Camellia williamsii Buttons N Bows

Camellia × williamsii ‘Buttons n Bows’ produces not very big but prettily formed pale pink double corollas with shiny, evergreen foliage. It thrives in a partially shaded bed, in an informal hedge, or in a large pot on a sheltered terrace. Like other camellias, it requires non-calcareous, rich, and well-drained soil. Its early flowering adds much charm to winter and into spring.

Botanically, ‘Buttons n Bows’ belongs to the Theaceae family. It is listed as Camellia × williamsii, a hybrid group resulting from cross-breeding between C. japonica and C. saluenensis. This cultivar was developed by Nuccio’s Nurseries (Altadena, California, USA), registered with the American Camellia Society in 1986 after its first flowering was observed in 1981; it is a spontaneous sowing.
The name ‘Buttons n Bows’ describes the small, frilled, ribbon-like petals that form the flower. This bush is naturally compact, upright, and bushy. At 10 years old, it measures approximately 1.20 m tall by 1 m wide. In the ground, the plant reaches 1.80 m in height with a 1.20 m spread; in a pot, its growth will be more contained. The evergreen foliage is composed of ovate, leathery, glossy, dark green, finely toothed leaves, measuring 5 to 10 cm long. The root system is clumping and rather shallow; it appreciates acidic soils, rich in humus, moist, without excess water, and very well-drained. 
Flowering occurs from late winter to mid-spring, depending on the climate, from January-February to April, sometimes until May. The flowers measure 6 to 8 cm in diameter. They are fully double, formed of incurved and slightly crinkled, pale pink petals with a deeper shade at the petal edges and in the centre of the corolla. This variety is considered hardy to -12/-15 °C in a sheltered position with well-drained soil.

Place the Buttons n Bows camellia in partial shade, sheltered from cold winds and the scorching afternoon sun; a light woodland understory, or an east or north-east facing façade suits it very well. In the ground, it creates charming informal hedges, mixed with other varieties of different colours. In a pot, choose a container at least 40–50 cm in diameter. Pair it with other acidic soil bushes that flower around the same time: pale pink Pieris japonica ‘Katsura’ or ‘Little Heath' for its pink spring shoots, Sarcococca hookeriana for its winter fragrance, and other camellias like ‘Nuccio’s Pearl’, ‘Debutante’ or ‘Kramer’s Supreme’.