Early Pearly Camellia

Early Pearly Camellia (Camellia sasanqua 'Early Pearly') is an evergreen shrub that reaches about 3m high and 2m wide and opens small white double flowers with a faint flush of pink from early autumn into winter. The rounded petals give it the neat, symmetrical look of a japonica, but as a sasanqua it copes with warmer climates and more sun. It makes a flowering hedge, a screen or a feature plant.

Why you'll love it

• Japonica style, sasanqua toughness. Rounded, symmetrical double flowers look like a japonica's, yet the plant is tolerant of warmer subtropical gardens.
• Early flowers. Blooms start in early autumn, ahead of many camellias, and carry on into winter.
• Small, dense leaves. Sasanquas have smaller leaves and denser foliage than japonicas, which gives a thicker hedge or screen.
• Versatile. Use it as a screen, a hedge, an espalier, a feature plant, a mixed bed shrub or a large pot specimen.
• Gentle around pets. Camellias are not considered toxic to cats and dogs.

Where it works best

Flowering hedges and screens. Plant 90cm apart in a single row. The shrubs knit together over several seasons into a dense evergreen hedge that flowers as the weather cools.

Espaliers and feature planting. Train it flat against a wall or fence, or give it a prominent spot in a mixed bed where the white autumn flowers can be seen from the house.

Large pots. A large container with an acidic potting mix suits it well, and it brings flowers to a courtyard or entry in autumn.

Growing Early Pearly Camellia in Australia

Position and climate. Give it a sunny or partly shaded position with morning or afternoon sun, sheltered from strong wind and exposed sites. Sasanquas cope with warmer, more humid gardens than japonicas, so it suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean districts.

Soil. Plant in free draining soil rich in organic matter, with a medium to acidic pH, and avoid lime. Mixing a humus rich potting mix into the planting hole gives the roots a good start.

Water and feed. Mulch and water well, especially through summer when next season's buds are forming. Fertilise in spring with a camellia feed.

Pruning. Prune after flowering. Cutting later removes the buds that would open the following autumn.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Early Pearly Camellia as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, in 200mm pots in packs of 6 and in 300mm pots singly. Camellias are not instant plants, so tubes are the economical start for a long hedge, while the 300mm pots give a taller plant from the first day. Plants travel upright and settle in within a few weeks.

Tubes come from our grower and are not always in supply. When none are available the tube shows as sold out here, and the notify button on this page emails you the day it returns.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse our full camellia range
• Hedging and screening plants
• Plants safe for pets
• Camellia bushes: varieties, growing and care

Common questions

Is Early Pearly a japonica or a sasanqua?

A sasanqua, although its rounded, symmetrical flowers look like a japonica's. That gives it the warmer climate tolerance of a sasanqua.

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

About 90cm apart in a single row. Closer planting crowds the plants, and wider spacing leaves gaps for longer.

When should I prune it?

Straight after flowering. Camellias set next season's buds on spring and summer growth, so pruning late removes the flowers.