Camellia japonica Manuroa Road

Camellia ‘Manuroa Road’ is a Japanese camellia prized for its large, perfectly overlappingflowers reminiscent of dahlias. They are beautifully showcased against its dark green, glossy foliage. In a shaded acid soil bed or a large container, this evergreen bush with its very regular habit shines in late winter and spring.

Belonging to the Theaceae family, ‘Manuroa Road’ is a cultivar of Camellia japonica. It was selected in New Zealand at Takanini/Papakura by Neville Haydon; first flowering observed in 1994 and registered in 2001 with the NZ Camellia Society. It originates from a sowing of C. japonica ‘Takanini’, from which it inherits the dark red hue while offering a fuller, more regular flower.
This cultivar has a dense, upright, bushy habit and medium stature; expect approximately 1.50 m in height by 0.90 m in spread in 10 years, and up to 2–2.50 m by 1.50 m at maturity in open ground. In a pot, its dimensions often remain below 1.20 m. The large flowers (around 10–12 cm in diameter) are double, very overlapping, very dark, uniform red, with no visible stamens; they bloom from March to May. The foliage is evergreen, leathery, dark green and glossy; the ovate to elliptical, finely toothed leaves measure 6 to 10 cm long. The root system is rather shallow, fibrous and spreading: avoid compact soils and deep digging near its base. It is hardy to  −12 to −15 °C in a sheltered position.

Plant Camellia ‘Manuroa Road’ in an acidic, fertile, humus-bearing soil that remains moist in summer but is well-drained, in bright partial shade and sheltered from cold winds; avoid scorching sun. In a bed, pair it with other evergreen acid-loving shrubs: Pieris ‘Forest Flame’ for its colourful spring bud burst period, Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Koichiro Wada' for its apple-blossom flowering that takes over, Japanese Azalea 'Hino-Crimson' for edging, and Sarcococca confusa for its winter fragrance, to be placed in the background. At the edge, add ferns and late hellebores to cover the ground without competing with its shallow roots.