Camellia x reticulata Dr Clifford Parks

The Camellia reticulata 'Dr Clifford Parks' is an exceptional variety due to the size of its flowers. Growing quite vigorously, it gradually forms a large bush with dark, glossy evergreen foliage that provides a perfect setting for the flowering display. From February onwards, the floral buds open to reveal semi-double flowers with intricate petals, reaching up to 15 cm in diameter. The undulating petals in a bright red shade contrast beautifully with the golden stamens, creating a colourful and stunning display. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful bushes to welcome spring in the garden, it thrives in cool and moist conditions, shielded from intense sunlight by a canopy of vegetation.

The Camellia belongs to the Theaceae family, renowned for the tea produced from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. This plant family comprises about ten genera, including some ornamental ones such as x Gordlinia, a hybrid between the Gordonia and Franklinia genera, or the Stewartia whose flowers clearly show their relation to Camellias. The Camellia genus is very diverse, with classifications varying from about a hundred to 250 species, originating from Asia. Beloved by the Japanese and many garden enthusiasts, this plant also inspires professional breeders, resulting in the existence of around 40,000 varieties today!
'Dr Clifford Parks' hails from the United States where it first bloomed in 1970, before being registered as a new variety in 1972. It is a cross between Camellia japonica 'Kramer's Supreme', a large variety with cherry red peony-like flowers, and Camellia reticulata 'Crimson Robe', an old variety from 1948 with carmine red flowers and yellow centres. While Camellia japonica originates from Japan and Korea, where it grows as a small tree reaching 8 to 10 m in height, Camellia reticulata thrives in China, specifically in the Yunnan province, in mountainous regions at altitudes of 2000 to 3000 m, reaching the same size as C. japonica.
'Dr Clifford Parks' Camellia reticulata exhibits a much more modest growth pattern, as even though its growth is relatively vigorous and quite rapid, after 10 years of cultivation it will form a bush approximately 2 m tall and 1.50 m wide, reaching 3 m by 2.50 m at maturity, or slightly more in favourable conditions. The elliptical-shaped leaves, measuring about ten centimetres in length, have finely serrulate margins. Thin and leathery, they emerge in bronze tones before turning dark green, with a glossy appearance. Evergreen, they remain decorative throughout the seasons and particularly enhance nearby light blooms. They also provide a dark backdrop for the bush's own flowers. These flowers bloom from February to April, creating a spectacle in the garden with their unusually large dimensions, reaching up to 15 cm in diameter for the largest ones! Their appearance exudes a certain romanticism, with a shape between an "anemone flower" and a "peony flower" commonly used to describe Camellias. The undulating petals, in a bright red slightly leaning towards orange, seem to dance with the golden stamen, providing a stunning display in late winter and early spring.

'Dr Clifford Parks' Camellia is one of the most spectacular bushes to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of the beautiful season. To create a stunning winter scene, you can pair it with Hamamelis, or Witch Hazels, whose curious filament-like flowers in yellow, red, or orange hues bloom as early as December in some varieties. The Stachyurus praecox, unfairly underrated, will enchant you at the same time with its long clusters of small yellow bell-shaped flowers, while its foliage beautifully turns red and orange in autumn. And to cover the ground in the loveliest way, plant some clumps of Ostrich Fern (Matteucia struthiopteris) with its stunningly cut fronds in a beautiful light green shade.