Camellia 1001 Summer Nights: A year-round bloomer

If you’re a lover of camellias, but simply ache for that short blooming season to be just a little bit longer, you’re in for a treat with Camellia 1001 Summer Nights® ‘Jasmine’ and the to-be-released ‘Sinbad’!

 

How to care for Camellia 1001 Summer Nights® Flowering time: Late summer Location: Shady borders, containers Soil: Well-drained, moderately moist soil Light: Will tolerate sun but prefers partial shade or full shade Water: Water well while establishing and throughout the growing season Size: 150cm H x 100cm W (‘Jasmine’), 150cm H x 120cm W (‘Sinbad’) Care: Gentle prune after flowering

 

 

What’s different about this plant?

Camellia 1001 Summer Nights® ‘Jasmine’ and ‘Sinbad’ are both intergeneric hybrids, with one of the parent plants being Camellia changii, also known as Camellia azalea due to its leaves bearing a similar appearance to that of azaleas. Camellia hybridisers have only recently (in the last 10 years) gained access to this relatively new camellia species, and they’ve already begun reaping its benefits!

Camellia azalea blooms prolifically in the summer, which is its main draw, as its flowers are somewhat unimpressive and it is challenging to propagate. However, the results of a hybridising project by the Palm Landscape Architecture Co., Ltd., of Guangzhou in China show that this plant has plenty of potential when hybridised, with consequential plants blooming throughout the year with a fantastic show of flowers! Some feature simple singles, others fully formal double blooms, with semi-double, anemone, and peony forms in between.

Camellia 1001 Summer Nights® ‘Jasmine’ features single, bright red blooms, while the upcoming ‘Sinbad’ has large, semi-double, reddish pink flowers.

These plants can grow and bloom well under full sunlight in hot summer, with an air temperature of 38℃, while also growing normally in the colds of winter with an air temperature of -5 to -8℃. In fact, recently there was a lower air temperature of -10 ℃ in the area of Fuyang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and the hybrids were safe and sound.

The hybrids are disease-resistant to some degree. Any flower blight disease and dieback disease have not yet been found in the hybrids at present, so you’re sure to benefit from a nice, healthy plant!

 

How was this plant created?

The Palm Landscape Architecture Co., Ltd wanted to transfer the unique characteristics of C. azalea, such as year-round blooming, dark-leaves, sun-proof nature, dense flowers and strong growth  and the super characteristics of ordinary camellias, such as rich colours, different flower forms and sizes, and strong cold-hardiness into their hybrids together. For this target, they created 70 cross-combination. Of them, 52 cross-combinations were successful. 

More than 3,000 hybrid seedlings have been produced, and 217 seedlings have been confirmed as new hybrid varieties. 

The target has now been reached, and year-round camellia flowers are now a possibility for lovers of this iconic plant!

Where can you plant Camellia 1001 Summer Nights®?

This camellia will tolerate sun, but it will absolutely thrive in shade or part shade, which is ideal for north-facing or woodland gardens.

Camellia 1001 Summer Nights® reach 150cm after 10 years, which means that they’re a compact shrub that will work as well in containers as they will in shady borders.

Where can you Camellia 1001 Summer Nights®?

Camellia 1001 Summer Nights® ‘Jasmine’ is available in the UK via Thompson & Morgan and Suttons.  

Plant of the Month is sponsored by Plantipp, a company based in The Netherlands who handle the introduction of new plants into Europe.

See every Plant of the Month here.

Images courtesy of Plantipp.