Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
dsb22_gw

Formal double suitable for espalier

dsb22
12 years ago

Hi,

I'm new to camellias. We have a very small backyard with space for 3 at most. So I've spent the past few months visiting nurseries to see different varieties in person and reading old posts on here. I've narrowed down my criteria to the following, in order of importance... Can anyone suggest camellias that meet all or most of these?

1) good for espaliering

4) winter-spring bloom (the longer the better of course)

2) Rose-form or formal double blooms

3) any shade of pink

Thank you!

Deanna

Comments (8)

  • User
    12 years ago

    Dsb22,
    They use Sasanqua camellia for climbing on frame, what you wan to do.
    There aren't too many formal doubles in the Sasanqua group, but for a pretty white there is "Early Pearly",
    then there is "Mignonne", she is lavender pink. Small formal doubles.
    If you are open to semi doubles, there are hundreds to choose from.
    They are truly beautiful, they have them all over down here on the walls, right now it is gorgeous!

  • luis_pr
    12 years ago

    Sasanquas are good for espaliering because their stems are pliable but you can try japonicas knowing that their stems will be harder to bend as they get older. Camellia Tiffany has a pink peony-anemone form bloom; Extravaganza has pink blooms with white streaks in a anemone bloom form; Showa-no-sakae also has pink semi-double blooms with ruffled petals. Camellia Tomorrow has a strawberry color and has a semidouble to peony blooms. Camellia Pink Perfection is a pink formal double. Mathotiana gives pink rose-to-formal double blooms. The variegated version has white blotches scattered on the blooms. Please check the blooming time for these to see if that is ok with you.

  • jay_7bsc
    12 years ago

    Dear dsb22 z7 VA,
    butterfly4u 8's recommendation of _Camellia sasanqua_ cultivars for espaliering is an excellent one if you're looking for fall-blooming camellias. However, if you're looking for winter- and spring-flowering camellias in Zone 7, _Camellia japonica_ cultivars and camellia hybrids are what you should choose. Consult Stirling Macoboy's _Illustrated Encyclopedia of Camellias_ (Portland, OR: Timber Press, 1997) and _How to Grow and Use Camellias_ (Menlo Park, CA: Lane Books, 1968) for good, practical information on cultivars and the cultivation of camellias. One excellent japonica that lends itself well to espaliaring is 'Chandleri Elegans,' an antique cultivar dating back to the early 1800's and still available in the nursery trade. The following is the description of 'Chandleri Elegans' from _How to Grow and Use Camellias_:

    'Elegans (Chandler) Early to Midseason.
    (Synonyms: 'Chandleri Elegans Pink,' 'Francine').
    Rose pink with center petaloids often spotted white.
    Very large anemone form. Slow spreading growth--a
    favorite for espaliering. Good cold resistance.

    We grow this variety outdoors in Zone 7b, and it is a dependable garden variety. Our plant is not espaliered; but, from my observation, its habit of growth would lend itself well to espaliering. (I planted our 'Chandleri Elegans' ca. 1980 when it was a gallon-sized baby.) It's loose with pendulous, spreading limbs. Here, in northwestern SC, it blooms in March and early April. The Elegans Family of camellias has several sports that you may want to consider, 'Shiro Chan,' 'Elegans Champagne,' etc.

  • dsb22
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you so much, everyone. I have been looking up all the varieties and their bloom times and compiling a little .jpg library so I can see how different types will look next to each other. I live for the day we move somewhere with more space (sigh). My tiny little garden is focused on a number of Japanese maples (in containers) and my plan is for the camellias to provide interest after the maples are done in mid-November. So I'm going to attempt espaliering japonicas but I need at least one sasanqua for the more sunny end of the fence. It looks like s. Showa-no-sakae, Mignonne and Chansonette would all still be blooming at the end of November. (Also realized that Lavender-ish pink like Mignonne would be a plus as it would go well with the jm leaves.) And then the japonicas could take over. Love Mathotiana and Pink Perfection...while I was looking for that, I found another japonica, Rose Dawn, that would work well too (http://www.greennurseries.com/wintergarden/). Sorta funny, for a long time I was looking for compact and slow growing, given my space limitations. Then I realized I could espalier and now I'm all over cascading and vigorous! I will read up on espaliering japonicas. Jay7bsc, thank you for the book recommendation, I found it on Amazon.

    Deanna

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    12 years ago

    There's a nice super hardy fall bloomer called 'Ashton's Ballet' that is a nice formal double. It grows fairly slowly I think. Mine has been blooming from early November up to about now (early December).

  • jolj
    12 years ago

    Snow is a white sasanqua.
    Cotton candy is pink sasanqua.
    They both where trained to a brick wall & covered with blooms.
    I saw them over 20 years ago, not sure they were double.

  • ozzysboy
    12 years ago

    Deanna--for a late sasanqua consider Kanjiro--always the last to bloom for me (starts right before Thanksgiving) and was showing blooms (albeit some with a bit of freeze burn) as late as last week. It's a burgundy semi-double. (and reputedly, it's also easy to propagate). Very flexible, willowy open type growth for me situated with a northern exposure.

    -eric

  • camellias1_roses2
    12 years ago

    I would like suggest a couple of camellias that meet your requirements.
    Cotton Candy (double pink sasanqua) suggested by someone else.( photos 4 & 5). It started flowering for me the first of November and it is still flowering, although the number of blooms is reduced. I had a mass of blooms on them for most of November and all of December. I have more than one plant of it; the tallest is approximately 13 feet tall and is glorious when flowering in mass.

    Daikagura (peony double variegated rose red & white japonica camellia). (photos 1, 2 & 3). It started flowering first part of November and will flower thru March except when the buds are frozen. It is relatively slow grower for me, but very robust and healthy. It's blooms are quite variable between semi-double and peony; and it's variegation can vary (between from almost all white to almost all rose red) from flower to flower & year to year.

    {{gwi:516470}}

    {{gwi:516472}}
    {{gwi:516475}}
    {{gwi:516478}}
    {{gwi:516481}}

Sponsored
SURROUNDS Landscape Architecture + Construction
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars10 Reviews
DC Area's High-End Custom Landscape Design/Build Firm 9x Best of Houzz
More Discussions