Camellia japonica Paddys Perfumed

Camellia 'Paddy's Perfumed' is an innovative hybrid variety of Japanese Camellia, remarkable for the fragrance of its flowers which have very sweet notes, a very unusual fragrance for these bushes. Its light pink flowers, small in size, in the shape of semi-double anemones, bloom from January to March. They are well highlighted by glossy dark green foliage. This bush, with an airy habit, will withstand frosts of -14°C (6.8 °F) without damage. Place it in a shrub bed or flowering hedge, in full sun or partial shade, in acidic and moist soil. Its beauty anticipates the spring!

Camellia 'Paddy's Perfumed,' obtained in 1992 in New Zealand and recently introduced to the European market, belongs to the family of tea plants, just like its ancestor the Camellia japonica. It is the result of cross-breeding between Camellia japonica 'Tama-ikari' and the hybrid 'Esme Spence'. It is a bushy shrub with a rather upright and slightly loose habit, with deep rooting. It will reach a height of about 1.6 m (5 ft) and a spread of 1m (3 ft) at 10 years old. Flowering from January to March, the shrub produces semi-double corollas with a diameter of 8 cm (3 in) and a depth of 3 cm (1.2 in). Composed of 14 petals and 12 rose petaloid sepals, the flowers are occupied in their centre by stamens with golden yellow anthers. The evergreen foliage consists of large elliptical leaves, 9 cm (3.5 in) long and 5 cm (2 in) wide, leathery, dark green and glossy on the upper side. While this shrub is hardy down to -15°C in the ground, its flowering may be compromised by snow, icy winds and temperatures below -5°C (23 °F).

'Paddy's Perfumed' Japanese Camellia thrives in mild and humid climates and flourishes in coastal regions, in acidic, humus-rich and well-drained soil. It will tolerate full sun in favourable climates but will give its best in partial shade, protected from scorching sun and sheltered from strong winds. Plant out in e.g. a shrub bed, together with other acid-loving plants like Rhododendrons,  Azaleas, Cornus Kousa or Kalmia Latifolia. This deliciously fragrant variety deserves a prime spot, near the entrance of the house or in a beautiful pot on the terrace, to be stored away in winter in cold climates.