Is the camellia a woody plant? An introduction to the botanical characteristics of the camellia

Other names for the camellia

The camellia is also called shancha or shancha hua

Growth habits of the camellia

The camellia is a shrub or small tree in the genus Camellia, family Theaceae.

The camellia fears wind and likes sun, and the planting site is best on high, open ground with good air circulation. It likes a warm, humid environment.

The soil is best loose, fertile sandy loam, loess, or humus soil, with good drainage.

The suitable growing temperature is 20~32°C. Growth stops above 29°C, and at 35°C the leaves will show scorching. A certain temperature difference is required. Most cultivars can tolerate a low of -8°C.

Main camellia cultivars

There are roughly 2000 camellia cultivars, which can be divided into 3 major groups and 12 flower forms. By 2013 China had more than 306 camellia cultivars.

Single form - Petals in 1-2 whorls, 5-7 in number, joined at the base, mostly tubular, and fertile.

Semi-double form - Petals in 3-5 whorls, around 20 in number, sometimes nearly 50.

Double form - Petals in 3-5 whorls, around 20 in number, sometimes nearly 50.

Most stamens are petaloid, the petals increase naturally, and the petal count is above 50.

Camellia propagation methods

There are many ways to propagate the camellia, and both sexual and asexual propagation can be used, among which cuttings and approach grafting are the most common.