President's Monthly Message

November 2026 

Sasanquas in bloom

In the boreal hemisphere, November is the peak season of sasanquas. Sasanqua cultivars became fashionable in Japan during the Edo Period (1603–1868), when the wild sasanquas were crossed with Camellia japonica.

A great number of cultivars were then created by US (Nuccio’s, October Magic, etc.) Australian (Paradise), Chinese and European nurseries and registered cultivars are around 1,800, second only to Camellia japonica. Sasanquas not only give colors but also feed bees and polleniferous insects.

Most sasanqua shows are based on garden visits, where the spectacular blooming can be admired and the delicate fragrance of cultivars can be appreciated. Let us list some shows kindly mailed by our Regions.

Germany

• Rombergpark, Dortmund
  November 8, 2026, at 3:00 pm
  https://www.dortmund.de/dortmund/projekte/dortmund-erleben/botanischer-garten-rombergpark/downloads/jahresprogramme/jahresprogramm_bgr_2026.pdf
  Guided tour focusing on sasanquas.
  Meeting point: Entrance to the Plant Exhibition Houses.
• Luisenpark, Mannheim
  November 21, 2026, at 2:00 pm
  https://www.luisenpark.de
  Guided sasanqua tour in the Camellia Garden within the Chinese Garden.
  Meeting point: In front of the Tea House.

Great Britain

In an earlier period in UK history, there were Autumn Shows in London at which Sasanquas won AM or FCC Awards. Nowadays, there are only informal displays.
carolinebell@freeola.com

Japan

Japan has many large gardens with sasanquas, mostly open throughout of the year. We list two specific events.

• Kumamoto, Suizenji Park
  December 5-6, 2026
  It focuses on the 43 cultivars of Higo sasanquas, a cultivar series originated in Kumamoto.
  Info: camellia1996@icloud.com
• National Museum of Japanese History, Living Botanical Garden, Sakura city, Chiba prefecture
  December 1, 2026-January 31, 2027
  140 cultivars, 400 potted shrubs
  Info: "Winter Flower: Camellia" (2026) | Exhibitions & Events | National Museum of Japanese History

Italy

• Camellietum Compitese, Compito, Lucca
  https://camelielucchesia.it/
  The Camellietum has had a program for over 10 years “Camelie d’autunno” (Autumn Camellias) in October with hundreds of visitors. In November the park, which features a collection of 70 cultivars, can be visited on any day.
• Villa Motta, Orta San Giulio
  motta05@unipv.it
  Open day on November 8, 2026, and guided visits on reservation from November to January. Villa Motta features a large collection of sasanqua cultivars (around 100).
• Villa Necchi, Milan
  November 7-8, 2026
  info@cameliaitaliana.it
  Show of winter and autumn camellias
• Mostra della Camelia di Autunno (Show of the Autumn Camellia)
  November 14-15, 2026
  l.bizioli@cia.it
  Villa Giulia, Verbania Guided visits to the sasanqua collections of Villa Maioni, Villa Taranto, Vila Anelli, and Savioli Nursery. In Villa Maioni, sasanquas are numerous and big!
• Il Giardino Incantato (The Enchanted Garden), Massa
  November 20-21, 2026, and December 5-6, 2026
  patriziagalleni@gmail.com
  Guided visits to the camelia collection (sasanqua and tropical camellias)

Switzerland

• Parco delle Camelie Locarno (Locarno Park of Camellias)
  https://www.ascona-locarno.com/it/commons/details/Parco-delle-Camelie-Locarno/84276
  The park features a collection of sasanqua cultivars and can be visited throughout the year.

Spain

• Camellia Exhibition in Ponteareas (2ª Mostra da camelia de Ponteareas) (Ponteareas, Pontevedra, Spain)
  November 12-13, 2026
  pilar.vela@depo.es
  A new exhibition that already attracts a lot of visitors.
• Camellia sasanqua exhibition in Boiro (22ª Exposición da Camelia Sasanqua e Outras Variedades)
  December19-20, 2026
  pilar.vela@depo.es
  A long-standing tradition, attracting hundreds of visitors who came to admire the spectacular flowers.

USA

American nurseries created hundreds of sasanqua cultivars. Nevertheless, at the present time, there are no separate sasanqua shows in the United States.

The U.S. does have a few early shows in early December, but they do not have a separate entry classification for sasanquas. Only Japonicas, Reticulatas, and Non-Retic Hybrids.

Progress in Da Lat project (from Anthony Curry)

In the 2023 Congress I asked to consider a special park for preserving endemic Vietnam Camellias, which are severely endangered by anthropic pressure and indiscriminate plundering. Vietnam camellias include camellia which are among the prettiest species, like C. amplexicaulis (https://camellia.iflora.cn/Species/Detail?latin=Camellia%20amplexicaulis%20) and C. tienii (https://camellia.iflora.cn/Species/Detail?latin=Camellia%20tienii).

Our Otomo fund approved a 3-year budget of 15,000 USD. The project is managed by Anthony Curry, who knows Vietnam very well and discovered new species with George Orel. The park is in Dalat, a wonderful mountain city, at 1,500 m above sea level, which enjoys an everlasting springtime, with a mild winter and a fresh summer.

The park is built with the collaboration of Dalat University, under the supervision of Professor Dũng Lương Văn. Here is the report from Anthony Curry.

"The Da Lat Rare and Endangered Camellia Garden project is progressing well. We have confirmed key morphological details of Camellia hongiaoensis and are now focusing on collecting and propagating our target species. The development team, supported by Dalat University and the Forest Science Institute, is actively mobilizing available botanical and horticultural resources and contacting local and provincial Camellia species collectors for cooperation and assistance. We remain committed to conserving these threatened theaceous species in situ and ex situ. We are preparing a conservation proposal for the threatened habitat of Camellia dalatensis and Codonopsis javanica in Da Lat's peri-urban forest, and for the threatened Camellia fleuryi and a new Polyspora species in Hon Ba Nature Reserve. We look forward to reaching our project goals over the coming months and into 2027 and 2028."

Da Lat

Your thoughts and feedback are most welcome. Please feel free to contact us.

Prof. Gianmario Motta gianmario.motta@unipv.it

President, International Camellia Society

Anke Koschitz

Secretary, International Camellia Society