A Showing of New Generation Camellia Hybrids

Gao Jiyin, Liu Xinkai, Zhong Naisheng and Yan Danfeng

Palm Landscape Architecture Co. Ltd., China.
E-mail: y25006@163.com and liuxinkai@palm-la.com

In order to create new camellia hybrids that they can bloom year-round, we have done a lot of crosses between Camellia azalea and other camellia species or cultivars in the Camellia Breeding Base of Palm Landscape Architecture Co. Ltd., China, since 2006. We have obtained many hybrids. The hybrids are significantly different from those already in existence. They are a revolutionary innovation and are in addition to ordinary camellias. The time of the camellias that bloom year-round is coming to us now!

1. Achievements by our camellia breeding team since 2006

• Cross-combinations: more than 150
• Species used: 40
• Cultivars used: over100
• Flowers pollinated: over 150,000
• Hybrid seedlings obtained: over 4,500
• F1 hybrids that have bloomed: over 350
• F2 seedlings: over 150
• Selected valuable chance seedlings: over 80
• Hybrid plants propagated: more than 60,000.

2. Most of the hybrids we raised are really true

Based on the results in molecular identification and morphology, it has been shown that the inter-specific camellia hybrids all are true.

3. Over 150 hybrids that bloom all year-round were obtained.

Their common characteristics are as followings:
- The hybrids are all capable of being in full bloom from summer to autumn and then can last through the winter to the following spring.
- The hybrids are more beautiful than Camellia azalea in flower color, forms and sizes: their flowers are very dense.
- Their leaves are darker green and more dense than Camellia azalea.
- The plants of the hybrids are all vigorous in growth habit, even under full sun-light (shade is not needed).
- They have stronger resistance to both hot weather and cold weather. Usually, they can grow well at temperatures of over 380 in summer and below -50, even below -110 in winter. We have not yet found any flower blight disease on the hybrids.

Some of the hybrids are shown as below:
A)    Flower colors are rich and beautiful in these hybrids.

B)    Flower sizes are diverse in these hybrids. Flowers with large, medium, small and miniature sizes can be found in different hybrids.

C)    Flower forms are different in these hybrids. The six forms of ordinary camellias are nearly all involved in the hybrids.

Single form

Semi-double form

Anemone form

Peony form

Rose-double form                                                     Fully double form

D)    Some of the hybrids have very fragrant flowers.

Four hybrids that bloom year-round with fragrance during their blooming

E)    Most of the hybrids bloom densely.

Dense flowers on the plants of four hybrids

4. One hundred and twenty five hybrids of Camellia amplexicaulis were obtained and of them, 18 hybrids have bloomed.

Their common characteristics are as the follows:
- Flower color in most of the hybrids is pink to red, but a few of them are yellowish.
- Flowers are very dense.
- Plants are upright and growth is very quick. They are suitable for gardening cultivation.
- They are cold hardy, -5⁰.
- Blooming period of the hybrids is late-autumn to next spring.

Some of the better hybrids of C. amplexicaulis are shown as below:

A)    Flowers

B)    Plants: Growing is upright and vigorous and leaves are very large.

See the photos below:

5. Other hybrids and beautiful cultivars have been selected from chance seedlings or mutations.

We got more than 80 of these. See the following:

These two hybrids are very fragrant

‘Red-leaf Bella’, red to dark red flowers, dark-red leaves

You are welcome to visit our Camellia Breeding Base and to cooperate with us to develop our new generation camellia hybrids and other new camellia cultivars.