There are over 200 species of camellia all native to India, China or Japan. Of these, about 45 are in cultivation with 20,000 different selections grown and described over the generations.

Conspicuous flowers complete with handsome evergreen leaves make this group of plants unique. They give great colour to gardens very early in spring.

Their idiosyncrasy is that they should not be planted where they will receive a dose of early morning sun as this can damage the flowers. However, they are perfect for sheltered areas and they can tolerate more windy conditions than many other popular plants. They can also tolerate acid soils.

Colours range from pinks and whites to reds and the beautiful flowers come as singles and doubles.

The sasanqua – otherwise known as mountain tea flower – is one of our favourites at TENDERCARE. It flowers much earlier in the year, from late autumn through to winter. It is characterized by its fragrance and its dark green narrow leaves.