Camellia lutchuensis Quintessence
Camellia lutchuensis Quintessence
Camellia lutchuensis Quintessence
Camellia lutchuensis Quintessence
Camellia x lutchuensis 'Quintessence'
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Available in 2 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 2 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
This plant carries a 24 months recovery warranty
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We guarantee the quality of our plants for a full growing cycle, and will replace at our expense any plant that fails to recover under normal climatic and planting conditions.
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Description
Camellia ‘Quintessence’ is a wild camellia that forms a small bush with a naturally low and spreading habit, very floriferous in late winter: its white corollas, sometimes tinged with pale pink, emit a delicious musky fragrance. Its flexible silhouette and slow growth work well in a pot, at the front of borders or edging a light woodland. Wild camellia thrives in moist, humid climates, in non-calcareous, humus-bearing, well-drained soil.
From the Theaceae family, ‘Quintessence’ is a cross-breeding between Camellia japonica and Camellia lutchuensis; it was obtained in New Zealand by J. C. Lesnie in the 1980s. The very fragrant parent species C. lutchuensis is native to the Loo-Choo islands, today Ryūkyū (Okinawa), located southwest of the Japanese archipelago.
'Quintessence' has a spreading, even slightly trailing habit, with fine, flexible stems and slow growth. The bush reaches between 50 cm and 1 m in height with a spread of 70 cm to 1.50 m at maturity. In a pot, it remains between 40 and 60 cm tall. The evergreen foliage consists of small to medium, ovate, leathery, dark green and glossy leaves. The semi-double flowers are small (3–4 cm in diameter), white to cream, pink-edged, and bloom from February to April. At the centre of the corollas, the clearly visible straw-yellow stamens emit a pronounced musky fragrance. The hardiness generally observed for this variety is around −12 to −14 °C.
Place Camellia ‘Quintessence’ at the front of an acidic soil border, as a groundcover under Japanese maples or deciduous magnolias, at the edge of a low wall or in a large container on a slightly shaded terrace; its flexible silhouette trails prettily in a shady rockery. Pair it with evergreen bushes that highlight its white flowers: Leucothoe keiskei 'Burning Love' with its purplish young leaves, Sarcococca hookeriana humilis with its fragrant winter flowering, Nandina 'Blush Pink' for its year-round colourful foliage. Combine it with other compact and fragrant varieties like the wild Camellias ‘Fairy Blush’ or ‘Cinnamon Cindy’. In a pot, use a substrate for acid-loving plants and water regularly with non-calcareous water.
The name Camellia was given to the plant in 1735 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Von Linné, in homage to Georg Josef Kamel (Latinised to "Camellus"), an apothecary in the service of the Jesuits in the Philippines at the end of the 17th century. It would be 1792 before the Camellia arrived in Europe.
Camellia lutchuensis Quintessence in pictures
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Camellia
x lutchuensis
'Quintessence'
Theaceae
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Camellia 'Quintessence' thrives particularly well in temperate climates, not too cold in winter, not too hot in summer, and humid year-round. It can be placed in a partially shaded spot or in non-scorching sun, sheltered from cold and drying winds. Plant it in moist, humus-bearing, acidic to neutral, fertile, and well-drained soil. Do not plant the bush too deeply; the top of the root ball should be covered by 3 cm. In winter, cover the base with a 5 to 7 cm thick mulch formed of leaf compost and crushed bark. Beware of late frosts, which can damage the flowers and buds. During dry periods, water the bush with non-calcareous water to prevent bud drop.
Mature leaves that turn yellow, with veins that remain green, are a sign that the camellia is suffering from chlorosis. This is most often a symptom of iron deficiency. It occurs in soils containing active limestone. Repeated watering with calcareous water also induces this phenomenon, even if the bush was initially planted in an acidic substrate. To correct this deficiency, you can use treatments based on chelated iron.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, etc.)
It will vary according to where you live:- In zones 9 to 10 (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), flowering will occur about 2 to 4 weeks earlier.
- In zones 6 to 7 (Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and lower mountainous regions), flowering will be delayed by 2 to 3 weeks.
- In zone 5 (Central Europe, Scandinavia), blooming will be delayed by 3 to 5 weeks.
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands).
It will vary according to where you live:
- In Mediterranean zones (Marseille, Madrid, Milan, etc.), autumn and winter are the best planting periods.
- In continental zones (Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, etc.), delay planting by 2 to 3 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 2 to 4 weeks in autumn.
- In mountainous regions (the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, etc.), it is best to plant in late spring (May-June) or late summer (August-September).
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
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