Camellia japonica Margaret Davis

Camellia japonica 'Margaret Davis' is a variety highly sought-after for its large peony-like flowers, double, of opalescent white with delicately variegated pink edges. They appear from February to March on a bush of erect habit dressed in tough, glossy, dark green foliage, forming a permanent decoration in the garden. This camellia is an evergreen, compact bush of small size that can be planted on its own, in a flowerbed or container, in a rather shaded site and in soil that remains moist, with an acidic tendency.

The 'Margaret Davis' Camellia, an Australian creation from 1958, belongs to the tea family, just like its ancestor the Camellia japonica. It is a fairly branched bush with an upright habit, which reaches about 1.50 m (5 ft) in height with a 1 m (3 ft) spread. From February to April it produces floral buds that open into large, perfectly formed flowers composed of 40 firm, wide and rounded petals in a shell-like shape, regularly overlapping, arranged in 9 to 10 rows. The petals located in the centre of the corolla gradually reduce in size. The evergreen foliage is composed of large elliptical leaves, 8-9 cm (3.5 in) in length and 4.5 cm (1.8 in) in width, tough, finely toothed on the edges, dark green and slightly glossy on the upper side. While this bush is hardy down to -15°C in open ground, its floral buds can be destroyed by snow, icy winds and temperatures below -5°C (23 °F).

The 'Margaret Davis' Japanese Camellia prefers rather mild and humid climates and thrives in coastal regions, in acidic, humus-rich and well-drained soil. It will tolerate non-scorching sun in favourable (e.g. coastal) climates but it is in partial shade or even shade, protected from intense sun and sheltered from strong winds, that it will perform best. You can plant it e.g. in a shrub bed alongside other acid-loving plants such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Cornus Kousa or Kalmia Latifolia. The bicoloured flowers and elegantly glossy foliage of 'Margaret Davis' would benefit from being planted near the entrance of the house, or in a beautiful pot on the terrace, to be stored away in winter in very cold climates.