Growing guide · Shrubs

Camellia sasanqua

How to grow Sasanqua Camellia 'Autumn Rocket'.

A camellia that grows up, not out.

Light
Part sun, full sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
7–9
Size
8–10 ft tall, 3–4 ft wide
Spacing
3–4 ft apart for a narrow hedge.
Pets
Pet-safe · ASPCA
See sizes · from $99.95
Upright camellia with glossy dark green leaves and pink flowers

Light

Morning sun, afternoon shade. Sasanquas take more sun than other camellias.

Water

Weekly the first year. Even moisture after that, especially as buds form in late summer.

Planting and soil

Plant slightly high, with the top of the root ball an inch above grade. Acidic, well-drained soil.

Feeding

Azalea-camellia fertilizer after bloom in late winter or spring.

Pruning

Right after flowering, before new buds set in summer.

Through the year

New growth in spring. Buds set in summer. Blooms early to mid-fall. Evergreen in winter.

If something's off

Yellow leaves with green veins: soil is not acidic enough. Tea scale shows as white specks under leaves; treat with horticultural oil.

Plays well with

Plant it with friends.

Camellia 'Autumn Spirit'
Camellia hybridCamellia 'Autumn Spirit' from $99.95
Japanese Maple 'Bloodgood'
Acer palmatumJapanese Maple 'Bloodgood' from $99.95
Japanese Sedge 'Evergold'
Carex oshimensisJapanese Sedge 'Evergold' from $21.99

Why we stock it: Evergreen screening and fall flowers in a space most shrubs are too wide for.

That's everything we know about growing it. Thanks for reading.

Know someone with the right spot? Send them this.

Next
Find your next plant →
All shrubs →How we label →
The Sunday Tip · every Sunday

One good plant idea,
every Sunday.

What to plant this week in your zone, every Sunday. New ways to plant and odd tricks that actually work.