Peacock Camellia. Sometimes this cultivar will be listed as 'Hakuhan-kujaku'. "Kujaku" is "peacock" in Japanese and "Tsubaki" means Camellia. This is a captivating selection which has long narrow "willow-like" leaves which hang from its pendulous branches. The flowers are always displayed in the hanging position, never upright. They have deep red petals with irregular white splashes throughout. This plant has always attracted attention in our garden, probably more from its growth habit than from its flowers. It is very slow to get any size because of its weeping habit, but like any other Camellia japonica it can get quite large, even to small tree proportions. I don't know the ultimate size, but is probably much less than the typical Camellia japonica. Always remember, plant Camellias shallow. I have been asked to diagnose Camellia problems on numerous occasions, and 90% of the time a plant was planted too deeply. And give them good drainage. They are a very long-lived plant. One of the four original Camellia plants brought into American by Andre Michaux, chief gardener of King Louis XVI of France, and given to his friend Henry Middleton (who served as president of the Continental Congress) is still alive at Middleton Gardens just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. His son Arthur Middleton was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Zones 7-9
