Camellia Bettys Beauty

Evergreen shrub with a bushy habit, Betty's Beauty is a Camellia variety with white petals edged in pink and shiny dark green leaves.

Camellia Betty's Beauty is a particularly remarkable bush, of medium size: it will reach approximately 1.20 m (4 ft) in height and 1 m (3 ft) in width, and it has peony-like flowers with a diameter of 10 cm, semi-double, white edged in pink, with a bouquet of yellow stamens in the centre. It flowers generously and quite early, from February to April. Its dark green leaves are oval-shaped, measuring from 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) in length, and are evergreen.

Hardy down to -15°C, Camellia Betty's Beauty likes a light, humus-rich soil, preferably acidic as it is an acid-loving plant. Pure ericaceous soil is not recommended, but adding leaf compost is greatly appreciated. Avoid poorly drained areas. Limestone is the main enemy of camellias. In humid and mild climates they can tolerate all exposures, but in dry and very sunny climates it is best to plant them in partial shade or shade. Camellias appreciate a site sheltered from strong winds and spring frosts. Planting at the base of a wall or fence generally yields good results.

To keep it company, you can plant it in a bed with other ericaceous plants such as rhododendrons and azaleas, hydrangeas, viburnums. Or it can stand alone on a short grass meadow, in a pot on a terrace, or in the shade of tall trees.

The name Camellia was given to the plant in 1735 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, in tribute to Georg Josef Kamel (Latinized as "Camellus"), an apothecary in the service of the Jesuits in the Philippines in the late 17th century.

Camellia Betty's Beauty originates from the USA in 1976, selected by F. Moore from West Covina, California.