Camellia sasanqua ‘Roseann’

Camellia sasanqua 'Roseann' (Camellia sasanqua 'Roseann') is the hedging camellia for gardeners who want flowers in the cold months. Left alone it makes a shrub of about 2.5m by 2m, and it clips readily to a formal 1.5m hedge without losing bloom. Soft, lightly scented pink flowers open from mid autumn into winter, when little else is working.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers when nothing else does. Sasanquas bloom from mid autumn through winter, filling the long gap before spring.
• It clips into a proper hedge. Dense, small leaved growth that holds a crisp face at 1.5m and shapes better than most flowering shrubs.
• More sun tolerant than a japonica. Sasanquas take plenty of direct sun, so an open position works where a japonica would scorch.
• Safe around pets. Camellias are not toxic to cats or dogs, which matters at nose height along a boundary.
• Coastal and humidity tolerant. Salt wind and a muggy summer are both handled, so it suits subtropical gardens as well as cool ones.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. That closes into a solid face while leaving each plant room to fill from the base, giving a hedge from 1.5m to 2.5m depending on how you trim it.

Pots, topiary and courtyards. A pot 500mm or wider holds one for years, the fine growth suits a clipped ball or a standard at an entry, and a single plant lights up a shaded courtyard in winter.

Growing Camellia sasanqua in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade both work, though morning sun with afternoon shade gives the best flowers in hot inland gardens. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate zones, is frost hardy once established, and handles coastal salt and humidity. Skip it in the wet tropics and arid inland.

Soil. Slightly acidic, well drained and rich in organic matter. Work compost through the bed and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk. On alkaline soils the leaves yellow between the veins, so use a pot and a camellia mix instead.

Water and feed. Consistent moisture matters most while the buds form over summer, since a dry spell then causes bud drop in autumn. Feed with a camellia fertiliser after flowering, and again in mid summer.

Pruning. Prune straight after flowering, before the new buds set, and tip prune from planting to build hedge density. It is slow growing, so a hedge takes patience rather than constant work.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in five sizes: tubes, 200mm in packs of six, 250mm in packs of three, and single 300mm and 400mm plants. Tubes and 200mm plants are young and low, and given the slow growth rate they suit a hedge you are happy to grow into over three or four years. The 300mm and 400mm plants carry real structure on arrival.

Some bud or leaf drop after transit is normal. Expect roughly 20cm to 30cm of growth a year, which is slow and worth knowing before buying tubes for a long boundary. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Everything to know about growing camellia bushes
• Browse the full camellia range
• How to plant and maintain a sharp hedge
• More plants that are safe around pets

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Any closer and the lower branches shade each other out, leaving gaps on a plant too slow to fix them quickly.

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Camellias are not toxic to cats or dogs, so a boundary hedge or a patio pot is no risk to a pet that chews foliage.

Why are the buds dropping before they open?

Almost always a watering problem the previous summer, when the buds were forming. Keep the soil evenly moist through the hot months and mulch well, and the buds hold through to flowering.