What Does the Camellia Flower Look Like?

Camellia sinensis, the major source for tea leaves brought to the world by Asia, is prized for its leaves. However, the flower of the camellia plant is a showy, delicate beauty sometimes similar to a rose and sometimes to a peony. There are six distinct forms of the camellia flower and a wide range of colors depending on the species and variety.

Class I: Single

According to the Alabama cooperative extension system, there are six classes with identifiable characteristics separating various flower forms of the camellia. Class I, a simple eight-or-fewer petaled flower with only one row and a center of bunched stamens, is the single form. This flower form's petals resemble that of a wild rose. C. buxifolia, a white bloom, and C. lapidea, a dark pink to red blossom, are two single species.

Class II: Semi-Double

There are a wide variety of the class II species of camellia, known as the semi-double. These blooms have at least two rows of petals surrounding a loosely gathered group of stamens. The petals may be aligned regularly (symmetrically) with the center or irregularly (asymmetrically). One C. japonica variety, Magnolia Pixie, sports lovely coral pink, semi-double petals. Another C. japonica semi-double, Lady Vansittart, has showy white-veined pink blooms with wavy edges.

Class III: Anemone

An anemone flower, with large petals surrounding a showy center of dark stamens, is the namesake for this camellia flower form. The class III anemone form has a center with not only stamens, but also tiny, irregular petals called petaloids bunching and curling together into a ball-like shape. The Elegans Supreme and Elegans Variegated are two C. japonica varieties with lovely anemone form blooms. The Supreme has lighter pink interior petaloids and irregular petals, moving to darker pink petals in the outer rows. The Variegated has pink-and-white petals.

Class IV: Peony

Most gardeners are familiar with the mop-headed, ruffly petaled peony that is the star of any spring or early summer landscape. The class IV camellia flower form takes after this feminine floral royalty. Whether loose form or full, these rounded blooms have petals growing every direction, creating a wavy affect similar to ballgown skirts. Some of the more dramatic camellia flowers are of this class, starting with the C. hiemalis Greens Blues, a dramatic lavender-colored bloom, and the C. japonica Grand Marshall Variegated, a large, dark red and striking white beauty.

Class V: Rose Form Double

The rose, opening from the outside petals and slowly revealing the center stamens, is the form that class V camellia flowers follow. Eventually, the stamen center will be visible and the petals gently overlap in each row, creating a rose-like effect. This distinguishes it from the similar class VI or formal double form, which will not reveal its stamens even when fully open. C. sasanqua Midnight Ruby is striking with a deep purple-red color, easy to mistake for a rose. Much like the petals of a rose, C. reticulata Phillis Hunt has a range of color from a light to deep pink, fringed with dark pink edges.

Class VI: Formal Double

Class VI formal double-formed camellias have the most eye-catching, full petaled rows of any camellia flower. This form is thick with masses of petals aligned to the center, which is covered with a ball-like curve of petals that will not completely open. The delicate pink C. japonica Lady Fernanda is light-centered with heavenly pink curving petals out to the last, full row. Landon Waters, also C. japonica in species, has a hot pink, candy-coated stripe to its white petals in the full, formal double style.

References

• University of Florida, IFAS extension, Camellias in Florida
• Clemson University Cooperative Extension, Camellia
• American Camellia Society, Camellia Encyclopedia