Shell Pink Camellia

Shell Pink Camellia (Camellia sasanqua 'Shell Pink') is the soft pink autumn flowering sasanqua, and one of the easiest camellias to shape into a hedge. It grows to about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, a manageable size for a narrow bed or a boundary that cannot take a heavy screen. Evergreen, frost hardy and not toxic to cats or dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Soft pink flowers in autumn. Single to semi double blooms in a delicate shell pink open from autumn into early winter, and the petals drop cleanly.
• Narrow enough for a tight space. At around 2.5m by 2m it screens a fence line without pushing into the garden the way larger camellias do.
• It takes clipping well. Small leaves and dense branching make it a genuine hedging and topiary plant that holds its shape between trims.
• Hardy in cold and wind. Frost hardy and wind tolerant, suiting gardens from the subtropics to cool temperate districts.
• Pet friendly. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and the open flowers give bees late season nectar.

Where it works best

Hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a formal hedge anywhere from 1.2m to 2.5m. Sasanquas branch low, so the hedge stays furnished at the base rather than lifting into bare stems.

Screening a narrow bed. With a mature width of only about 2m, it suits a side boundary or the strip between a fence and a path.

Pots, topiary and feature planting. A pot 500mm or wider holds it at around 1.5m for years, and the fine growth takes a clipped ball or an espaliered panel.

Growing Shell Pink Camellia in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with afternoon shade suits it best, though an established sasanqua handles full sun, which is this group's advantage over the japonicas. It grows well in subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and it is both frost hardy and wind tolerant.

Soil. Slightly acidic, well drained and enriched with compost. Camellias will not tolerate wet feet, so on heavy clay raise the bed. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the trunk, since the roots run shallow.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice weekly through the first two summers, then weekly in warm weather. Keep the soil evenly moist through late summer while buds are forming. Feed with a camellia and azalea fertiliser in early spring and after flowering.

Pruning. Trim straight after flowering finishes, in late winter, before next season's buds set. Two light trims a year hold a hedge dense, and it reshoots from old wood if cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in four sizes. The 140mm packs of ten are young plants and the value option for a long hedge run, taking two to three seasons to close. The 200mm packs of six and 250mm packs of three are the usual choice for a hedge, arriving branched and around knee height. A single 300mm pot suits a feature plant.

A little bud or leaf drop after transit is normal. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet month while roots establish, then a continuous hedge within two to three seasons, under our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our guide to growing and caring for camellias.
• Compare varieties in the full camellia collection.
• Browse the best hedging plants.
• See more pet safe plants.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. That spacing gives a solid hedge without the plants competing at the roots, and the dense low branching means no thin patch along the bottom.

How is it different from a japonica camellia?

Sasanquas flower in autumn with smaller blooms, tolerate more sun, and clip far better for hedging. Japonicas flower in winter with larger blooms and prefer shade.

Will it grow in full sun?

Yes, once established. Give young plants afternoon shade for their first two summers, particularly in hot inland gardens.