Camellia japonica Bokuhan

The Camellia 'Bokuhan' is an old Japanese variety that deserves to be rediscovered. It concentrates in its small red and white anemone flowers all the refinement of Japanese camellias from another era. It produces, from January onwards, an abundance of refined and contrasting small flowers that display a small frilly white heart on a corolla of bright red petals, highlighted by very beautiful shiny foliage of dark green. The slow growth and moderate development of this camellia make it an excellent candidate for small gardens and container cultivation. Hardy, this camellia prefers partial shade, acidic and light soils, and humid climates.

Camellia 'Bokuhan', introduced to Japan in the 18th century, belongs to the Theaceae family, like its ancestor Camellia japonica. It is a slow-growing shrub with a bushy and upright habit, deep rooting, which will reach about 1.2 m (4 ft) in height and 80 cm (1 ft) in width at 10 years old, under good growing conditions. From February to March it produces numerous small anemone-type flowers, measuring 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3 in) in diameter. They are composed of a heart in which numerous white petaloids, barely touched with pink, are tightly packed at the centre of a corolla of 7 to 8 shiny red petals. The stamens are barely visible in the centre of the flower. Its evergreen foliage is composed of large elliptical leaves, 6.5 to 8 cm (3 in) long and 4.5 to 5.5 cm (2.2 in) wide, finely dentate on the edges, leathery, dark green, and glossy on the upper side. While this shrub is hardy down to -15°C (5 °F) in the ground, its flowering may be compromised by snow, icy wind, and temperatures below -5°C (23 °F).

The Japanese camellia 'Bokuhan' prefers mild and humid climates and thrives best in coastal regions, in acidic, humus-rich, and well-drained soil. It will tolerate full sun in favourable climates but it is in partial shade, protected from scorching sun and sheltered from strong winds, that it will perform best. Plant it e.g. in a shrub bed, along with other acid-loving plants like Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Cornus Kousa, Japanese Maples, or even Kalmia Latifolia. But it would be a shame to drown this original variety in a jumble of foliage or flowers. It deserves a special place, near the entrance of the house or in a beautiful pot on the terrace, to be stored away in winter in very cold climates.