CAMELLIA. East Asia. A large group of shrubs and trees of the tea family (Theaceae). Most are evergreen forest dwellers with leathery, pointed, lance- to nearly heart-shaped leaves, usually toothed along the margins. Flowers in the wild forms are mostly 5-10 petalled and regular, like the roses, with similarly dense clusters of stamens at their centers.
The camellias are among the most beloved of all shrubs for form, foliage, and most of all, for showy flowers which often appear in winter when little else is in bloom. There are thousands of hybrids, mostly of C. japonica, and nurseries devoted entirely to their culture. It is not our place to try to compete with their offerings. Rather, we are poking about among lesser-known species and hybrids which have truly distinctive features. The following are the first of a growing collection of these. They come in many shapes and sizes. Their numbers include the commercial tea plant, C. sinensis, of which two selections are described below. They thrive in sun or shade along the coast but need some shading during summer heat inland. Though they tolerate many soils, they grow best and show the beautiful deep greens for which their leaves are noted in well drained, acid soils, with moderate to regular watering. Their hardiness varies as shown. We are indebted to Erik Nagata for many of the species and hybrids now under observation.
japonica. This is the camellia for many gardeners, having been selected and hybridized with other species to produce an amazing array of flower sizes, forms and colors. However, these are only part of its charm. It can be a large or medium-sized shrub or a tree up to 50’ high. The leaves are up to 4" long, usually broad, and often convex as seen from above. They are deep green and usually lacquered in surface above, light green beneath. Most people are probably unaware of the original simple, five-petalled structure of the flowers, for modern offerings are completely dominated by double, semidouble and peony-form flowers, vastly larger than the wild types. The following should be hardy to 10oF. or less.
‘Shin-akebono’. This is a robust shrub, probably reaching 10’ or more in height. Its most distinctive feature is the weeping habit of the long branches; given a bit of training and some appropriate rockery, it could make an elegant cascade. The leaves are about 4" long, broad and deeply veined. The flowers are about 4" across, single with a few extra petals, cupped and colored a soft pink, set off by a large brush of golden stamens.
‘Unryu’ is the most unusual of our first offerings. This is a relatively slow-growing shrub with slender, strongly contorted stems. The leaves are smallish and quite glossy. Flowers are roughly trumpet shaped, opening to about 3" wide and soft rose-red in color. This is an exceptional subject for large tubs.
var. quercifolia ‘White Mermaid’. This one was recently received from Piroche Plants. Its trunks make an attractive spreading fountain. Lining the branches are glossy dark green, deeply veined leaves, narrower overall than those of many japonicas but splayed out at the tips. The flowers are single and somewhat irregular, up to 4" across and snow-white in color with large contrasting bundles of golden stamens.
lutchuensis. I have been struggling against considerable odds–mostly posed by the insatiable appetites of local deer and rabbits–to create a first crop of this beautiful shrub. It was the first species which actually piqued my interest in camellias, though I had been around them for years. Some forms can grow as much as 10’ tall, but I suspect that the current selection will reach half that height. This is a closely branched, leafy shrub, with arching slender stems. The leaves are pointed-oval in outline and 1-2" long in the current selection. The flowers are carried all along the younger stems in the leaf axils. They are nearly bell-shaped, a little under 1" long, pure white, and sweetly fragrant. Hardy to 15oF. or less. This is a delightful shrub in every way.
oleifera. China and Southeast Asia. This is a large shrub or small tree, growing up to 20’ high. It has dark, shiny 2-4" leaves and single 2-3" flowers. The petals are pure white, of unequal length in our material, and have notched tips. The oily 1" fruits are rather decorative. Hardy to 15oF. or less.
sinensis. Tea plant. China. I have grown an ornamental form of the commercial tea plant once before. It was a nice foliage shrub, but the flowers had a somewhat disagreeable scent, which I understand is not unusual in this species. Our new acquisitions are both prettier and considerably more pleasant to be around. ‘Teabreeze’ was apparently selected from commercial tea stock. It makes a fountain 8-15’ high. The leaves are rather narrow and up to 4" long, deep green and highly lacquered in surface. The flowers are white, only about an inch broad, and lightly fragrant. ‘Blushing Maiden’ is more compact, growing about 6-8’ high and broad. It has broadly oval leaves, about 2" long, tinged with purple especially in new growth. They are similar to those of ‘Teabreeze’ but light pink in color and lightly but sweetly fragrant. Both selections are easily pruned and shaped, even hedged (if you would do such a thing to a valued shrub). Hardy to 10-15oF.