Practical
Plants

Camellia japonica

Camellia

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Camellia genus in the family Theaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Theaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
10 m
Spread
8 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An edible oil is obtained from the seed[3][19][2]. It is called 'tsubaki oil'[12]. Dried flowers - cooked[2]. Used as a vegetable or mixed with gelatinous-rice to make a Japanese food called 'mochi'[12]. The leaves are a tea substitute[6][9][10][12].

Plant part
Flowers
Product or use
Oil
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The flowers are astringent, antihaemorrhagic, haemostatic, salve and tonic[10][15]. When mixed with sesame oil they are used in the treatment of burns and scalds[15]. The plant has shown anticancer activity[15].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Cancer
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A non-drying oil is obtained from the seed - used as a hair-dressing[17][19]. The oil consists mainly of olein it is not subject to polymerize or oxidize, nor does it form solids at low temperatures[8]. A green dye is obtained from the pink or red petals[7].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Oil

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Woods in hills and down to sea level near the coast in C. and S. Japan[18].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - can be sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[4]. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water and the hard covering around the micropyle should be filed down to leave a thin covering[20][4][5]. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 23°c[5]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are more than 15cm tall and give them some protection from winter cold for their first year or three outdoors[K]. Cuttings of almost ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, August/September in a shaded frame. High percentage but slow[20]. Cuttings of firm wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, end of June in a frame[3][20]. Keep in a cool greenhouse for the first year[3]. Leaf-bud cuttings, July/August in a frame.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a woodland soil but thrives in a warm open well-drained loam if leafmould is added[1][3][13]. A calcifuge plant, preferring a pH around 5[3][13]. Prefers the partial shade of a light woodland[13], it also grows well on a north-west aspect[3] and on sunless walls[14]. This is a very cold hardy plant, but it cannot tolerate cold winds[3]. Plants should be given a position shaded from the morning sun in order to protect the flowers from late frosts[16]. Prefers a wet summer and a cool but not very frosty dry winter[13]. Plants are not very self-compatible, self-fertilized flowers produce few seeds and these are of low viability[13]. A very ornamental plant[3]. A large amount of named forms have been developed, mainly for their ornamental value[3][13]. Many of them tolerate full sun[11][13]. Camellias are a valuable commercial crop in Asia, where they are cultivated for the oil obtained from their seed. Many of the cultivars grown in Britain do not set seed, unfortunately. The following cultivars have been seen with good crops of seeds:- 'Alba Simplex'; 'Coppelia'; 'Guillio Nuccio'; 'Jupiter'[K].The sub-species C. japonica macrocarpa. Masam. has larger fruits than the type, looking like small apples. The sub-species C. japonica rusticana (Honda.)Kitamura. is a hardier form from N. Japan where it grows at higher altitudes than the species and withstands long snowy winters[3][16].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10

  4. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

  5. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-12-136450-x

    ↩

  7. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  8. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

  9. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  10. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩1↩2

  11. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩

  12. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  14. Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-670-82929-3

    ↩

  15. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  16. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩1↩2

  17. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  18. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

  19. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

  20. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

Edit this page