Camellia sasanqua ‘Marie Young’

Camellia sasanqua 'Marie Young' (Camellia sasanqua 'Marie Young') is the hedging camellia that flowers when the rest of the garden has gone quiet. It settles at about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, holds glossy evergreen foliage year round, and covers itself in pink blooms through autumn and into winter. Sasanquas take full sun far better than japonica camellias, which makes this one a practical hedge rather than a shade corner shrub.

Why you'll love it

• Colour in the cold months. Pink flowers open from autumn into winter, filling the gap when little else is performing.
• A hedge at a useful height. At 2.5m by 2m it clears a standard fence without casting the whole bed into shade.
• Safe around cats and dogs. Camellias are not toxic to pets, which matters on a boundary a dog patrols.
• Steady in exposed positions. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and salt tolerant, so it copes with a coastal fence line or a cold southern garden.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. At that spacing the canopies knit together within two to three seasons while each plant still fills out at the base.

Pots and courtyards. A pot 500mm or wider suits it, and container growing holds it nearer 1.5m to 2m. Use an acidic mix and be honest with yourself about summer watering.

Growing Camellia sasanqua 'Marie Young' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade both work, though full sun gives the densest hedge and the heaviest flowering. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens. In the hottest inland districts, give it afternoon shade.

Soil. Camellias want slightly acidic, free draining soil rich in organic matter, and they sulk in lime or wet clay. Work compost through the bed, raise it on clay, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off. Feed with a camellia and azalea fertiliser in early spring and again after flowering. Buds dropping before they open usually means the plant dried out while setting them.

Pruning. Trim straight after the last flowers drop, because next season's buds form on the growth that follows. Take up to a third off to build density.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: tube stock, 200mm pots in packs of six, and 250mm pots in packs of three. Tube stock is the economical way to plant a long hedge and takes three to four years to close; the larger pots are already branched and cut about a season off that wait.

A few older leaves yellowing after transit is normal, not a fault. Expect little visible growth for the first month while roots establish, then a flush the following spring. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow and care for camellias
• Compare varieties in the camellia collection.
• Weigh up other hedging and screening plants.
• Browse more plants that are safe for pets.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Closer planting does not close the hedge any faster and only makes watering, feeding and air movement harder.

Will it grow in full sun?

Yes. Sasanquas are the sun tolerant group, unlike japonicas, and full sun gives the densest growth and the most flowers. In very hot inland gardens, afternoon shade is kinder.

When should I prune it?

Immediately after flowering finishes. Prune later and you remove the wood carrying next season's buds, which is the usual reason a camellia hedge stops flowering.

Is it safe if my dog chews the leaves?

Camellias are not toxic to cats or dogs, so a nibbled leaf is not a concern. A large volume of any foliage may still upset a small stomach.