Deciduous Camellia
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Tea family (Theaceae)
A beautiful typographical error
This attractive tree comes from the mountain forests of Japan and Korea. Its Japanese name, natsutsubaki, means ‘summer camellia’. The white flowers are very similar in appearance to those of the Camellia. The sturdy green leaves contrast nicely with the red of the petioles and young twigs. Flowering takes place in the second half of the summer when few other trees are flowering. This makes the tree an attractive addition to large gardens.
Carl Linnaeus named the genus Stewartia in 1753 after the third Earl of Bute, John Stuart. The name should therefore have been Stuartia but Linnaeus made a clerical error, resulting in the British (especially) botanical community making an issue out of it. Finally the international scientific community decided on Stewartia.
Themes
Crown jewel in the Zuidas Botanic Garden.
Often grown in cultivation. The elliptic, dark green foliage turns attractive shades of reddish-orange and burgundy in autumn. Exfoliating, reddish-brown bark provides good winter colour and interest.
Details
Description: | Tree, shrub, up to 10–15 m (rarely to 18 m) tall, with a pyramidal habit often multi-trunked or branching low, with a flaky bark. |
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Distributions: | Japan |
Year cycle: | Perennial (polycarpic decidous) |
Hardiness: | 5 - 14 f (hardy - cold winter) |
Flowering period: | April |
Flower color: | White |
Notes on flowers: | White camelia-like flowers with bright yellow stamens grow singly or in pairs. |
Fruit color: | Brown |
At its best: | April, september - november |