Koshi-No-Fubuki Camellia. When one speaks of a "variegated" Camellia in America, one is expecting variegated flowers, but in Japan, when one says "variegated" Camellia, they are usually speaking of the foliage. This is one of the older variegated foliage Camellias in Japan. It is a genetic variegation rather than a virus induced variegation, as most Camellia flowers are. But the more fascinating aspect of this plant is that each flush of growth alternates with a different variegation. One flush will have more speckled leaves, with the next flush showing a more defined marginal variegation. It has a 2-3" single red flower with yellow stamens. Because of its heavy variegation, it is a slow grower, so one should not depend on it to make a very large plant. The Japanese cultivar name of 'Koshi-no-Fubuki' roughly means, "a snowstorm in Niigata Prefecture." Our good friend in Japan, Makiko Kobayashi, helped me with the translation. Give this cultivar the typical Camellia environment of high filtered shade with good drainage. One of the worst maladies for a Camellia is for a gardener to plant them too deeply, particularly in a heavy soils. If one is experiencing a non-thrifty plant, check its planting depth and if possible, pull the soil back exposing its top roots, then mulch with pine straw or bark, a mulch that "breaths" well. If the plant is small enough, I would recommend digging it and re-planting it with its root ball slightly elevated above the surrounding growing medium. The last image is courtesy of Mike See.
Zones 7-10
