To-Tsubaki

Description

Camellia reticulata (syn. C. heterophylla) is a species of Camellia native to southwestern China, in Yunnan Province. The wild populations are restricted to mixed mountain forest in western and central Yunnan. It is a loosely branched shrub or small tree, which can grow up to 10 to 15 meters (33 to 49 ft) in height. The leaves are elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 5-11 centimetres (2.0-4.3 in) long and 4-5.5 centimetres (1.6-2.2 in) wide. The flowers are 7-10 centimetres (2.8-3.9 in) in diameter, or larger in some cultivars, soft-pink to deep-pink and rarely almost white, with 5-7 petals or more in some cultivars, and are produced in sub-terminal or axillary positions on the branch. The fruit is a light brown, three-segmented capsule, about 5 centimetres (2.0 in) in diameter that ripens in the fall