This England

Plant of the Season

Camellia

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Named in honour of the botanist, pharmacist, physician and Jesuit missionary, Georg Joseph Kamel (1661 – 1706), who studied the flora and fauna of the Philippine­s, these beautiful evergreen plants originate from China and Japan. Camellia sinensis plants have been grown there for thousands of years to provide tea. Traders brought camellias to Europe in the late 16th century and by the 18th century they were gaining popularity in Britain. The showy blooms were highly prized and as the plants were thought to be exotic they were usually grown under glass in large camellia houses such as the ones at Wollaton Park, Nottingham­shire, and Chiswick House in London (which houses what is believed to be the oldest collection of camellias in the Western world).

It was soon discovered that camellias were much hardier than they appeared and could survive and flower in the the British winter without protection. Many hybrids of different sizes and colours were produced for sale and camellias were soon a common sight in parks and gardens throughout the country.

Camellias need acid, humus-rich soil to thrive but will do very well in containers of ericaceous compost. They do best in partial shade as they are woodland plants and should be be given plenty of water — preferably rainwater. Avoid planting against an east wall as the early morning winter sun may damage the flower buds.

The garden plants are usually the many varieties of C. japonica or C. sasanqua and many flower in early winter. I would love to have C. “Cornish Snow” and C. “Jury’s Yellow” for my white garden but would need to find suitable containers as my soil is too alkaline.

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 ?? JON JAYES ?? The Camellia House at Wollaton Park, Nottingham.
JON JAYES The Camellia House at Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

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