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 **The U.S. National Arboretum presents a unique group of cold hardy,fall blooming camellias hybridized specifically for the landscape.**Tough enough to thrive in the mid-Atlantic region as far north as U.S.D.A.Zone 6b, these lovely evergreen shrubs produce showy flowers of pink orwhite over a period of 4 to 6 weeks in late autumn. Petals are shed individuallywhen bloom is completed--eliminating the tiresome task of dead-headingfor the gardener. Plant smart and be charmed all winter by one of theseexceptional landscape camellias!  'Winter's Charm''Snow Flurry''Polar Ice'  'Winter's Rose''Winter's Hope''Winter's Star' 'Winter's Rose''Snow Flurry' 'Winter's Hope'''Polar Ice' 'Winter's Star'   Cold Hardy Fall Blooming Camellia Hybrids **Botanical Name:***Camellia* ('Frost Princess' x *oleifera*)'Polar Ice'(NA 61950; PI 546366)*Camellia* (*oleifera* x 'Frost Princess')'Snow Flurry'(NA 61951; PI 546367)'Winter's Hope'(NA 62302; PI 547260)*Camellia* (*oleifera* x *hiemalis* 'Otome')'Winter's Rose'(NA 61952; PI 546368)*Camellia* (*oleifera* x *hiemalis* 'Showa-no-sakae')'Winter's Star'(NA 62303; PI 547261)*Camellia* (sasanqua 'Takara-wase' x *oleifera*)'Winter's Charm' (NA 62301; PI 547259) **Family:**Theaceae**Hardiness:**Recommended for landscape purposes in the mid-Atlantic region as farnorth as U.S.D.A. Zone 6b.**Development:**Following a series of unusually cold winters from the late 1970's tomid 1980's, the camellia collection at the U.S. National Arboretum (Zone7), primarily mature *C. sasanqua* and *C. japonica*, was almosttotally destroyed. Plants of *C. oleifera* growing at USNA and Marylandsites showed no winter injury. Dr. William L. Ackerman then made a seriesof interspecific crosses between *C. oleifera* and *C. sasanqua*,*C. hiemalis*, or *C. vernalis* selections. Hybrids were distributedfor evaluation to cooperators in five eastern states in 1982-1983. Thesix selections featured here exhibited desirable plant habit, flower qualityand cold hardiness, showing little or no winter injury despite temperaturesas low as -12 °F. All six were released in 1991 and have been registeredwith the American Camellia Society.**Significance:***C. oleifera*, a small-flowered, fall flowering Chinese species,was used as the foundation of a sucessful cold hardy camellia breedingprogram. The resulting hybrids combine the plant cold hardiness of *C.oleifera* with the flower form and quality of showier species, *C.hiemalis* or *C. sasanqua*, and extend the reliablity of camelliasas long-term landscape plants into Zone 6b in the mid-Atlantic region. **Culture:**Prefer moist, well-drained, acid soils with high organic matter content.Mulch should be applied and maintained year round. Camellias benefit fromlight shade in summer and protection from winter wind. Fertilize minimallyto prevent leggy, unattractive growth.**Propagation:**Root successfully from cuttings taken in late fall, by the followingspring, under mist, with bottom heat, 3000 ppm IBA. Propagating selectionson own roots is recommended. If grafted, use cold hardy understock suchas *C. oleifera*.**Landscape Use:**Lovely as specimen plants, foundation plantings, or naturalistic plantingsat the edge of a woodland. **Availability:**Readily available from mail-order firms and retail and wholesale nurseries. **U.S. National Arboretum Plant Introduction** Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit U.S. National Arboretum, U.S. Department of Agriculture,Agricultural Research Service, 3501 New York Ave., N.E., Washington, DC20002
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*Last Updated January 14, 2002*URL = ../Newintro/camelli1.htmlnarj