Many gardeners in Sydney mix up Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua when buying and caring for plants. Camden Nurseries shares easy identification tips.

Both belong to the camellia family and look similar, yet they differ greatly in petal drop and blooming season.Fallen blooms:Japonica drops whole intact flowers; sasanqua sheds petals piece by piece.In the Southern Hemisphere, sasanqua camellias bloom from March to June, while Japanese camellias flower subsequently from June to September.

Other distinguishing details:Japonica grows tall with big leaves and large 5–12cm scentless flowers. Sasanqua is compact and bushy, with smaller foliage, lightly fragrant blooms and heavier flowering.

Both thrive in slightly acidic soil and hate waterlogged roots. For maintenance:Japonica prefers partial shade and only needs light pruning after bloom. Sasanqua tolerates full sun and frost, takes heavy trimming well and is ideal for garden hedges.

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