Type Image
Chosen by Sueo Takano
Id：ICR-16739
Country：Japan
Year Published/Registered：1681
Cultivar Type：For Ornamental
AGM Type：
Scientific Name：Camellia japonica 'Saifu'
Species/Combination：C. japonica
Chinese Name：
Japanese Name：宰府（財布） さいふ
Meaning：Provincial government
Synonym：
Chūbu-kyōkosode
Synonym for Saifu.
Rainy Sun Variegated
SCCS., 1951, The Camellia. Its Culture and Nomenclature as ‘Rainy Sun Var’. Synonym for Saifu.
Sahifu
Itō, Ihei, 1695, Kadan Chikinshō.Different reading for Saifu.
Saifa
Hazlewood & Jessep, 1972, Checklist - Camellia Cultivars from Nursery Catalogues, p.206. Corruption of the Japanese name Saifu.
Saifu-shibori
Tuyama, 1966, Camellia Cultivars of Japan, p.274; Watanabe, 1970, Kyōto Engei Kurabu, Tsubaki Tokushū, No.10, p.155 as ‘Saihu-shibori’. Synonym for Saifu.
Saify
McIlhenny Nursery Catalogue, 1942. Corruption of Japanese name Saifu.
3 show +
Saihu
Watanabe, 1970, Kyōto Engei Kurabu, Tsubaki Tokushū, No.10, p.155.Different reading for Saifu.
Saihu-shibori
Watanabe, 1970, Kyōto Engei Kurabu, Tsubaki Tokushū, No.10, p.155. Synonym for Saifu.
» English Description
Mizuno, 1681, Kadan Kōmoku. Red, formal double, white. Tuyama, 1968, Camellias of Japan, pl.309, p. 156, description, p. 183. Seibundō Shinkōsha, 1979, Senchinshū, p.60, colour photo, p.216, description: Rose-red coloured with white spots, rose form double, opening to 4-5 rows of imbricated petals with a small, central stamen cluster. Leaves small, oblong to broadly elliptic, long acuminate, impressed venation, manifestly serrate. Flowers rose form, holding a bud centre, rosy red (Rose Opal 122), variously blotched white. Flowers mid-season to late. For other colour photos and descriptions see: Encyclopedia of Camellias in Colour, vol.I, 1972, pl.290, pp.131, 334; Tuyama, 1966, Camellia Cultivars of Japan, pl.158 & p.274. Synonyms: ‘Saifu-shibori’, ‘Kyōkosode’, ‘Chūbu-kyōkosode’. Different readings: ‘Sahifu’, ‘Saihu’. Corruption of Japanese name: ‘Saify’, ‘Saifa’. Saifu is thought to be an abbreviation of ‘Dazaifu’ an ancient local government in Fuku’oka Prefecture and can be written a number of ways. It also means a purse. Note: There are at least 7 different ways of writing the kanji for this variety. See: Nakayama, 1847, Senka’ōden; Shirai-Bunko, 1789, Shoshiki Hanagatachō. Although it is not certain that all these old varieties are the same as the existing one, their references are added for the further study of ancient camellia literature in Japan. Note: Senka’oden states that there are two distinct cultivars under the name Saifu. One is from Settsu (now Ōsaka) and the other is from Washū (now Wakayama). The former’s leaves have impressed venation. A tree of more than 250 years of age is at the river side at Kiso, Gifu Prefecture. See: JCS., 1965, Tsubaki, No.5, p.29; Kyōto Engei Kurabu, 1963, Tsubaki Tokushū, No.4, p.80; ibid, 1964, No.5, p.80.
