Species and cultivars

Camellia japonica	Coming from China, then Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. They are the most famous and are very popular. This specie regroups thousands cultivars of various flower sizes, foliage, habits and colors. Flowering during  winter or spring.
Higo Camellias	Coming form the old Japanese province of Higo (now Kumamoto), on the southern island of Kyushu, selected by lords of the Samuraï. They constitute a group of 120 cultivars inside Camellia Japonica. The flowers are always single and the stamens are proeminent.
Hybrids	Coming from marriage between species, hybrids are recent (1930). Some are cold resistants. The form and color ranges are varied. Flowering during winter or spring.
Camellia reticulata	Coming from southwest of China, Yunnan. Very large flowers and hundreds of cultivars. Flowering during spring. For temperate climates.
Camellia sasanqua	Specie coming from Japan. Flowering in autumn. Often fragrant (smells jasmine tea). Camellia sasanqua  gave hundreds of cultivars.
Species	Wild camellias

Flower form or style

Single	Five to eight petals in one row.
Semi-double	Two or more rows of large regular, irregular or loose outer petals (nine or more). With proeminent stamen.
Rose-Form Double	Petals are imbricated or overlapped as informal double, but opening to reveal stamen display in a concave center.
Formal Double	Many rows of petals (sometimes more than a hundred), usually with central cone of tightly furled petals.
Peony Form or Informal Double	A mass of raised petals with petaloids (parts of the flower that have assumed the appearance of small, narrow or twisted petals).
Anemone Form	One or more layers of large outer petals with a mass of petaloids ans stamens in the center.

Flower size

Miniature	3 to 6 cm
Small	6 to 8 cm
Medium	8 to 10 cm
Large	10 to 13 cm
Very Large	Over 13 cm

Color aspects

Graduated Shading	The main color can shade from the center to the edge of the petal. The flowering can begin with a color (pink here) which shades and brightens as the flower opens out.
Hemmed	The flowers are bicolors. A dominant color (pink here) fills allmost all the petal surface. The edges have a different color.
Striped and stieted	The petals have several colors and some of them are striped or strieted. Some have the term "Nishiki" in their name (ie 'Nishiki Kirin') to emphasis this characteristic.

Habits

Compact	The plant is branched. Growing tall and wide. Suitable for hedging.
Upright	Pruning can help to develop a better-shaped plant.
Bushy	The plant is branched and dense, like a bush. Pruning can avoid overcrowding.
Slender	The plant is narrow and columnar. Easy to train. For small area.
Weeping	With pendulous branches.
Spread	Some plants have a tendency to spread instead of growing. Suitable for big area.
Dwarf	Suitable for bonsaï.

Flowering season

	Northern Hemisphere	Southern Hemisphere
Early	October to January	March to June
Mid-season	January to March	June to August
Late-season	March to May	August to October
Early to late	November to April	April to September

© Cathie - www.lovcam.org
17/12/2011