Camellia sasanqua Île Vierge
Camellia sasanqua Île Vierge
Camellia sasanqua 'Île Vierge'
Autumn Camellia, Christmas Camellia
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Description
Camellia sasanqua ‘Île Vierge’ blooms from autumn onwards, producing an abundance of small, pale pink, tulip-shaped flowers. Its lightly scented corollas open against glossy foliage that remains decorative all year round. Easy-going in humus-rich soil and a temperate climate, this shrub can be planted in borders, low hedges or containers. It flowers until Christmas.
Belonging to the Theaceae family, Camellia sasanqua is a Japanese species, native in particular to the southern islands (Ryūkyū, Kyūshū) where it grows at forest edges and on open slopes.
The cultivar ‘Île Vierge’ is a French selection from the Breton nursery Stervinou.
The habit of ‘Île Vierge’ is bushy, dense, rather upright, with moderate growth: the shrub reaches approximately 1.40 m in height and 0.80 m in spread at 10 years in open ground; in a pot, the plant remains more compact, around 90–120 cm tall and 60–80 cm wide. The evergreen, oval to elliptical, finely toothed, 5–7 cm long leaves are dark green and glossy. Flowering takes place from October to December with small single flowers 5–7 cm in diameter, with 5–7 petals. Their shape resembles a tulip; they are white to very pale pink depending on exposure and temperature, centred with a cluster of golden stamens; a light fragrance can be detected in the species sasanqua and its cultivars. The root system is fibrous and rather shallow, sensitive to chalky soils and compaction. This variety is hardy to -12/-15 °C.
Autumn camellia ‘Île Vierge’ is well suited to small gardens and container cultivation. It is a plant for humid oceanic climates and non-chalky soil, and tolerates sun better than Japanese camellias. It may not be hardy enough for cold regions, where its flowers may be destroyed. Plant it in the garden as a specimen, in a small flowering hedge, or in an acidic soil border, alongside Japanese azaleas with pastel blooms, Hydrangea macrophylla hydrangeas, or skimmias for their fragrant spring flowers and decorative berries. You can also underplant your camellias with autumn bulbs, such as colchicums or pink Naples cyclamen. In cold regions, grow it on a balcony or terrace, so it can be brought into a cool conservatory or cold greenhouse during its flowering period.
In Japan, C. sasanqua is traditionally planted near homes for its winter flowers and because its oil (extracted from the seeds, ‘tsubaki-abura’) has long been used for tool maintenance and hair care; this tradition has contributed to its popularity as a winter shrub.
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Camellia
sasanqua
'Île Vierge'
Theaceae
Autumn Camellia, Christmas Camellia
Camellia sasanqua 'Ile Vierge'
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Camellia sasanqua 'Ile Vierge' is an ideal shrub for an oceanic climate, humid and cool, in humus-bearing soil free of lime. If these conditions are not met, it will not thrive and never reach its full potential. It can be placed in a slightly shaded spot, sheltered from cold, drying winds. However, you can grow it in full sun (avoid scorching sun), but the roots must stay cool. Plant it in humus-bearing, acidic, well-drained soil. Do not plant the shrub too deeply; the top of the root ball should be covered by 3 cm. In winter, cover it with a 5 to 7 cm thick mulch of leaf mould and shredded bark. Beware of late frosts, which can damage the flowers and buds. During dry periods, water to prevent the buds from dropping. Camellia sasanqua can be subject to root rot, leaf spots and viruses. It can be attacked by aphids and scale insects, which cause sooty mould, as well as by vine weevils.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.