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Gardenfiend
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 12:53 am EST : |   
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I have only one Higo Camellia, Nana Komachi. It grows in a pot, is very small and the growth is more or less hanging. I don't know if it will eventually grow larger or if it is simply a small variety. I like Higo flowers very much.
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
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Missgarden
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 06:09 am EST : |
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Beautiful shot.
Missgarden
- Ontario,
Zone "5b"
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Ton_hannink
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 11:05 am EST : |
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Beautiful flower and picture.
Ton_hannink The Netherlands |
Rogervanloon
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 11:35 am EST : |
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Hi Mara,
Like you, I adore Higos, I am collecting those that I can find (which are not so very many as yet, they are only slowly becoming popular here).
Nana Komachi is an old Higo with spreading growth. To quote from 'Higo Camellia' by Franco Ghirardi:
'Nana Komachi' ('The Seven Faces Of Beauty') is an ancient variety... It is fructiferous and grows very well in the ground. But grown in pots, it reaches a level of aesthetic beauty which allowed it to win numerous bonsai competitions in the past. This being possible thanks to its particular elegance, even though its stamen centre is not one of the best.'
Rogervanloon
- Flanders,
Zone "USDA 7b"
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Galanthophile
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 12:16 pm EST : |
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Mara that is exquisite!
Galanthophile
- Ann (Northern England),
Zone "8"
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Gardenfiend
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 12:56 pm EST : |
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Roger, thank you for copying the information. The fact that it has won bonsai competitions means, I assume, that it does remain small. Yes, "spreading growth" describes it best.
Do you have any photos of your Higos?
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
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Rogervanloon
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 01:36 pm EST : |
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Mara, no, the fact that it has been used for bonsai does not mean that it remains small when planted out. Pines grow tall, but are used very much for bonsai. However, as I said, it seems to have a spreading growth, so its growth habit does not seem to be very upright (like for example 'Kimberley' in my garden, grows like a pillar.) But I imagine that Nana Komachi could grow into a very large bush, given time.
As to pictures of my Higos - I did not seem to find the time to take many pictures when they were flowering, now flowering time is over, I hope to do better next year.
Rogervanloon
- Flanders,
Zone "USDA 7b"
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Takeuchi
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 08:28 pm EST : |
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Hello Mara san, Roger san
I wonder that Higo are loved you both, which are rather difficult to buy around Tokyo now.
Beautiful!
I have only one Higo "Daisen-haku" for more than 10 years.
Higo is the old name for a district in Kyusyu, where they admire camellias in the shape of "Bonsai" as Roger san pointed out.
They collect the naturally bended root stock from the wild and graft Higo camellias to it, to make "Bonsai".
This grafting technique is notable one. They cut a round groove on the end of the root just fit to the scion, then the middle of the scion is peeled to the cambium and fit to the groove and tie. The end of the scion is watered by the small glass bottle which is tied up to the root stock.
This technique can be applied to the approach grafting to the stem.
My "Daisen-haku" planted in the container is also slow grower and spreading. The stem thick only 13mm and less than 1m high, though I can never say it definitely that it is the common nature of Higo.
My "Daisen-haku" does never make seed. How your "Nana Komachi" does, Mara san? Also your Higo Roger san?
Takeuchi
- Saitama-Ken,
Zone "8b~9a"
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Rogervanloon
| | Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 02:24 pm EST : |
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Hello Takeuchi San,
About 'Daisen-Haku' I read in the Meikan (book of Japanese camellias):
"Daisenhaku (White Camellia from Daisen): White, tubular single ...The original tree of several hundred years survives in the heart of a mountain near Nunobe Dam; released by Hisatoshi Nagami around 1970."
The picture shows a very beautiful, white, tubular flower. However, I find no mention of it being a Higo (in fact, is there an official Higo list?)
My camellias do not set seed abundantly (I think it has to do with the temperature), and only one Higo sets seed evey year: Momiji-Gari. The other Higos (just a few) are still very small, just a few flowers as yet, and no seed.
I regularly donate seed to an arboretum, I wonder if there have been flowers from this Higo's seed, and if they resemble the parent (I should go and see but never find the time).
Rogervanloon
- Flanders,
Zone "USDA 7b"
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Rogervanloon
| | Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 02:30 pm EST : |
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Found an old (bad) picture of my 'Momiji-Gari'
Rogervanloon
- Flanders,
Zone "USDA 7b"
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Galanthophile
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2007 - 01:58 am EST : |
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Very nice - the stamens are amazing!
Galanthophile
- Ann (Northern England),
Zone "8"
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Rogervanloon
| | Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2007 - 11:26 am EST : |
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Of course, Ann. All Higos have that kind of stamens - or they would not have been selected as Higos.
Rogervanloon
- Flanders,
Zone "USDA 7b"
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Takeuchi
| | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 02:01 am EST : |
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Roger san
Thank you very much for your kind explanation of the history of "Daisen-Haku". It's wonderful that you possess "Tsubaki Meikan" which even Japanese camellia lovers merely have for its too expensive price. You are really a devotee of camellia.
Daisen-Haku is a given plant from my friend and I was thinking to be a local variety of camellia so far. So I didn't know correctly whether it was Higo or not.
But now I come to be doubtful for its name from its flower color also the shape. It has light pink petals also the big stamens furthermore it is single flower to open flat. It is a typical Higo from my recongnization.
Mt. Daisen situate in Honsyu Island, not in Kyushu where the old name of Higo district exists. From looking the flower of my "Daisen-Haku?" I have been thinking by mistake that they have the same liking around Mt. Daisen as in Kyushu.
As it was ended blooming for this year I will ask you again for the next chance what is the true name of my camellia "Daisen-Haku?" if it be allowed.
Thank you Roger san.
Takeuchi
- Saitama-Ken,
Zone "8b~9a"
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Rogervanloon
| | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 01:50 pm EST : |
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Hello Takeuchi San,
As to the 'Meikan', I was very lucky to be able to buy it with the help of a Japanese friend. And even luckier to obtain a text translation into English, otherwise I would not have been able to read it.
From the description, I think you may very well have a Higo, but not Daisen-haku, which I think is not a Higo. Here is a copy of the picture of 'Daisenhaku' in the Meikan:
If, in time, you can send a picture of your flower, I will try to look it up in the Meikan. But I am sure that you realize, identifying camellias is not easy, there are so many beautiful ones.
Over here, the Higos are gradually becoming better known. This spring, I was asked for my advice, concerning a public park where they were planting camellias. (This is a rare occurrence here, the officials do not often think of Camellias for public planting). I did advise to plant Higos, and they were able to find some 7 Higo cultivars (some 20 plants in all, they planted 3 plants of each cultivar). They intend to plant more Higos as they become available. I am sure that in the future this will become a beautiful collection.
Rogervanloon
- Flanders,
Zone "USDA 7b"
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Gardenfiend
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 02:13 pm EST : |
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Roger there is a German nursery not impossibly far from you that has a larger selection of Higo camellias: http://www.huben.de/camellia/pages/kstart.html Click on Sortensuche at the left. I have ordered several camellias from them (though not my Higo) and always received good, healthy plants. Also almost always the wrong plant ! (with the right label). I wouldn't buy from them per mail order any more, but if it weren't so far, I'd be there when the camellias are in flower!
I'm sure you know Europe's camellia heaven in Ticino: http://www.eisenhut.ch/ with dozens and dozens of Higo camellias - among the thousands of others. I dream of a trip there.
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
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Rogervanloon
| | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 02:43 pm EST : |
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Hi Mara,
Thank you very much for the info. I know of those nurseries. However, there are two things to be looked at (Please understand that I am talking in general, I do not want to criticise one nursery.)
(1) Availability. For example, the Flemish nursery where the Higos, that I was talking about, were ordered, it had some 30 Higos in its catalogue, but finally only 7 were available.
(2) Correct names. I was at Eisenhut's two years ago, splendid arboretum; but at that time I could not see the plants in flower. And, when I can avoid it, I will no longer buy plants when they are not flowering.
Many years ago, I ordered camellias from a well-reputed firm in the UK, afterwards (when they flowered) I found that only 1 in 3 was true to name. I heard the same rumours about Eisenhut, but I don't know if there is any truth in it.
Too often, the nurseries say to themselves "well we don't have it anymore but we will send something similar".
Rogervanloon
- Flanders,
Zone "USDA 7b"
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Gardenfiend
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 03:29 pm EST : |
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Indeed. I agree with you completely about not buying camellias unless you can see the flower. My experience with Huben taught me that. They non-chalantly sent me "substitutes" even though I had specified that I wanted none. If they had at least labeled them correctly, instead of putting the label of the plants I had ordered on them. When questioned it turned out they knew perfectly well which plants they had sent me. Apparently the right ones simply weren't available.
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
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Takeuchi
| | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 10:19 pm EST : |
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Hello Roger san,Mara san
I can well understand with problem on the camellia collection in Europe.
I think that the camellia collection should be done in flowering season if you want to get the proper varieties. It is not only to avoid to get the miss-labeled plants but also the inferior grade plants which do not show the proper characteristics of its own.
Roger san , you have a good friend for your study. It must be come from your personal virtue.
Thank you for your kind information.
The photo showing the style of the typical wild camellia I saw in Kyushu. But the color is softer in comparing to the red of the wild one.
I will try to compare to my "Daisenhaku" again in one year after.
I looked the site that Mara san quoted.
It is very interesting also instructive to me.
(Ich kann Deutchen Satzen lesen aber nur ein bisschen.)
In looking the variety of Camellia japonica, many of them are named in European words.
What conspicuous to me is, why they do not afford the variegated camellias which are rather popular in Japan.
I wonder that the seedling of camellia is so prosperous in overseas. I know only one name "Nuccio"
In Japan, I have not heard the trouble of mis-labeling so far. Perhaps to collect the mother tree for taking cuttings would need long time, so they make important for the inherited trust the most.
Takeuchi
- Saitama-Ken,
Zone "8b~9a"
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