Setsugekka camellia

Sun

Partial shade, ideally morning sun and afternoon shade. Tolerates more sun in mild climates if the roots stay moist; shelter from cold, drying winds.

Water

Keep evenly moist but not waterlogged, especially during establishment and summer flower-bud development. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells but flower better with regular moisture.

Soil

Acidic, humus-rich, well-drained soil, ideally pH 5.5-6.5. Use ericaceous compost in containers; avoid chalky soil and poorly drained sites.

Height

10-15 ft (3-4.6 m)

Spread

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m)

Flowers

Autumn to early winter; large, lightly scented, semi-double white flowers with waved petals and yellow stamens. Timing varies with climate, and frost can damage open flowers.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, glossy, dark green leaves with finely toothed edges; dense enough for screening.

Growth

Moderate; slower in cold climates, dry soil or deep shade.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (1 m)

3. After 2 years

   5 ft (1.5 m)

4. After 3 years

   7 ft (2 m)

5. After 5 years

   10 ft (3 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant with the top of the root ball level with, or slightly above, the surrounding soil; do not bury the stem base.
• Water deeply during dry weather, particularly in the first two growing seasons and while flower buds develop.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of leaf mould or composted bark annually, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed lightly in spring with a camellia or ericaceous fertiliser, following the label; avoid late-season nitrogen.
• Use rainwater where practical if your tap water is very hard, especially for container plants.

Pruning. Prune just after flowering, before the next season's flower buds form, removing dead or crossing branches and shortening shoots only where needed. Avoid routine summer or autumn clipping, which removes developing buds.

Spring

Apply a light feed for acid-loving shrubs and renew mulch without covering the stem base.

Late spring

Check leaf undersides for scale insects and remove small infestations before they spread.

Summer

Water during dry spells so developing flower buds do not dry out.

Autumn

Enjoy the first flowers; keep newly planted shrubs watered if rainfall is light.

Winter

Shelter container plants from severe frost and drying winds; ensure pots drain freely.

After flowering

Remove dead wood and lightly shape the shrub or tie new shoots onto an espalier framework.

• Train against a sheltered wall or fence as an evergreen espalier with autumn flowers.
• Plant as a loose hedge or screen where acidic soil and reliable moisture suit it.
• Use behind ferns and hellebores in a lightly shaded woodland border.
• Grow in a large container of ericaceous compost beside a sheltered entrance.
• Combine with dark evergreen foliage in a white-flowered garden, where the blooms stand out in low autumn light.

Garden styles it suits: Japanese, Woodland, White garden, Traditional, Modern courtyard and Autumn colour.

Plant it with: Japanese pieris, Azaleas, Japanese skimmia, Hellebores, Japanese painted fern and Lilyturf.

Wildlife: The exposed stamens provide pollen for bees and other insects active in mild autumn weather. Dense evergreen branches provide shelter for small birds.

• Scale insects: inspect leaf undersides for insects, yellow mottling or sooty mould. Remove small infestations by hand; use a horticultural oil labelled for camellias if needed, avoiding hot weather.
• Yellow leaves with green veins: alkaline soil or hard irrigation water can restrict iron uptake. Check soil pH, use rainwater where possible and grow in ericaceous compost if the garden soil is chalky.
• Bud drop or scorched flowers: drought, waterlogging and frost can cause losses. Maintain even moisture, improve drainage and choose a sheltered site.
• Root rot: persistent wet soil can cause wilting and dieback even when the ground is moist. Improve drainage, keep the crown uncovered and replace severely affected plants rather than replanting into the same wet conditions.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people; no part is generally recognised as poisonous. It is an ornamental rather than a food plant, and eating substantial amounts may cause stomach upset.

• Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica)

  Usually has larger, thicker leaves and flowers mainly in late winter or spring. Sasanqua flowers generally shed individual petals rather than dropping as a whole bloom.

• Mine-no-yuki camellia (Camellia sasanqua 'Mine-no-yuki')

  Also has white autumn flowers, but they are more fully double, often concealing the stamens, and the shrub is typically broader and more spreading.

The Japanese cultivar name 'Setsugekka' means 'snow, moon and flowers', a traditional expression celebrating natural beauty.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and root them in a free-draining, acidic medium with humidity and gentle bottom heat. Layering is another option; seed-grown plants will not reliably match 'Setsugekka'.

Accepted botanical name

Camellia sasanqua

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Japan and Nansei-shoto.

Measured

Average height 64 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.