How do you recognise Common camellia (Camellia japonica)?

Leaf

些細な日常, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Common camellia

Camellia japonica L.

Also known as: Japanese camellia, Camellia

Family: Theaceae

2 to 5 m tall, often less in cold climates

Gardens, acid soils, sheltered from scorching sun

Flowering: December – April

Part shade

Shade

Hardy to -12°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

One of the few shrubs to flower in midwinter, sometimes under snow. Sasanqua camellia flowers in autumn and winter with smaller leaves, whereas common camellia flowers in spring with larger leaves and often more double flowers.

🍃 Leaves

Evergreen, oval, leathery, glossy dark green

🌸 Flowers

Large, single or double, red, pink or white, unscented

🍎 Fruits

Brown woody capsule, rarely seen in cool climates

🪵 Bark

Smooth grey trunk and twigs

🗺️ Distribution

China, Japan, Korea; widely grown as an ornamental in France, notably in the west with its mild oceanic climate.

🐝 Value for pollinators

Winter to spring flowering with little nectar, occasionally visited by a few insects when few other flowers are available.

✂️ Horticultural uses

Planted as a specimen, in borders or in pots for its large ornamental flowers, in acid soil and partial shade.

⚠️ Possible toxicity

No known toxicity.

🌱 Known cultivars

Alba Plena

One of the oldest camellias in cultivation in the world (known since the late 18th century): very regular double flowers of pure white, with more than 100 petals, opening early in the season.

Adolphe Audusson

Award-winning camellia (RHS AGM) of compact habit, bearing large semi-double bright red flowers with prominent golden-yellow stamens; one of the most widely planted red camellias in France.

⚠️ Look-alike species

Common camellia

Camellia japonica

Sasanqua camellia

Camellia sasanqua

Sasanqua camellia flowers in autumn and winter with smaller leaves, whereas common camellia flowers in spring with larger leaves and often more double flowers.

Common camellia

Camellia japonica

Indian azalea

Rhododendron simsii

Both are evergreen shrubs with colourful flowers in late winter/spring — camellia has much larger, glossy leaves and rose-shaped flowers, azalea has small hairy leaves and funnel-shaped flowers borne in clusters

🌿 Other Theaceae to discover

Japanese stewartia

Stewartia pseudocamellia

Sasanqua camellia

Camellia sasanqua

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.