Professor Sargent Camellia Japonica

Camellia japonica ‘Professor Sargent’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub

Species: Japonica (Winter, Spring blooming)

Height at Maturity: 8-15′ depending on pruning

Width at Maturity: 5-8′ depending on pruning

Spacing: 6′ for solid hedges; 12’+ for space between plants

Flower Color: Red

Flower Size: Large, 4″

Flowering Period: Late Winter, Early Spring

Flower Type: Fully Double / Peony

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Dark Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade or Filtered Sun, All Day Filtered Sun

Water Needs: Average, Lower when established

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist

Soil pH: 5.0 – 6.5 (Acid)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity

Intolerances: Direct Afternoon Sun, Constantly Soggy Soil

Description

An all-time favorite and top seller for obvious reasons…just look at it. Professor Sargent Camellia produces an abundance of stunningly gorgeous, fully double, peony-like brilliant red flowers that begin opening in late winter continuing through mid-spring. Even when not in bloom, the large, lustrous, evergreen, dark green leaves provide outstanding texture in the landscape. Excellent for cutting and use in indoor flower arrangements or just float one in a bowl of water.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 8 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide depending on pruning, Professor Sargent Camellia can be grown as a large shrub or small tree. As a shrub it is ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings, or as hedge or background plant. It is especially nice as espalier (trained to grow flat against a wall) or corner plant in home foundation plantings. As this camellia grows taller, lower branches can be removed to form a small evergreen tree that serves well as an attractive and colorful specimen in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. A fine addition to red color theme gardens, camellia gardens, cottage gardens, and woodland borders. Also suitable for containers that can be brought indoors during winter by those who live and garden above USDA Zone 7a, where this camellia variety is not reliably winter hardy. Find Your Zone

Suggested Spacing: 5 to 6 feet apart for solid hedge; 12 feet or more apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

Camellia adapt well to various soil types however prefer a moist but well-drained acidic soil that is rich in organic matter. Constantly soggy soil is a slow killer. In general, Camellia grows and blooms better in partial shade with some shelter from the hot afternoon sun. Morning sun with afternoon shade or filtered sunlight is perfect. All-day filtered sun is fine.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Camellias.

Planting Camellias
Pruning Camellias
How To Fertilize & Water Camellias
How To Espalier Plants & Trees

*Espalier (pronounced: ih-spal-yay) …an ornamental shrub or tree that has been trained to grow flat against a wall, fence, or other vertical, flat surface.

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us

I have one of these along with other species, that were all 2 year old plants, and planted 65 years ago, thus making them all 67 year old bushes. Very little maintenance or fertilizer have been given to any of my bushes during this time and they are all over 7 feet tall. My planting zone is 8b, with high humidity and extreme hot summers, for anyone who wonders if a Camellia will thrive in this climate.—————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG