Introduce abundant blooms to your garden even in the cold, dark season with Sasanqua or Winter-blooming Camellias. Camellia sasanqua is a fantastic low-maintenance plant with shiny, deep green evergreen leaves perfectly adapted to shady locations and colorful, long-blooming Winter flowers that come in an array of styles and hues.
Native to Japan and less common than its Spring-blooming counterpart Camellia japonica, Winter Camellia blooms from October through February, depending on the variety. Although each flower only lasts a few days, the prolific buds mean that the bloom time on each plant spans six weeks or more with flowers that are often fragrant and are beloved by hummingbirds and Winter pollinators.
Winter Camellia Varieties & Selection
Thanks to modern plant breeding, multiple cultivars and hybrids of Camellia sasanqua are available in garden centers and offer a gorgeous range of flower forms and colors, fragrance, bloom time, and mature plant sizes.
Here are our 7 Favorite Winter Camellias for Pacific Northwest gardens:
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’: Yuletide Camellias amp up the holiday cheer with their clear, true-red single flowers and starry yellow stamens that put on a marvelous display which peaks in December. The plant has a strong, vase-shaped upright habit and performs best in partial sun, ideal for bright Northern exposure or Eastern-facing aspect; grows 8-10 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide.
Camellia sasanqua ‘White Doves’: White Doves has ruffly, fully double white petals arranged around a small yellow center and blooms profusely in Winter. This moderate growing shrub has a loose, upright and open habit; grows 6-9 feet tall by 6-9 feet wide.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Pink-a-Boo’: A relatively newer cultivar, Pink-a-Boo is an unexpected sport of ‘Yuletide’ that has been cultivated for its large, pinky-coral single flowers with a pleasantly sweet, mild fragrance. Like Yuletide, this Winter Camellia has a strong upright habit and performs best in partial sun; grows 8-10 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide.
Camellia x ‘Buttermint’: Buttermint forms a medium-sized shrub with small, button-like formal double flowers that are creamy-white with butter-yellow centers. Close your eyes and inhale the mild fragrance that is reminiscent of sweet buttermint candies. This Winter Camellia grows best in partial sun and blooms from late Winter to early Spring; grows 6 feet tall by by 4–5 feet wide.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Shishi Gashira’: This evergreen Camellia has an upright and slightly spreading habit and produces rosy-pink, semi-double flowers from November into January; grows 4–5 feet tall by 6–8 feet wide.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’: In Japanese, the name of this Camellia translates to “Show, the moon, the flowers” and refers to the simple beauty of nature. The plant itself is vigorous and slightly weeping, with an upright growth habit and large, wavy white semi-double flowers from November through December. Setsugekka is fairly sun-tolerant, with the best blooms produced in partial sun; grows 8-10 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Apple Blossom’: The subtle coloration and sweet fragrance of Apple Blossom Winter Camellias make them a beautiful fit for nearly any garden. White petals are edged in pink and arranged around bright yellow, starry stamens; grows 9-10 feet tall by 9-10 feet wide.
For even fuller blooms, we adore these less common Winter Camellias: Jury’s Yellow (creamy white), Taylor’s Perfection (soft pink), and Chansonette (bright, true pink).
Designing a Garden With Winter Camellias
Camellia sasanqua is a hardy, easy-care evergreen shrub that deserves a place in every garden. The moderate growth habit means that they can be grown in containers and enjoyed for multiple seasons, or planted into existing landscapes around mature trees and shrubs.
The abundant flowers of Winter Camellia are extremely popular with overwintering Anna’s hummingbirds, regardless of their color. When a Camellia is in bloom, there is almost always a hummingbird nearby! In addition to the sweet nectar found in each flower, the bright yellow, pollen-dusted stamens in the center of each bloom also provide protein for hardy pollinators out foraging on mild, sunny winter days.
Winter Camellias in the Landscape
A single specimen can be tucked into virtually any corner of the garden to brighten that area when Winter arrives. Used en-masse, Winter-blooming Camellias make an unexpected and attractive hedge that fades into the background in the summer months but takes center stage when other plants are dormant. Easily pruned after flowers fade, Camellia sasanqua are frequently formed into espaliers or shaped to look like small trees.
Winter Camellias in Containers
Plant a single Winter Camellias in a pot to act as an evergreen and low-maintenance container planting. The Camellia will live happily in the container for multiple seasons with little care required beyond watering and a bit of organic fertilizer.
Camellias also make the perfect “thriller” centerpiece to a large container planting in combination textural grasses and annuals. They will act as a splashy centerpiece in Winter, and then provide upright growth and structure to act as a backdrop to flashy Spring and Summer annual combinations. At any point, Camellias can be removed from the container scheme and transplanted out in the landscape.
Winter Camellias as Cut Flowers
Though Camellia sasanqua flowers don’t last very long once cut, the glossy green foliage and sturdy buds are a lovely addition to any floral arrangement.
Best Companion Plants for Winter Camellias
Magnolias, Japanese Maples, Rhododendrons and Azaleas, Hydrangeas, Hosta, Hellebores, Ferns, Heuchera, Carex (Sedge), Japanese Forest Grass, Spring-flowering bulbs
Winter Camellia Planting, Care & Maintenance
Sasanqua Camellias grow slightly faster than the Spring-blooming japonica species and have smaller leaves.
Sun & Soil for Winter Camellias
- Winter Camellias prefer filtered sunlight or protection from hot morning or afternoon sun, though mature plants may be tolerant of more sun.
- Camellias are best grown in areas with some shelter or protection from cold, drying winds to keep their vulnerable buds from being damaged during extreme Winter weather.
- Grow Camellias in well-drained, slightly acidic soil and try to prevent plants from sitting in standing water.
- Fertilize Camellias with an All Purpose Organic Fertilizer or an Acidic Organic Fertilizer at the end of their bloom cycle to promote healthy green growth and again in late Summer to improve flowering in the coming season.
- Prune Camellias after blooming to control size and shape and to avoid damaging the following year’s flower buds.
- Mulch the root zone to help retain soil moisture and improve winter hardiness, and provide supplemental water from July to September during flower bud formation to increase flower size and quantity.
Pests & Diseases of Winter Camellias
- Stressed plants are more likely to be troubled by pests and diseases, and Camellias planted in the right environment rarely suffer from issues.
- Potential pests include scale, aphids, and spider mites.
- Camellias are susceptible to several fungal diseases, especially if planted in areas with poor drainage.
- Camellia plants are considered somewhat deer resistant, though flower buds and petals may be munched occasionally.
To introduce some life and energy into Winter planting schemes and containers, there is no better plant than Camellia sasanqua. With a wide range of flower colors guaranteed to attract hummingbirds, these low-maintenance evergreens couldn’t be a better fit for shady Pacific Northwest gardens.