Camellia

S & E Asia; 2 - 4m
Planting position: Semi-shade, with no late afternoon sun. Ideal for mountainous regions with high rainfall. Not for hot and humid subtropical regions.
Requires thorough watering, soaking rather than regular light watering. Well-draining soil, always moist. Keep the plant well mulched, but not directly around the stem, ensuring cool, moist roots. Careful handling of the root ball with planting. Regular applications of complete fertiliser. Disbudding for better flowering. Light shape pruning. Hard pruning on old bushes. Watch out for scale insects, caterpillars and red spider mites.
Propagate from spring cuttings, seed or from grafting.

These fine evergreen species produce large, single or double flowers mostly in autumn and winter and its foliage is shiny and dark green.

‘Baby Bear’ (80cm - 1m) has whitish to light pink, single flowers.
‘Spring Festival’ (2m) has pink double flowers with softer pink centres.
C. granthamiana (2,5 - 3m) with large white, single flowers.

C. japonica (2 - 4m) includes thousands of hybrids and cultivars of which are mentioned a few:
‘Alba Plena’ is stunning with double bright white flowers.
‘Betty Sheffield Supreme’ has bright pinkly bordered, white petals of large semi-double flowers.
‘Coral Queen’ with large semi-double flowers in shades of pink.
‘Debutante’ with stunning ice-cream-pink flowers.
‘Ecclefield’ has large semi-double white flowers with showy stamens.
‘Elegans Variegated’ with large flowers, varying in shades of pink and white.
‘Herme’ has semi-double pink flowers, streaked dark pink and bordered white.
‘Laurie Bray’ comes with large, semi-double flowers that are faded pink.
‘Miss Charleston’ has large, semidouble flowers of striking red.
‘Shiro Chan’ has large white flowers with a hint of pink after opening.
‘Tomorrow’ with massive, semi-double flowers of dark rose colouring.
‘Yours Truly’ has medium and semi-double, pink flowers, streaked dark pink and bordered white.

C. lutchuensis (2,5 - 3m) covers itself with small, single white flowers during autumn and winter.
C. nitidissima (2,5 - 3m) with small, golden flowers.
C. reticulata has large and single flowers and hard, leathery foliage, some varieties include:
‘Buddha’ is reasonably easy to grow with large, semi-double pink flowers.
‘Lasca Beauty’ has large, semidouble pink flowers with a silvery sheen.
‘Mandalay Queen’ has massive, semi-double, rose-pinkish flowers.
‘Miss Tulare’ with large peony form blooms, shaded from pinkish-red to red.
‘Red China’ has large semi-double flowers of carmine colouring.
‘Valley Knudsen’ who is a strong grower with large, semi-double flowers of deep pink colouring.

C. rosaeflora (3,5m) covers itself with tiny single, beautiful pink flowers.
C. salicifolia (3,5m) with small, sweetly scented white flowers.