What an unexpected pleasure to see a Camellia blooming in December.  They normally bloom late winter into spring.

 

This beauty is Camellia japonica, variety unknown to me.  I took this picture on Thursday, December 7th, before the big snowfall.  The bush will be fine, but the blossoms may have gotten burned by the cold.  We might have to wait a while to see more blooms.

 

Camellias are evergreen shrubs with glossy green leaves.  They grow well here in North Carolina.   They love acid soil and our warm, humid weather.  They don't really love full sun, their leaves get burned.  They do best when planted in partial shade.  I've seen beautiful hedges of Camellias, used to screen a parking lot, or unsightly building.  

 

Camellias have been grown in China and Japan for centuries.  And there are about 100 species, and hundreds of cultivated varieties.  The ones we see most often are Camellia japonica, with large leaves and large flowers, and Camellia sasanqua, with smaller leaves and smaller flowers.  Another species of value is the Camellia sinensis, whose leaves are used to make tea (like Lipton Tea.)

 

I hope to see more Camellias in bloom this winter;  they always make me smile.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!