Another camellia wired

I bought this C. hiemalis as 3 gallon nursery stock in 1982 or 83. Haven't done much to it in the last few years but trim as needed, so it was past time for some serious attention.

Started with this...



Six hours later had this...



Thinking about switching to this pot. Any thoughts?

I certainly think it needs something oval or possibly even round, but I'd personally veer towards something with a bit of colour.

The tree looks good after its trim - much lighter in appearance. I'd have brought the right hand side in a little more, had it been mine, but that's just a brief opinion looking at it in a 2-D photo.

It would still be very welcome here in my collection.

Hi Russell

Very nice tree. I really like it.

Just a small question. They bend the branches brittle, or different according to Camelia tree varieties?

With a selection of dishes, I agree with Fiona. Oval or circle and color. I'm very happy mix of blue-green to gray.

Pavel

Russel, I like the way you lightened and wired the foliage. I like the shape of the oval lotus pot, but the glaze of the current pot really sets off the coloer of the foliage; probably the color of the blooms as well. Nice job. I agree with Fiona - I would welcome this tree on my benches as well!

Howzit Russell,

Nice job. I think a oval pot would do it justices but I will side with Fiona and bring in the right side a little more, then-n-again it's just my opinion.

A Hui Hou,
-Tim

Your tree looks really nice with the trim..i do agree with the pot change color,,one that will go with the flower color would be good..the leaves look smaller than usual do they reduce well??? a good tree,,please show it in flower....take care john

Thanks y'all.

I understand what you mean about the pot, problem is I don't own that one. Camellias go dormant here in the middle of the summer, so maybe I can come up with the appropriate pot by then and repot it. No one likes the pot I showed, really?

Pavel, I think you would find this material very much like working with satsuki. John, this is not a japonica. Camellia hiemalis has small foliage like a sasanqua. Most people refer to this one ('beni kan tsubaki or 'shishi gashira') as a sasanqua, but it isn't.

Here's another I worked on today - first time.

before...



after...



Don't judge too harshly, you gotta start somewhere!

Good start on the second one also..all the nursery camellia here have large leaves so they would have to be taller trees but the trunks are not big enough sp...good job take care john

Thanks for posting these. If I ever get my poor suffereing sasanqua healthy, I'll be referring back to what you're doing with these for ideas. Looking forward to seeing them develop.

Chris

[quote="Russell Coker"]Thanks y'all.

I understand what you mean about the pot, problem is I don't own that one. Camellias go dormant here in the middle of the summer, so maybe I can come up with the appropriate pot by then and repot it. No one likes the pot I showed, really?
Hello Russel,
For me, i feel it is a good pot for the tree.
Regards, Sunip

fiona wrote:The tree looks good after its trim - much lighter in appearance. I'd have brought the right hand side in a little more, had it been mine, but that's just a brief opinion looking at it in a 2-D photo.

Forgot to mention, I agree. It does look worse in the photos, but I'm hoping the trim and wiring will encourage some back budding so I can do that. I may go ahead and put it in the pot shown for now as that would help with the growth I need. Camellias are funny, sometimes when you cut back older branches they pop, and sometimes they don't.

The shape of the pot I showed earlier is pretty, but I'm afraid it is too deep and heavy looking. But maybe not when the foliage fills in - only one way to find out. This tree needs a pot with width, so a round one would not work.

Russell Coker wrote:John, this is not a japonica. Camellia hiemalis has small foliage like a sasanqua. Most people refer to this one ('beni kan tsubaki or 'shishi gashira') as a sasanqua, but it isn't.

Don't judge too harshly, you gotta start somewhere!

Russell, I like what you've done with these Camellia. They'll only get better as time goes by and get some real age on them. I'm torn between a colored container that sets off the flowers and just a dark brown that works well with the leaf and flower color. I guess I'd pic the brown myself.

On another note, I was chatting with the Horticulturalist of the American Camellia Society and he tells me that there is a change afoot regarding "Sasanqua Garden varieties" which is underway with researchers. He says, research has shown that all of the garden varieties (most with red pigment in the flowers) are hybrids between C. japonica and C. sasanqua and are now being given the name of C. x hiemalis "shishigashira" in the case of yours. They (the researchers) are reserving the name C. sasanqua for the species which has a small white flower. Apparently, according to him, at the moment either name is accepted but C. x hiemalis is prefred for the garden forms. I wonder what they are going to call the hybrids between C. x hiemalis and C. olifera? Shakespear was right, "A rose by anyother name would smell as sweet" but damn its hard to keep up with these guys! lol

Repotted the first one into my favorite pot a couple of weeks ago. Hadn't really thought much about this as a possibility, but I could not be happier. Hope you like the change.

R

Hello Russel.

Nice pot, the tree is moving freely now,
also the colour is fine with that special camellia leave.
regards, Sunip

Russell,

I really like your pot selection! This will be a stunning tree when it comes into flower!!!! Great combination.

Randy Davis

Hi R..

Perfect....Well done there,thanks for sharing

Regards,
Alex

Russell Coker wrote:Repotted the first one into my favorite pot a couple of weeks ago. Hadn't really thought much about this as a possibility, but I could not be happier. Hope you like the change.

R

This seems to be the perfect pot for the tree

Xuan

Thanks Y'all.

I'm very happy with it. Sometimes the right pot is right under your nose!

nice job, russell

best wishes, sam

Hello,

Your rite the pot realy complemnts the tree! I love the flow of the trunk movment on her would love to see some pics of her in flower.


Kind Regards Andrax

Russell
As usual stunning trees and masterful pot combinations. I am only just now starting to play with camellias. Any advise for a new starter. They seem to be not as picky as azaleas.
Mitch

You have inspired me Russell.
A question: I will have the brief window of opportunity to collect a large garden specimen in early winter, what are its chances of survival?

Thanks y'all.

Mitch, I never considered azaleas picky so my thinking is that camellias are the pickier of the two. Remember that the one you see pictured here has been in a pot since the early '80's, so it's a SLOW go.

This goes into Justin's question...

If you have a brief collecting window, you don't have much choice. Early winter may not be best, but it's not the worst time. When it comes to digging old garden or nursery camellias there are many factors that go into survival, and nothing is a sure thing. Climate, dormancy, size, soil and age seem to all play into it. I've seen camellias carefully dug at the "right time" die and others pulled out of the ground with a truck and a chain at the 'wrong time" live. I've seen old plants cut back, dug, pop new branches then crash.

There are 2 seasons best for collecting/repotting. The first is obvious - late winter after blooming but before new growth. The other is a little more unexpected, and I think it's the best - during the mid summer dormancy. Camellias put out a big push in the spring. After that new growth hardens they go into a dormancy during the hot summer (July, August, here). Then they push a second time in late summer/early fall. You should be fairly safe in digging then after that flush has hardened off. The point you should take from this is that as long as there is no soft, new growth you have a fair shot at survival, but no guarantees!

R

Thanks Russell... I'll let you know how it goes.