Mine-no-yuki (sasanqua)

Ashizawa, Yagorō, 1898, Chabaika Taishū; Yoko­hama Gardener’s Association, 1891, Descriptive Catalogue, p.9 as ‘Minenoyuki’: Early, snow-­white, double, profuse bloomer, often giving 100-150 buds on one plant. Flower 5-7.5 cm across. Variable, ranging from semi-double to irregular double, pure white, 7-8 cm. across x 3.7 cm deep. Petals are thin with a tendency to a square shape, 3.8 cm wide with two distinct lobes at apex, crinkled and folded. Some yellow filaments with orange anthers intermixed with petaloids. Buds round with a pinkish tip. Leaves, dull, dark green, sometimes variegated, 4 cm x 2.5 cm, slightly serrate, apices blunt acute. Habit is willowy, spreading, medium vigorous and blooms heavily. Originated in Japan. Synonyms: ‘White Doves’, ‘Snow on the Mountain’, ‘Snow on the Peak’, ‘Snow’. Different readings: ‘Minenoyuki’, ‘Mine No Yuki’. Orthographic errors: ‘Mino-no-yuki’, ‘Mine-no-fuki’, ‘Mine-o-yuki’, ‘Mini-no-yuki’, ‘Minnenoyuki’. Sport: White Doves Benten. Note: Mine-no-yuki and Fuji-no-mine are sometimes listed as syn­onyms, however they are separate and distinct cultivars. Received an RHS., “Award of Merit” in 1964. For black and white photo see p.309, Hertrich, 1955, Camellias in the Huntington Gardens, vol.II. There is also a Higo and a C.rusticana and some extinct ancient varieties of the same name.