New Zealand Camellia Society Inc Revised 21.11.16

CAMELLIA GUIDE

Introduction

Camellias provide magnificent blooms of varying shapes, sizes and colours from March to November each year.

This Guide is for everyone; ranging from our own members, members of the public, nurseries, propagators and retailers.

Those camellias that are available from Thirkettle Nurseries, in Nelson, and Wairere Nursery, Hamilton,are tagged with either “T” and/or “W” at the beginning. Their contact details are recorded on page 4. Those camellias not available from the two nurseriesare not tagged and maybe available from other commercial suppliers.

As the season progresses some blooms are affected by a fungus which causes petal blight. It infects the base of the bloom and their petals only. With the same blooms there is likely to variations with the petal blight due to the locality, growing conditions, and the differences in the weather.

So, to significantly reduce or eliminate petal blight it is recommended you grow camellias that are less susceptible orresistant toit. These are thelisted camellias. Their names came from a number of sources including our own members, and from an ongoing research project into petal blight at Massey University which the Camellia Memorial Trust is helping to fund.

These camellias can be grown by acquiring one from a nursey or garden centre or by growing a cutting, or grafting onto an established camellia root system, or by hybridising by crossing a listed hybrid with one of the resistant Camellia Species.

A”Trees for Bees” programme initiated by Federated Farmers of NZ has identified a world-wide decline of honey bees including in New Zealand due to an increasing number of pests including the varroa mite.

Bees are vital for our horticulture and they need to have an ample supply of pollen and nectar throughout the year, particularly from April to July. It helps if there is a contrast between the petals and stamens, and for easy access the petals are clear of the stamens. This is illustrated in the “Bee” and “Peggy Burton” photographs.

The first of the camellia species to flower is the Sasanqua, and they are ideal because of the absence of petal blight and with several being suitable for honey bees. The other species including Japonica, Hybrid, Species Camellias, and Reticulata particularly those that flower earlier do not show signs of petal blight, but as their season progress some will be infected in varying degrees.

Those camellias considered suitable for honey bees are identified in this Guide with an

asterisk *.

Sasanquas

These are the first to flower, some as early as March, and they will have their season before petal blight arrives. They cope with sun and shade, and are robust. Their glossy green pointed leaves and blooms are smaller. Many blooms are fragrant.

W Beatrice Emily, violet red
W Bonanza, deep red / W T Paradise Blush, white outer pink edge
W Chansonette, brilliant pink / W Paradise Helen, white to faint pink edge
T * Crimson King, mahogany red / W T Paradise Hilda, deep pink
W T Early Pearly, white/ blush centre / W T * Paradise Joan, deep pink to red
W Early Pearly Espalier, white to blush pink / W T Paradise Little Liane, white to light pink
T * Elfin Rose, pink / W T Paradise Pearl, white with light pink
W * Exquisite, pale pink / T Paradise Petite, pink
T Fuji No Yuki, white / W T Paradise Vanessa, white to pink edge
T * Gay Boarder, white blushed deep pink / W T * Plantation Pink, pink
W * Gay Sue, white to pale pink / T Plantation Snow White, white
W * Jean May, shell pink / W * Pure Silk, white to pink edge
Marie Steiner, rich pink/dark pink edge / T * Rainbow, white to red boarded edge
* Midnight Lover, deep burgundy red / T * Setugekka, white
W T Mine No Yuki, white / W Silver Dollar, white
W * Mothers Day, white to pink edge / T * Sparkling Burgandy, ruby rose
W * Misty Moon, light lavender pink / Spready Freddy, deep pink
W * Navajo, rose red fading to white centre / Star Above Star, white to pink edge
W * Paradise Baby Joan, white/pink margins / Sunrise Serenade, pink to darker pink
T Paradise Barbara, white / W T * Yuletide, orange red

Japonicas

The flowering type is wide and varied, and will tend to produce the best results. Most flower from May to August.

W Ave Maria, silvery pink / T WLemon Drop, white with lemon centre
T W * Bob Hope, black red / WLemon Honey, white to lemon centre
W * Bob’s Tinsie, red / T W Maroon & Gold, maroon
T WMidnight, black red
T Dahlohnega, canary yellow / T Roger Hall, clear red
T Dolly Dyer, scarlet / T *Shikibu, rose red
W * Guilio Nuccio, coral rose pink / WSir Victor Davies, card’red/deeper veined
W Holly Bright, salmon red / T *Takanini, deep purplish red
* Harry Cave, scarlet red / T *Tinsie, scarlet
T Holly Bright, salmon red / WVolcano, scarlet red
T W K Sawada, white / T W Volunteer, strawberry pink to darker pink
T Kramer”s Supreme / W Wilamina, soft pink to darker pink edge
W Wildfire, orange red

Camellia Species and Hybrids

These offer the best attributes through crossing with Sasanquas, Japonicas, and Reticulatas, and they produce exquisite flowers, form and foliage. The listed camellias have the greatest resistance to petal blight.

W Adorable, bright pink / W Mimosa Jury. Soft pink
W T Anticipation, deep rose / WMinutiflora, white
W * Baby Bear, light pink to white / W T * Night Rider
T * Betts Supreme, soft pink / Norina, fuchsia pink/lighter centre
W * Brevistyla, pure white / Nymph, pale pink/flushed ivory
W T Cinnamon Cindy, rose pink / * Peggy Burton, pink/lighter centre
W Cinnamon Scentstation, white/pink flush / W * Quintessence, white
W Dreamboat, bright pink with lavender cast / W Rosaeflora Cascade, pale pastel pink
W T E.G.Waterhouse, light pink / W Salicifolia, white
Esme Spence, soft pink / W Scented Gem, fushia pink
Fragrant Burgandy, dark rose red / W Scentuous, white with pink flush
W T * Fairy Blush, apple-blossom pink / * Silver Column, white
W Fairy Wand, rose red / W Sinensis, white with blush of lemon
W * Gay Baby, deep orchid pink / Souza’s Pavlova
Good Fragrance, dark orange/red to pink / W Spring Festival, pink/light pink in centre
W T * High Fragrance, pink to deeper pink edge / W * Snow Drop, white tinged with pink
W Hiryu, deep crimson red / W * Sugar ‘n’ Spice, soft pink
W Itty Bit, soft pink / W Sweet Emily Kate, pale pink to light pink
W T *Jamie, vivid red / W Sweet Jane, pale pink centre/dark outer
W * Koto-no-Kaori, rose pink / W T Transnokoensis
W Les Jury, red / WT * Transpink, soft pink
Liddybow, soft pink/deeper veining / W T Transtasman, pale pink to deeper pink
W Lutchuensis, white / W TWater Lily, bright prink
W Microphylla, white / W * Wirilinga Bride, white
W * Yo Machi, pale white to pink edge

Reticulatas

These are strong growing with larger blooms and darker green leaves. Those early flowering blooms show little petal blight, but as the season progresses it becomes more noticeable, but less so in the red blooms. Most are more suited to a larger garden.

T * Alfons, flame to ruby red / Lisa Gael, rose pink
* Barbara Clark, rose pink / Philippa Lennard, deep red
* Brian, dark pink / Red Crystal, scarlet
Ema L, deep pink with deeper veining / * Trevor Lennard, deep pink
Gael’s Dream, rose pink to carmine

Camellia Species and Hybrids

These are the hybrids suitable for crossing with the resistant Camellia Species.

1Camellia Species – Cuspidata

Hybrids

Candle Glow, white /light pink centre

Cornish Snow, white/occasional pink flush

Wirilinga Bride, white

2Camellia Species - Fraterna

Hybrids

Dave’s Weeper. lilac white Liddybow, pink/veining Silver Column, white Dream Baby, bright pink Norina, pink/lighter centre Wirilinga Princess, pink Esme Spence, soft pink, Pop Corn, pink Yoimachi, white/pink Itty Bit, soft pink Seaspray, white Tiny Princess, white/pink

3Camellia Species - Kissi

Hybrid

Buttermint, white/pale yellow

4Camellia Species - Lutchuensis

Hybrids

Ack-Scent, shell pink High Fragrance, pink Scentuous, white

Cinnamon Cindy, rose pink Koyo-no-Kaori, rose pink Souza’s Pavlova, pink

Cinnamon Scentsation, white/pink Minato-no-Akeboo, pink Spring Mist, pink

Fairy Blush, pink Nymph, pale pink Sugar ‘n’ Spice, pink Fragrant Joy, dark pink Quintessence, white Sweet Emily Kate, pink

5Camellia Species - Oleifera

Hybrids

Snow Flurry, white Jaune, white

6Camellia Species - Transnokoensis

Hybrids

Sweet Jane, pink Transtasman, pink

7Camellia Species – Yushsienensis

Hybrids

Fragrant Burgandy, rose pink Good Fragrance, dark orange

YOU CAN ASSIST

We would like you to contribute to this Guide with the names that are less susceptible or resistant to petal blight, and those that are also suitable for honey bees. Importantly they will go toward providing a stronger and more creditable list which is available as a guide for everyone.

To make contact please do to -

Pat Flockhart, President - , 06 868 6255 or

Board member, Brian Hartley – , 04 232 2138

Wairere Nursery, Hamilton

phone 07 824 3430, email: website:

Thirkettle Nurseries, Nelson

phone 03 544 1815, email: ,

website: Please note the minimum order is ten.

Society’s website: