Green Phoenix

Last October our 2 acre property at

Yellow Rock in NSW’s Blue

Mountains was engulfed by the worst

bushfire the area has seen. The

devastation was widely televised.

Many neighbours and friends lost their

homes. I believe that our house was

undamaged largely due to garden

design and I thought members might

like some information.

Our house sits in 1400 square meters

of lawn that is then surrounded by

woodland garden beds, dominated by

camellias. On the side of the house

facing the fire front there is a

protective planting of mainly

camellias, plus azaleas and other

suitable companion plants amongst a

few large gum trees. There is a

murraya hedge separated from the

house wall by 10 metres of lawn.

I have found camellias to be incredibly

fire resistant. They will brown off due

to extreme heat, but almost without

exception will not burn. The heat has

killed all but the tallest plants, with

everything within its reach dehydrating

and dying. The garden, however, has

protected the house from embers and

radiant heat admirably.

Soil is a wonderful insulator and our

beautiful camellias are tougher than

they look. I worked hard to rebuild the

melted automated watering system

within a week of the fire and get water

to the plants quickly. I applied Seasol

with soil wetting agent to all plants. I

then waited to identify survivors,

looking for new shoots on branches,

before cutting the dead tops back to

soil level. The dead plants were

extremely light, having been totally

dehydrated. Many of these plants are

sending up multiple new shoots from

the root ball and growing rapidly. Its

now a waiting game to see which

plants will not come back before

replacing losses.

The rate of recovery of camellias

whose above ground parts had died is

quite high with Star Above Star hedge

for example showing almost total

recovery i.e. 29 out of 30 plants at 6

months. Patience should be rewarded

with more recoverers. Other plants to

rise from the ashes after the fire

include bulbs (of course), but also

crepe myrtles, michellias, magnolias,

gardenias, deciduous azaleas,

gingers, vibernum, some evergreen

azaleas and buddleia. Brian Kerr

5

Next Monthly Meeting is on Monday 19th May 2014 at 7.45pm at

the Baptist Church Hall, Park Avenue, Gordon

Program

Opening remarks from President Richie Griffiths

Special Guest Speaker is John Robb of Paradise Plants who will talk about tea camellia (C. sinensis) and new camellias at the nursery;

The Monthly Bloom Competition revs up again this month so why not come along and test your blooms against the regular entrants - many newcomers have been successful in the past;

Richie Griffiths and Richard Fischer will answer any camellia-related questions you may have;

Donation Camellia Plant is C.s x Williamsii ‘Ruby Bells’. Tickets are still only $1 each or 3 for $2. Thanks to Bill Parker of Camellias-R-Us (see advertisement on back page) for donating the plant; and

As usual, the evening ends with a friendly chat and a light supper; if you are able to come please endeavour to bring along a plate of something to share.

FROM THE EDITOR

ANNUAL SHOW AT RAVENSWOOD 12 & 13 JULY 2014 REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS

Our Annual Show is fast approaching and your Committee and Show

Manager (Richie Griffiths) have been organising preparations for some while.

Last year’s Show was an amazing success and this year we are keen to

emulate or surpass it. Clearly, the success of such an event is only possible

with the help of members and we call upon you to offer to assist with the

Show.

We shall need assistance with hall set-up (preparing bloom tables, catering,

entrance and information tables etc.) on the morning of Thursday, 10th July

and volunteers to help with the different roles during the weekend of the Show

including welcoming visitors and taking entrance fees, manning the

information desk for new members, selling raffle tickets, selling plants and

minding prize tables. If you can help us please contact Richie Griffiths on his

mobile or email (details on page: 2.) or a committee member. Thank you!

John Hadlow

6

Cultural Notes for MAY 2014Cultural Notes for MAY 2014Cultural Notes for MAY 2014

The following is a list of Sasanqua cultivars that may be utilised for various situations

discussed in last month’s cultural notes. This list is by no means a definitive one that

should restrict your choices. The intention of this list is to be a starting point for further

investigation. With hundreds of cultivars easily available with an increasing list of new

additions each year, seek further advice from experts as to what would be the best

options for your own situation.

Large specimen trees

Russhay - semi double, pale orchid pink with darker shadowing in centre

Setsugekka – large, single, white with fluted petals

Plantation Pink – large single, soft pink cupped flowers

Edna Butler – large single, silvery pink

Specimen tree for small gardens

Paradise Blush – semi-double white with pink reverse

Jennifer Susan – informal double, clear pink

Red Willow – semi double, red-pink with willow-like growth

Mine no Yuki – double pure white with pendulous laterals

Egao – deep pink semi-double, variegated form also available

Espaliered or other trained growth

Shishi Gashira - semi double, bright rose with slow layered growth

Pure Silk - informal double of medium size with pink buds opening white

Bonanza – Informal double of strong Burgundy colour

Bert Jones – large semi double of silvery pink tones

Chansonette – small formal double in deep lavender pink

Pot specimens

Otome-Sazanka – small informal double in delicate pink with cupped petals

Dwarf Shishi – small, semi double of bright pink

Yuletide – small, single brilliant red with prominent yellow stamens

Paradise Baby Jane – semi double white edged pink

Ground covers

Marge Miller – semi double mid pink

Snow – semi double very pale pink to white

As stated previously, this is only a starting point to investigate your options. Sasanquas provide so much for any location and situation, with almost no fuss or bother, and they will keep giving for decades. Yes, they are great formal hedges, but they can offer so

much more. Richie Griffiths 11

Living in Silverdale, flowering and new

growth tend to be two to three weeks later

than in Sydney metropolitan area.

Throughout Summer the main task for us

is watering, if rain is not forthcoming, also

removing small growth shoots on show

varieties. After Christmas, show bushes

receive a small amount of fertiliser again,

when raining. Towards the end of summer

aphids are occasionally found on the ends

of new growth but again this is not a real

problem; either hose them or give them a

short spray of pyrethrum and white oil.

Some sasanquas may require new growth

to be removed from the top of the bush just

to keep them tidy.

Autumn is what we have been waiting for.

Sasanquas are in flower. Japonicas have

buds swelling with the occasional early

variety throwing some blooms. We remove

any buds on our show varieties that are

starting to open too early before the

shows. Exhibiting in monthly club events,

opening blooms are removed generally

one to two weeks before the show

depending on each particular variety.

Some varieties show colour for a long time

so be careful not to remove these buds.

Observation over a period of time will allow

you to judge which blooms to remove. As

the winter winds pick up, watch your

watering as buds want moisture to flower

properly, but don’t have the ground like a

bog. Watering can be eased back during

winter.

Parts of this article may not suit the

particular area you live. It is quite

surprising how light intensity can affect

flowering. Even in our garden two or three

of the same variety placed on the eastern

and south-west sides of the garden vary

the flowering by about three to four weeks.

This does help if you are travelling to

shows that are later than your normal local

shows, such as Sydney, Wollongong,

Nowra, Bowral and further south.

We hope this article helps you, whether

you are growing camellias for garden

appearance or exhibition in shows.

Footnote: Its obvious to me that if you want

to win at camellia shows like Chris and

Helen it requires a substantial effort the

whole year round!

John Hadlow

Camellia Culture at Silverdale (NSW) (cont’d)

by Chris and Helen Chapman

10

We try and have our potting done by No-

vember. Our potted camellias are good

show varieties. Pot size is increased by

approx. 50 mm (2”) giving us two years

per pot. When pots reach 600 mm that is

as far as we go. I find 600 mm pots heavy

enough to move, let alone 900 mm. Any

plant that is in a 600 mm pot and needs

repotting is removed and the roots pruned

with a spade, then repotted and fertilised.

Heavy pruning is essential for excellent

show varieties with a little fertiliser every

four to six weeks. The plants that are

repotted receive a little slow release ferti-

liser in the bottom of the pot and sprinkled

on top after repotting. We have tried every

fertiliser imaginable from pellet fertilisers

(the plant variety) to Nitro Phoska which is

used by rose growers for good show

blooms. To us the blooms seem the same

so a little pellet fertiliser every few weeks

and regular Seasol solution is enough. If

exhibiting, remove any buds which are

restricted when opening, two per branch

or two at the end and one below, if you

are doing a lot of shows.

Remove any new growth as the buds are

forming, keep a watering programme as it

only takes one hot day, if the pots are one

day past their watering and you could

have bud damage or foliage damage.

Pots should be thoroughly drenched when

watering; we find 200 mm pots require

water every three days, larger pots one to

two days longer. All our potted camellias

are japonicas, hybrids and several retics

which only last a few years in pots. We

then plant the retics in the ground, but

while in pots they are kept heavily pruned.

In our garden we have many camellias

from sasanquas to japonicas, hybrids and

retics. The sasanquas when blooming,

form a lovely bed of petals and are al-

lowed to grow to a height of 2.0 m which

can be reached without ladders etc. Nor-

mally on heavy wood we use a chainsaw

but on thin growth we use a hedger. Some

branches splinter but you only get more

shoots and thicker growth. Time does not

permit pruning by hand on sasanquas and

they are not fertilised. Many just receive

natural rainfall but still grow well.

In the case of japonicas and hybrids we

try to finish the pruning by the end of

spring. Bushes are pruned to 2.0 m in

height with good show varieties receiving

more pruning, especially the centre of the

bush. One large handful of pellet fertiliser

is applied after flowering when we have a

good wet weekend. At Silverdale (near

Warragamba Dam) believe me wet week-

ends are not common, so some hand wa-

tering is necessary to produce good

blooms.

In the case of retics planted in the ground,

again we have kept them to a managea-

ble, as you know they reach for the sky

before you realise it and all the blooms

are too high to reach. I must say, though,

having seen retics that have been left to

grow into small trees, they look magnifi-

cent when flowering. Our bushes are ferti-

lised at the same time as the japonicas.

Pruning of all retics is generally completed

by November.

Camellia Culture at Silverdale (NSW)

by Chris and Helen Chapman (This is a very worthwhile reprint of an article from Camellia News, Spring 2005)

7

Camellia Sasanqua ‘Mine -No-Yuki’ (By Cec Blumenthal, Newsletter May 1997)

‘Mine-no-Yuki’ translated as Snow on the Ridge or Mountain, is a sasanqua with attractive growth habit and charming snow white, semi-double to irregular double flowers with squarish petals. At times fresh flowers may be formal double. As a young, vigorous plant it has pleasing pendulous growth with long flowering laterals. The mature plant becomes a large tree with spreading branches and dark green leaves. As with other sasanquas the small leaves make them desirable landscaping plants. However, when planted near a driveway or a path they require a lot of trimming to keep the way clear, and, at flowering time, the fallen flower petals require daily sweeping. A better way when planting near paths is to use the espalier method. The long laterals and vigorous growth make this cultivar an ideal one for this purpose. Careful selection of a plant for espalier is essential. Preferably it should have a flat back, laterals both sides, one or two verticals and the distance from ground level to the side shoots should be right for the position.

Sometimes it might have leaf variegation. This led to some discussion in this branch (Sydney) some 35 years ago as there was another cultivar illustrated in a Japanese catalogue with similar flowers, variegated foliage and an upright growth. Some members thought that they had the cultivar ‘Fuji-no-mine’ but the differences were so slight that it was never resolved with any certainty that they were other than ‘Mine-no-yuki’ growing under different conditions from the usual.

One reason for lack of determination of the possibility of its being a separate cultivar was the fact that, at least, the variegated plant I happened to inspect was heavily variegated and consequently the lack of strong vigorous laterals and the poorer growth could be attributed to the variegation rather than to a difference in cultivars. Since then I have often wondered if the variegation was genetic, and that this was the difference between the two cultivars.

With thanks to Cec Blumenthal

If there is a camellia that you have a special liking for or interest please drop me a line about it. Thank you.

John Hadlow

8

C. s. Setsugekka These cicadas made a deafening noise throughout the summer

C. s. Frosted Star C.s. Otome-sazanka

Editor’s Own Camellia Sasanquas Photos and Visitors!Editor’s Own Camellia Sasanquas Photos and Visitors!Editor’s Own Camellia Sasanquas Photos and Visitors!

C. s. Yuletide C.s. Shichifukujin

9

PHOTOS OF INTEREST

David & Anne Maher’s Hedge of

C.sasanqua ‘Margaret Lyle’

David & Anne’s pretty float bowl containing

‘Margaret Lyle’ and Euphorbia

“Diamond Frost’

Richie Griffiths’s stunning Paradise Blush

Richie’s Shishigashira growing to its full

potential

Dale Andrews’s entry in the RHS

Show section ‘On The Wild Side’