Generally considered to be a flowering bush or shrub, the Camellia can actually develop as a large tree, be the main protagonist, as a single specimen, of a park or garden, or it is not uncommon to admire it as a hedge to adorn and delimit large historical gardens, or finally used to decorate pergolas.
The ideal natural environment in which we can find it is in sites with naturally acidic soils. Indeed, camellias belong to the group of ‘acidophilic’ plants, just because of their preference for soils with a pH value well below 7, and which also includes rhododendrons, azaleas and blueberries, among others. The beauty of camellias, which is often attributed to their flowering, is actually appreciated throughout the year, as they are plants with very decorative, glossy green, leathery, persistent foliage and often with peculiar and rare lamina shapes. The fascination of the Camellia genus also lies in the fact that its various species have very different flowering periods. We could, if we wish, have camellias in the garden flowering all year round, alternating species, hybrids and varieties at different flowering times.
Classification of the genus Camellia: the most common species
The richness of the camellia’s decorative characteristics is due to the fact that, from a genetic point of view, it is a genus comprising a large number of species, some of which can be summarised as follows:
Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Camellia reticulata, Camellia oleifera, Camellia sinensis, Camellia saluenensis, Camellia fraterna, Camellia maliflora, Camellia granthamiana, Camellia lutchuensis, Camellia vernalis, Camellia magnoliaeflora, Camellia chrysantha.
Here are just a few of the best known and most widespread species
Camellia japonica is undoubtedly the best known species as a flowering plant, the richest in variability of shape, colour, size of flowers and leaves, and was also the first to arrive in Europe and was initially called ‘Rose of Japan’. A hardy, spring-flowering plant from March to June, it can reach a height of 10-12 metres.
Camellia sasanqua: also a species native to Japan, it is mainly shrubby and can reach 5 metres in height. The characteristic that makes it most interesting and attractive is its flowering period which coincides, in the different cultivars, with the autumn-winter period, from October to March. It is lightly perfumed, with a sweet and fruity aroma, given by the essential oils that are produced at the base of the petals. Camellia oil is currently found in some products for cosmetic and other uses.
Camellia vernalis, a winter-flowering species; a cultivar of Camellia vernalis, the Yuletide has the characteristic of flowering at Christmas time. The name Yuletide, in fact, means ‘Christmas feast’ in Old English.
Camellia sinensis: This is the species from whose leaves tea is extracted; it has winter flowering, with simple, pendulous, small white flowers. Recently the cultivation of tea camellia is also spreading in Italy, in the Lake Maggiore area.
Flower morphology
We can range from the large-flowered, semi-double or double-flowered types, which are very showy, to species such as the fraterna or cuspidata or many varieties of sasanqua, in which the extreme simplicity of the flower prevails , to the delicate shades of the magnoliaeflora, the Japanese name meaning ‘feathery dress’.
Another peculiarity that makes the Camellia genus unique is the ease with which we can observe different flower morphologies on the same plant at the same time.
For the recognition of a particular cultivar, it is therefore advisable to consider several characteristics as a whole. It is surprising, and almost shocking, in fact, the great fickleness of camellias: one can observe completely different pictures belonging to the same cultivar. A very beautiful and indicative example is represented by the Camellia japonica ‘Virgin of Blessed Hill’, with double flowers, pure white, with petals arranged in a perfect seven-rayed spiral, which only bears the perfect flower on certain branches and in certain years.
The types of flower morphology can be reduced to the following categories:
Simple: flower with corolla with only one round of petals, or two incomplete rounds: five to nine petals. The stamens, central, are very prominent and numerous.
Semi-double: the flower has two to four turns of petals; the stamens, central, are also very evident and numerous.
Double: the flower consists entirely of imbricated petals arranged in many rows and in an extremely orderly fashion. No stamens or pistil are visible in the central part.
Peony-shaped: the flower, wide and rounded, consists of petals mixed with ‘petaloids’, flower particles represented by stamens partly transformed into false petals, similar to true petals. This phenomenon, very frequent in camellias, is called ‘petaloidia’.
Anemone-shaped: the flower has one or more rows of petals, with an almost flat centre consisting of stamens and petaloids.
Double rose-shaped: the flower consists of several rows of petals, not perfectly embriched; the central stamens are only visible at the end of flowering.
Flower size also differs greatly between cultivars, as does the variety in the type of petal margins and their colour variegation.
The camellia in the garden. Ideal environment and exposure.
If we find ourselves in the situation where we wish to place camellias in an existing garden with already well developed trees, we should remember that the camellia does not like direct sunlight; it is better to place it in situations with filtered sunlight from large trees, such as oaks, conifers, which are the plants associated with it in the wild, or places where the exposure provides only a few hours of sunlight. It is also advisable to prefer tree plants that have deep roots and thus should not interfere with the future development of the roots and thus the foliage of the camellia. It likes bright exposures, but preferably not direct sun during the hottest hours, but slightly sheltered in half-shade, like all acidophilic plants such as azalea, rhododendron, pieris and heather. Exposure to direct sunlight in dry areas with humus-poor soils can cause dark spots or a widespread bronze discolouration on the leaves, symptoms of real ‘burns’ or scalds.
A lover of a mild climate, free of sudden changes in summer and winter, it has a good tolerance to cold and low temperatures in winter and high temperatures in summer; it therefore behaves without doubt as a semi-irustic plant.
To protect the roots from low temperatures it is very useful to place a layer of mulching material.
The same happens if, in places with a dry climate, we water the foliage: the water droplets, drying in direct contact with the sun, damage the leaf tissue causing unpleasant leaf burns. Strong winds are also not well tolerated and can cause the flower buds to dry out on the plant, impairing flowering.
By placing camellias in a cool, sheltered corner of the garden, we will be sure to get both foliage and flowers at their best. Alternatively, if our house is in a particularly exposed position, we can shelter the camellias with a shading net.
The Italian Camellia Society
In August 1965, on the initiative of engineer Antonio Sevesi, an industrialist from Lombardy, the Italian Camellia Society was founded with the aim of encouraging and spreading interest in this plant, which had suffered a sudden and inexplicable decline in the early 1900s. This year marks 60 years since its foundation. Thanks to the dedication of numerous enthusiasts and expert collectors, it has been possible today to identify numerous ancient cultivars and to introduce new ones
The Italian Camellia Society is linked with the International Camellia Society, an international association of camelliophiles from all over the world.
