Large shrub to 10 m or more tall but generally much smaller. Branchlets hairless. Leaves elliptic about 7-10 cm long, leathery, with a short point, dark green and glossy above, lower surface with numerous dark dots. Vein pairs 6-8. Leaf stalk to about 1.5 cm long. Flowers with 9-10 bracts and sepals, petals 6-7 in the wild species, numerous in cultivars, red, white or variegated. Filaments about 2.5 cm long or more, fused at the base into a short tube also united with the petals. Ovaries hairless, 3-chambered.
Cultivated in Japan and China for centuries.
The occasionally grown variety macrocarpa is from the Japanese island Yakushima; it has appealing large, red apple-like fruits.
There are several thousand cultivars of this species produced by crossing cultivars, or from the frequent tendency of cultivars of this species to produce bud sports of a different colour. Bud sports generally reproduce reliably from cuttings.
China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea
Leaves extremely shiny above and with numerous small dark dots on the lower leaf surface; petals fused to the stamens for one quarter to one third of their length at the base to form a fleshy tube cf. C. reticulata.
Source: (1997). Camellia. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
Camellia japonica 'Alba Plena'
Flowers formal double, about 10 cm wide, symmetrical, white, petals reducing in size towards the centre; stamens concealed. Introduced from China to England in 1792. The source of many popular sports.
Camellia japonica 'Alice Wood'
Flowers large, bright red, formal double. Raised by Mrs A. Wood, San Gabriel, California, USA.
Flowers white, 10–11 cm wide, semi-double. Raised by Mrs Elizabeth Councilman, El Monte, California, USA. First flowered 1951 and int. c. 1955.
Camellia japonica 'Aspasia Macarthur'
Flowers white with petals suffused pink at the base, informal double. A Macarthur seedling from Camden Park, New South Wales, Australia. Int. c. 1848.
Camellia japonica 'Betty Sheffield Supreme'
Flowers semi-double, white with a band of deep pink on the petal margins. Sport of 'Betty Sheffield' orginated by Mrs Green Alday, Georgia, USA. Int. c. 1957.
Flower dark red, about 7.5 cm wide, formal double with c. 60 petals, rose-bud like. Raised by Spencer C. Waldon, Jr, Georgia, USA from a chance seedling. Int. c. 1975.
Flower about 11 cm wide, dark red, semi-double. Raised as a chance seedling in Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA. First bloomed 1969. Int. c. 1972.
Camellia japonica 'Bob's Tinsie'
Flower miniature to small, red, informal double. Raised Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA. Int. c. 1962.
Flowers white, blotched red, miniature informal double. Raised by Doichi Tomoto, California, USA. Int. c. 1966.
Camellia japonica 'Brushfield's Yellow'
Flowers white with the central double area of ruffled, pale yellow, petal-like stamens. Raised by Keith Brushfield, Somersby, New South Wales, Australia. Int. 1970–71.
Camellia japonica 'C.M. Hovey'
Flowers to 11 cm wide, formal double, crimson; petals symmetrical, imbricate. Presumed raised Hovey & Co. as a seedling. Int. c. 1850
Camellia japonica 'China Doll'
Flowers high centred, informal double, white with fluted petals edged pale pink. Raised H. Schackleford, USA. Int. c. 1960.
Camellia japonica 'Chô-chô-san'
Flowers semi-double to informal double pale pink with long tube of yellow stamens. Imported from Japan to America c. 1936.
Camellia japonica 'Commander Mulroy'
Flowers 7.5–8.5 cm wide, pinkish to white with a pink centre or pink edged, formal double; petals about 60. Raised as a chance seedling, T. Patin, Hammond, Louisiana, USA.
Camellia japonica 'Confetti Blush'
Flowers pink with the petals edged white and with a few red stripes. Sport of 'Confetti' raised by Vern McCaskill, Pasadena, California, USA.
Flowers 8–10 cm wide, pale pink, informal double. Origin uncertain but int. c. 1930.
Flowers 10–10.5 cm wide, pale pink, edged deeper pink, formal, double, petals about 60. Raised by David Feathers, Lafayette, California, USA. First bloomed 1973 and int. c. 1977.
Camellia japonica 'Dewatairin'
('Daitairin') Flowers to 13 cm wide, Elegans form, pale pink, generally with a mass of petal-like stamens in the centre. Extremely early Japanese cultivar.
Camellia japonica 'Dona Herzilia De Frietas Magalhaes'
Flowers red suffused violet, semi double to informal double. Originating from Portugal and int. c. 1949.
Camellia japonica 'Dr Tinsley'
Flowers white with a pink blush, the colour deepening towards the petal edges. Possibly originating McIlhenny's Jungle Gardens, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA c. 1940.
Camellia japonica 'Drama Girl'
Flowers 13–18 cm wide, deep salmon pink, semi-double with 20–30 thick petals. A seedling of 'Latifolia Variegated' originated by Mrs Anne Galli, California, USA.
Camellia japonica 'Easter Morn'
Flowers about 13 cm wide, pink, semi-double with 45–50 petals. Raised by Dr Carleton C. Wright, Sacramento, California, USA as a chance seedling that first bloomed in 1964. Int. c. 1966.
Camellia japonica 'Ecclefield'
Flowers about 13 cm wide, white, informal double with 24–28 petals. Raised as a seedling of 'Joshua E. Youtz' by Mrs Lillian Huthert, Castro Valley, California, USA. Int. c. 1959.
Camellia japonica 'Elegans Champagne'
Flower about 11.5 cm wide, Elegans form, white with cream petal-like stamens and the base of petals sometimes pinkish. A sport of 'Elegans Splendor' raised by Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA. Int. c. 1977.
Camellia japonica 'Elegans Supreme'
Flower 12–15 cm wide, red, Elegans form; petals about 20, ruffled, wavy with 20–30 petal-like stamens in the centre. Raised by W.F. Bray, Pensacola, Florida, USA. Int. c. 1960.
Flowers to 12.5 cm wide, Elegans form, rose with slightly darker venation. Raised from seed of 'Anemoniflora' by Alfred Chandler of Vauxhall, England in 1823. Int. c. 1831.
Camellia japonica 'Emperor of Russia'
Flowers red, informal double with golden stamens among the inner twisted petals that give the flower a multiple appearance. Probably originated from the Stevens plantation at Madison, Florida, USA. Int. c. 1938.
Flowers formal white with the petals having finely fringed edges. Raised in China as a sport of 'Alba Plena' and introduced to England in the early 19th century.
Camellia japonica 'Fiona Capp'
Flowers about 12.5 cm wide, single, white. Raised by R. Wilkins, Rosanna, Victoria as a chance seedling of 'The Czar' that first bloomed in 1968.
Flowers about 5.5 cm wide and exceptionally deep, informal double, blood red. Raised by Otto Schwabe, Rhodelia Nursery, Oregon, USA. Int. c. 1945.
Camellia japonica 'Gauntlettii'
Flowers 10–12.5 cm wide, semi double, white with tuft of golden stamens, sometimes with a few white ones; petals 10–17, notched. Raised in Japan. Int. c. 1905.
Camellia japonica 'Grace Albritton'
Flowers about 7 cm wide, formal double, light pink with 50–60 dark-tipped petals and no stamens. Raised by A.D. Albritton, Talahassie, Florida, USA and first bloomed in 1967. Int. c. 1972.
Camellia japonica 'Grand Prix'
Flowers large, semi-double, with irregular red petals. Raised as a sport at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California. Int. c. 1968.
Camellia japonica 'Grand Slam'
Flower to 13 cm wide, from informal double to semi-double, dark red. Raised as a seedling of unknown parentage at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California that first bloomed in 1957. Int. c. 1962.
Camellia japonica 'Great Eastern'
Flowers semi-double, crimson, often with a small group of petals in the centre. Possibly originated at Camden Park, New South Wales, Australia as a seedling of 'Chandleri'. Int. c. 1872.
Camellia japonica 'Guilio Nuccio'
Flowers 13–15 cm wide, informal-double with 12–15 petals rose, paling towards their tips. A seedling raised in USA as a seedling of the fishtail camellia 'Mermaid'. Int. c. 1955.
Camellia japonica 'Gwenneth Morey'
Flower about 8 cm wide, informal double with about 10 outer white petals surrounding a mound of crimson to cream or yellow petal-like stamens in the centre. Raised by Dr B.R. Morey, New South Wales, Australia as a chance seedling of 'Edith Linton' that first bloomed in 1961. Int. c. 1963.
Flowers about 9 cm wide, formal double with a few contorted petals in the centre, pale pink flecked and striped deep rose. Origin uncertain but probably Australian raised. Int. c. 1848.
Camellia japonica 'Jean Clere'
Flowers informal double similar to 'Aspasia Macarthur' but the colour darker and the petals with a narrow white band around the margin. Raised as a sport of Camden Park's 'Aspasia Macarthur' that was found on an old tree at Taranaki, New Zealand and propagated by R.H. Clere, Hawera, New Zealand. Int. c. 1969.
Camellia japonica 'Jeanette Cousin'
Flowers to 13–15 cm wide, semi-double, pink. Raised by R.T.C. Cousins of Pakenham East, Victoria, Australia and first flowered in 1969. Int. c. 1970.
Flowers small, formal double, white with a pink border. Raised at Azalea Glen Nursery, USA. Int. c. 1955.
Camellia japonica 'Kramer's Supreme'
Flowers large, informal double, bright red and fragrant. Raised as a seedling by Mr August Kramer, Kramer Bros Nursery, Upland, California, USA. Int. c. 1957.
Flowers informal double, salmon pink bordered with white. Originated in Australia as a sport of the Camden Park cultivar 'Aspasia Macarthur'. Int. c. 1889.
Camellia japonica 'Lady Winneke'
Flowers about 6.5 cm wide, informal double, deep red. Raised by Mr L.I. Hobbs, Victoria, Australia as a chance seedling of C. Japonica 'Tinsie' and first flowered in 1978. Int. c. 1981.
Camellia japonica 'Laura Walker'
Flowers mostly about 12.5 cm wide, semi-double, bright red with many stamens and petal-like stamens in the centre. Raised by Mrs J.C. Walker Sr, Marshallville, Georgia, USA as a chance seedling and first flowered in 1953. Int. c. 1956.
Camellia japonica 'Little Slam'
Flowers about 5 cm wide, informal double, deep red. Raised Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA as a seedling that first bloomed in 1967. Int. c. 1969.
Flowers about 13 cm wide, semi-double, white. Raised Harvey Short, Pasadena, California, USA as a seedling of 'Lotus' that first bloomed in 1959. Int. c. 1962.
Camellia japonica 'Margaret Davis'
Flowers informal double, similar to 'Aspasia Macarthur' except cream with the petals edged with pink. Raised in 1958 by A.M. Davis, Cammaray, New South Wales, Australia as a sport of 'Aspasia Macarthur'. Int. c. 1963.
Flowers elegans form, crimson with the outer petals large, flat and crowded, blotched or striped. Raised by Macarthur at Camden Park, New South Wales, Australia as a seedling. Int. c. 1866.
Camellia japonica 'Mark Alan Variegated'
Flowers red, blotched white. Raised in the USA as a virus variegated 'Mark Alan'. Int. c. 1962.
Camellia japonica 'Michael Spry'
Flowers about 12 cm wide, single, pink with 9 notched petals. Raised by William Michael Spry, The Basin, Victoria, Australia and first flowered in 1979.
Flower 10–12 cm wide, semi-double to informal double, dark red with yellow stamens. Raised at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA as a seedling that first bloomed in 1955. Int. c. 1965.
Camellia japonica 'Moonlight Bay'
Flowers about 14.5 cm wide, semi-double, pale pink. Raised at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA as a seedling that first bloomed in 1976. Int. c. 1982.
Flowers semi-double, red with the petals in 3 rows. Original plant raised in Kantô area of Japan as a sport of 'Oki-no-nami'. Int. c. 1788.
Camellia japonica 'Mrs D.W. Davis'
Flowers about 15 cm wide, semi-double, pink with about 15 petals. Raised by D.W. Davis, Seffner, Florida, USA as a seedling of 'Elizabeth Boardman' and first flowered in 1951. Int. c. 1953.
Camellia japonica 'Mrs R.L. Wheeler'
Flowers 10–11 cm wide, formal double, with numerous pink petals that are sometimes deeper coloured or with red markings. Raised at Wheeler's Nursery, Macon, Georgia, USA as a chance seedling that first bloomed in 1945. Int. c. 1962.
Camellia japonica 'Nancy Bird'
Semi-double, pink. Raised in Australia as a pale pink sport of 'Jean Lyne'. Int. c. 1952.
Camellia japonica 'Nuccio's Gem'
Flowers 9–11 cm wide, formal double, white. Raised at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA as a chance seedling that first bloomed in 1965. Int. c. 1970.
Camellia japonica 'Nuccio's Jewel'
Flowers 9–10 cm wide, informal double, petals white shading to pink on the edge. Raised at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA as a seedling that first bloomed in 1974. Int. c. 1978.
Camellia japonica 'Nuccio's Pearl'
Flowers about 8 cm wide, formal double, petals pointed, pale pink with the centre and outer ones darker. Raised at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA as a chance seedling that first bloomed in 1973. Int. c. 1978.
Camellia japonica 'Pearl's Pet'
Flowers miniature, informal double. Raised by Mrs P. Chicco, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Int. c. 1958
Camellia japonica 'Pink Smoke'
Flowers miniature, informal double, pale lavender pink. Raised by David Feathers, Lafayette, California, USA. Int. c. 1970.
Camellia japonica 'Polar Bear'
Flowers about 10 cm wide with open centre revealing stamens and petal-like stamens, creamy white. Raised by E.G. Waterhouse of Gordon, New South Wales, Australia as a seedling of 'Great Eastern'. Int. c. 1957.
Camellia japonica 'Prince Frederick William'
Flowers formal double, pale pink. Raised by Mr Sheather, Paramatta, New South Wales, Australia. Int. c. 1872.
Camellia japonica 'Professor Sargeant'
Flowers informal double, compact with numerous petals, about 8 cm wide, inner petals crumpled, dark crimson. Origin unknown, possibly int. c. 1908.
Camellia japonica 'Red Red Rose'
Flower formal, double, bright red with a raised centre. Raised at McCaskill Gardens, East Pasadena, California, USA. Int. c. 1970.
Camellia japonica 'Roger Hall'
Flowers about 7 cm wide, formal, double, red. Raised by Roger Hall, Tea Tree Gully, South Australia, Australia, as a chance seedling. Int. c. 1979.
Camellia japonica 'Roma Risorta'
Flowers about 12 cm wide, informal double, petals pink lined with carmine and bordered white. Obtained from seed by Delgrande, Rome, Italy. Int. c. 1866.
Flowers about 10 cm wide, semi-double, dark red. Raised by Clark Thomas, San Dimas, California, USA as a chance seedling that first bloomed in 1966. Int. c. 1972.
Flower about 15 cm wide, deep with central petals and petal-like stamens raised, the outer petals notched and curved back. Raised by Wilmer Stewart, Savannah, Georgia, USA as a chance seedling that first bloomed in 1961. Int. c. 1965.
Camellia japonica 'Spencer's Pink'
Flowers single, pink. A seedling of unknown parentage that was sold to Mrs G.A.P. Weymouth, Malvern, Victoria, Australia and transferred to their property at Ferntree Gully in 1908. Obtained by Nobelius Nursery as 'Pink Czar' but listed in their 1939 catalogue as 'Spencer's Pink' after Sir Baldwin Spencer who obtained the property in 1922.
Camellia japonica 'Spring Sonnet'
Flowers pink, petals with deep pink margins. A sport of 'Colonial Lady' first noticed in 1948 but named and introduced c. 1951 by V.O. McCaskill, Pasadena, California, USA.
Camellia japonica 'Sugar Babe'
Flowers about 5 cm wide, dark pink to red. Raised by A.M. Harman, San Fernando, California, USA as a seedling that first flowered in 1954. Int. c. 1959.
Camellia japonica 'Tama-no-ura'
Flowers with 6 red petals, each edged white. Filaments white in a cylindrical cluster. Discovered in the wild by a charcoal burner in 1947 in Tama-no-ura, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan and selected by Konomi. Int. c. 1975.
Camellia japonica 'Tamie Fraser'
Flowers about 11 cm wide, informal double with about 50 petals that have pale pink centres and deeper towards the edges. Raised by the Right Hon. Malcolm Fraser, Nareen, Victoria, Australia. Int. c. 1989.
Flowers about 12–14 cm wide, semi-double, crimson with 3–4 rows of strongly veined petals that bend back to display the cylinder of stamens at least 5 cm long. A mostly sterile triploid cultivar raised by Neil Breslin, East Camberwell, Victoria, Australia, the original plant being removed to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne where it remains today. Int c. 1913.
Flowers semi-double with large petal-like stamens. Raised as a seedling by the Tick Tock Nursery, Thomasville, Georgia, USA and first flowered in 1950. Int. c. 1954.
Camellia japonica 'Tomorrow's Dawn'
Flowers 13–15 cm wide, semi double, pink, whiter towards the outside and with large petal-like stamens. Raised as a sport of 'Tomorrow' by L.W. Ruffin Jr and R.E. Allims, Elisville, Mississippi, USA. Int. c. 1960.
Flowers to 11 cm wide, formal double, pale pink to white, sometimes whiter in the centre. A chance seedling raised by Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, Pasadena, USA. Int. c. 1965.
Flowers large, semi-double, petals thick, pure white. A chance McCaskill seedling. Int. c. 1959.
Flowers pale pink, formal double, the petals incurved, dark edged and with a white-tipped centre. Raised by C.A. Pederson, Downey, California, USA. Int. c. 1951.
Flowers about 10 cm wide, semi-double, orange-red. Raised at Nuccio's Nurseries, Altadena, California, USA as a seedling that first bloomed in 1955. Int. c. 1963.
