Camellia japonica, sasanqua, oleifera and sinensis

[ROBRETI]

Hi Mike,

Sturdy plant, no question. Interestingly, it is called mimosa, though this term is rather used for the Acacia species... We know this from teh English plant names like berries, cedars, etc... I'd love to have at least one Acacia in the garden, but currently I think it is too much of a wish; they are at least zone 8 or 9 plants. I am trying with some Eucalyptuses, though.... My camera will be live next week and will make a couple of pics on my projects.

Question: do you get even to the fruiting stage with the Albizia or you have flowers that bloom off and/ or freeze off?

Thanks,
Rob

[sidpook]

Hi Mike,

Sturdy plant, no question. Interestingly, it is called mimosa, though this term is rather used for the Acacia species... We know this from teh English plant names like berries, cedars, etc... I'd love to have at least one Acacia in the garden, but currently I think it is too much of a wish; they are at least zone 8 or 9 plants. I am trying with some Eucalyptuses, though.... My camera will be live next week and will make a couple of pics on my projects.

Question: do you get even to the fruiting stage with the Albizia or you have flowers that bloom off and/ or freeze off?

Thanks,
Rob

Yes, we do get large clusters of very sweet smelling flowers. They smell so good around july usually they cover the trees. the birds scatter the seeds everywhere and they pop up the next spring under all my ivy and vinca around the house. Can't wait to see some pics.

[ROBRETI]

Thanks, Mike. Again, a plant proving that most writers were too cautious in estimating its hardiness.....
if is grows so well there, it might grow out of its space. I saw a row of this Albizia in Russia (in Sochi) it was so nice being pruned to a small umbrella shape, which is its natural shape, but in a couple sizes larger...


Rob

[sidpook]

Thanks, Mike. Again, a plant proving that most writers were too cautious in estimating its hardiness.....
if is grows so well there, it might grow out of its space. I saw a row of this Albizia in Russia (in Sochi) it was so nice being pruned to a small umbrella shape, which is its natural shape, but in a couple sizes larger...


Rob

Very interesting. Do they grow well by you though in Ontario? It seems pretty cold along the lake there....I could send you some seeds form my trees and see if they take up there. It does get pretty cold here in the winter so they'd probably be used to the cold.

[ROBRETI]

Mike,

Very kind of you, but I need to wait a bit The best location for this tree would be in my front garden (SW exposure), where I have a 30 year old Japanese Aralia tree. It has started to crack and loose bits of branches, but it is still going to take a couple of years before it kicks the bucket. Local regulations again: I have to wait for it to be really sick and then I can talk to an arborist for a professional evaluation and only after that can I get help in removing the tree from my garden and can use the space for raising a nice umbrella shaped Albizia. Oaville is determined to protect trees; its motto is " to be the best livable town in Canada" , so the marketing is there and the principles are really nice, but sometimes they go too far....

Sorry for crying on your shoulder, Mike, but I wanted to describe the situation, just to show the multilateral fights we sometimes need to take......

Thanks again Mike for the offer, though!!!!!
Rob

[sidpook]

Mike,

Very kind of you, but I need to wait a bit The best location for this tree would be in my front garden (SW exposure), where I have a 30 year old Japanese Aralia tree. It has started to crack and loose bits of branches, but it is still going to take a couple of years before it kicks the bucket. Local regulations again: I have to wait for it to be really sick and then I can talk to an arborist for a professional evaluation and only after that can I get help in removing the tree from my garden and can use the space for raising a nice umbrella shaped Albizia. Oaville is determined to protect trees; its motto is " to be the best livable town in Canada" , so the marketing is there and the principles are really nice, but sometimes they go too far....

Sorry for crying on your shoulder, Mike, but I wanted to describe the situation, just to show the multilateral fights we sometimes need to take......

Thanks again Mike for the offer, though!!!!!
Rob

Hey Rob,
I hear ya. Are you "from" ONT? I have been to canada a lot , toronto, montreal, vancouver a lot. I love to travel there I used to live in France and went to university with many Quebecois, went to undergrad at Penn State in PA and had 2 roomies from Mississaugua (sp). Chat soon.
Mike

[ROBRETI]

Wow, Mike, that is a nice life story, good for you. I am originally from Hungary, but lived in L.A., Germany, France, too, and worked in a number of other West European countries. It was great comparing the different cultures, would be worthwile to write a book in it.

Where did you live in France? How long did you live there? These three years were my wife's best as she says....

Take care,
Rob

[sidpook]

Hi Sidpook,

Beautiful!!!! And how it is shooting out, just lovely, you convinced me!

As for the silk tree, it is the Albizia julibrissin. Its story is amazing. It started as a very tender greenhouse plant and due to homwowners trying their luck (or being forgetful), they started to emerge as year-round elements of gardens. I thought that they were zone 7 plants, so you can imagine what pleasure it gave me to see a nice tree in the neighbourhood...

Rob

Here's the same camelia now in November bloom...

[TerdalFarm]

Oh, that makes me jealous. Mine was killed by summer heat.
The goats didn't do it any favors, either...
Not trying Camellia again this winter, but maybe next year.
--Erik

[sidpook]

Oh, that makes me jealous. Mine was killed by summer heat.
The goats didn't do it any favors, either...
Not trying Camellia again this winter, but maybe next year.
--Erik

Damned goats, the only saving grace is their delicious flavor! LOL.....Camelias are so neat and they really smell nice too. i love that they bloom in November...

[TerdalFarm]

The cabrito tastes like Camellia, and Hibisicus.
but tonight we are eating venison we traded for one of our kids....

Seriously, I loved the November blooms last year.

[sidpook]

The cabrito tastes like Camellia, and Hibisicus.
but tonight we are eating venison we traded for one of our kids....

Seriously, I loved the November blooms last year.

LMFAo...traded for one of your kids! Good stuff

[ROBRETI]

Hi Mike,

Now that is a beautiful Camellia!!!! Can I ask you if you had changed the soil around it or is your original soil that airy? I have lots of clay and will need to make a complete soil change for my tea garden

Rob

[sidpook]

Hi Mike,

Now that is a beautiful Camellia!!!! Can I ask you if you had changed the soil around it or is your original soil that airy? I have lots of clay and will need to make a complete soil change for my tea garden

Rob

Hey Rob. I have done nothing to change the soil. Our soil has a lot of sand in it actually (60 miles from the ocean) I never even water the bushes. I basically forget about that side of the house since there is nothing else really there except for a few shrubs and a load of peppermint on the ground. It is probably a mix of sandy loose soil. It is also the side of the house that is sheltered from northwest winds so it is pretty protected. It only gets early morning sun there too.
Here's a pic of the bloom...

[JackLord]

Nice!

I just planted a Camellia (Winters Joy) in our new [sort of] Japanese Garden. So far, so good.

[sidpook]

Nice!

I just planted a Camellia (Winters Joy) in our new [sort of] Japanese Garden. So far, so good.

Good Luck, they are so cool! I love their blooms, an odd earthy smell.....