At the local Burnaby BC nursery I see names like Winter Snowman, April Tryste, April Kiss, Kramer's (and others) Supreme and Roseland? Red. I'm looking for a 10'-12' camellias to go in the 12' wide space between two houses facing south. I am thinking April Kiss (dark pink) and Roseland? Red (Red), but I also get the same story of the tags not being accurate. Suggestions?
Re: camellia varieties & blooming times If you can find a copy, a great resource ( I think ) is a book by Jennifer Trehane titled Camellias: The Gardener's Encyclopedia. I borrowed a copy from a friend, lots of great pictures and descriptions.
I am also in Coquitlam, and I grow several camellias: C. sasanqua, C. japonica, C. transnokoensis, C. oleifera. Depending on your altitude/microclimate you might be able to grow any of these. The sasanquas are the tenderest and some bloom in mid-winter. Some are spreading/weeping and others are quite upright. The japonicas are prone to blooms browning in rain -- mine do best under a bit of cover, like a limbed-up conifer tree or a house overhang. The oleifera is bulletproof as far as I can tell, and has a lovely weeping growth habit, but small white flowers that really don't stand out. It likes full sun. The transnokoensis is still recovering from the hard winter a few years ago, when I nearly lost it, but it may be my favourite. Willowy and small-leaved, with pink/red buds opening to loonie-sized white flowers mid-winter (about the time the witch hazel and sweet box bloom). It was a gift, but the UBC plant sale may have some -- I know the botanical garden includes some specimens. Hope this helps guide you! keke
Thank-you for your comments. I have planted a Japonica 'Rosehill Red' and a 'April Kiss' C. Oleifera x C Japonica, in a 12' space between the houses facing south. I hope there is enough shade. I am looking at J. Trehane's Camellia Encyclopedia and there is no mention of rain. I have seen the spots on the blooms in the garden shops and suspect from your note that I will be devising a cover: both these varieties grow over 10'! We shall see. Perhaps the Oleifera half will bulletproof the plant! Thanks again.