Camellia reticulata Shot Silk

The large Dinner plate blossoms of Reticulata camellias have been strangely forgotten by most gardeners , and truly challenge the beauty and size of Paeonia … As a child my father lined our driveway with perhaps 6 reticulata cultivars including Shot Silk , and in flower were gob smacking … Large semi double pink-red blooms , uniquely spotted white … Early flowering extremely strong grower , making a small tree … Endemic species of southwestern China, in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces I first saw these over 30 years ago in temples & monasteries hundreds of years old , truly magnificent sight

Family: Theaceae