Something Special Camellia

Something Special Camellia (Camellia sasanqua 'Something Special') gives you a privacy hedge and a season of colour from the same plant. It reaches about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, holds glossy evergreen leaves all year, and opens pink blooms through autumn and winter when the rest of the garden has gone quiet. Sasanqua camellias take more sun than the japonicas, so this one clips into a real hedge.

Why you'll love it

• Colour in the cold months. Pink flowers open from autumn into winter and cover the long gap before spring.
• A hedge that holds its shape. At 2.5m by 2m it clips cleanly, and steady growth means two trims a year is enough.
• Safe around cats and dogs. Camellia sasanqua is listed as non toxic to pets, so it suits a boundary a dog patrols.
• Built for exposed sites. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in humidity.
• Nectar when bees need it. The open blooms feed bees and butterflies in months when little else is flowering.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. The plants knit into a continuous face over three to four seasons, since this is a measured grower.

Pots and courtyards. A container 500mm or wider suits it, and pot growing naturally settles it around 1.5m to 2m.

Topiary and feature planting. The small leaf and dense habit shape well, whether as a clipped ball or a matched pair either side of an entry.

Growing Something Special Camellia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to partial shade both work, though flowering is heaviest with at least half a day of sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens and is frost hardy once established. In hot inland districts give it afternoon shade.

Soil. Slightly acidic, well drained and rich in organic matter. Work compost through the bed before planting, and mulch 75mm deep kept clear of the stem. It sulks in wet clay, so raise the bed where drainage is poor.

Water and feed. A deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then weekly in dry spells. Feed with a camellia and azalea fertiliser once flowering finishes, and again in mid summer.

Pruning. Trim as soon as the last flowers drop, which is the window that protects next season's buds. A formal hedge takes a second light tidy in early summer.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: 200mm in packs of six, 250mm in packs of three, and single 300mm plants. The packs are the sensible buy for a run of hedge. A 300mm plant is a season or two ahead and reads as a shrub on day one.

Camellias travel well, though a few dropped leaves after transit are normal rather than a fault. Expect a quiet first couple of months, then fresh growth in spring. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the complete camellia care guide.
• Compare varieties in the camellia collection.
• Browse other plants safe for pets.
• See what else clips well among topiary and shaping plants.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Planting tighter does not close the gaps sooner and makes the base harder to water and feed.

Will it flower in shade?

It grows happily in partial shade but flowers less. Half a day of direct sun is the practical minimum for a good display, and morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal in hot areas.

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Camellia sasanqua is listed as non toxic to cats and dogs, so dropped flowers and leaves are not a worry in a pet household.

How fast does it grow?

Steadily rather than quickly, roughly 20 to 30cm a year once the roots are away. That is part of the appeal in a hedge, since it holds its line between trims.