- Mature height
- 2m to 4m
- Mature width
- 1.5m to 3m
Camellia sasanqua ‘Otome Sazanka’ is an evergreen shrub carrying formal double flowers in a clean soft pink, each one neatly layered and symmetrical. The foliage is small, glossy and dark green on a dense rounded frame. Flowers appear from autumn into winter when little else in the garden is doing much.
It prefers morning sun with afternoon shade, in a rich acidic soil that drains freely and holds organic matter. Yearly growth of 20 to 50 centimetres brings it to around 2 to 3 metres tall and 1.5 to 2.5 metres wide. It suits cool temperate through to subtropical zones and takes light to moderate frost.
Landscapers use it as an informal hedge, a screen between properties, a border shrub in a formal bed, or a single plant in a courtyard where the flower form can be looked at closely. The double blooms are the drawcard, so avoid burying it at the back of a deep planting.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Pink Sasanqua Camellia
What is Camellia sasanqua ‘Otome Sazanka’?
An evergreen shrub grown for neatly formed double pink flowers through autumn and winter and dense glossy foliage year round. It sits within the sasanqua group in the nursery trade, though botanically it is closer to the Camellia hiemalis hybrids. Growing requirements are identical to other sasanquas either way.
How big does it grow?
Around 2 to 3 metres tall and 1.5 to 2.5 metres wide at maturity in open ground. Trimming after flowering holds it at any size above about 1.2 metres without spoiling the shape. Container plants stay noticeably smaller, generally under 1.5 metres in a pot of reasonable size.
When does it flower?
Autumn through winter, usually from April to July depending on your district and the season. The formal double flowers hold their shape for longer than single sasanqua types, so the display looks fuller even though the plant is not producing more buds than its relatives.
Is it frost tolerant?
Yes, once established it handles light to moderate frost, which covers the tablelands and most southern gardens. Frost during flowering can brown the outer petals without harming the plant itself. A first winter mulch and a position with some overhead protection help young plants settle in.
Is it suitable for coastal gardens?
It grows well in coastal areas with some shelter, a street or two back from the beach. Direct salt spray scorches the leaf edges and reduces flowering, so give it a windbreak in exposed positions. Sandy coastal soils need organic matter worked in before planting to hold moisture.
Can it be grown as a hedge?
Yes. Plant at 1 metre centres for a screening hedge or 1.2 metres for a looser informal run. It branches densely enough to make a solid face and takes clipping without sulking. Trim once after flowering in late winter and once more in midsummer for a crisp formal finish.
How do I care for Otome Sazanka?
Keep the root zone mulched and moist, particularly through the first two summers, and feed with a camellia and azalea fertiliser after flowering. Prune in late winter as the flowers finish so the plant has all spring to set next season's buds. Avoid lime, mushroom compost and alkaline runoff.
