Hurrah that's great Nollie. At least you know it is healthy now. Those buds look huge, you would think it was going to be a dense very double one. It is rather nice. Is it scented?
Thanks folks, it was not so much when it flowered, I know they vary from Autumn to Spring flowering, but the amount of time it took to get there! The buds are huge indeed. Shame I don’t know which one it is, but will post another pic when fully open.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Yes there's no such variety as Winter Queen... red japonica Camellias usually flower march/april in Britain..
Here is mine today, which is very similar to yours.. however I think it's unlikely to be the same one... their buds develop the previous summer/autumn and remain fat over winter.. a lot will drop off or turn brown I find.. but many remain to flower in Spring..
I should add, one of the most commonest and popular reds is called 'Adolphe Audusson'. When your flower opens fully look at images of that one and see if you think it's similar..
Thanks Marlorena, it’s definitely a Japonica, and what you say about the buds remaining fat over winter makes sense. Looking into the half-open flowers, there doesn’t seem to be the petaloids mixed in with the stamens common with Adolphe Audusson (unless they are yet to develop) but reading about AA it seems there is some variation and they don’t all have that. Your Dark Secret is gorgeous!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Looking at the link Rubytoo put up earlier I'm also thinking it's likely to be one of those Ackerman's, and that 'Winter Queen' might be the correct name after all.. it does seem to be part of a series.. these are fairly recent hybrids I think.. nice deep red Camellia..
Hi @Marlorena , the anticipation for the flowers to open fully is torture, I keep checking! Today one flower has developed those little petaloids among the stamens, so I’m leaning toward it being A. Audusson, as I couldn't find an example of a red ‘Winters’ series and the pink and white ones in Ruby’s link seem to be Nov/Dec flowering. @Rubytoo yes the leaves are toothed, is that significant for id purposes?
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I did not find a red one for the "Winter" series either. Though I have not looked as hard as I am sure you have Nollie. Though some cultivars are not produced in large numbers, disappear fairly quickly or prove unpopular for some reason. So don't come up on searches. Apart from that annoying link to Dr Ackerman Sorry if it was a bum steer.
Toothed leaves might be? I do not grow camellias but have just one. A double red camellia unknown variety given to me. I wondered if it might be important in identification as your leaves appear more heavily toothed. Or is it just younger leaves and it smooths out with age.
Mine does not have any of the large pronounced toothed ones like yours, not on young or older foliage. It might be an important identifier. Good Luck.
Edit Dr Ackerman not Mr. for shame on me. And his hybrids/ cultivars are a mixed bag of various ones so may have varied characteristics.
Posts
It is rather nice.
Is it scented?
I should add, one of the most commonest and popular reds is called 'Adolphe Audusson'. When your flower opens fully look at images of that one and see if you think it's similar..
Though some cultivars are not produced in large numbers, disappear fairly quickly or prove unpopular for some reason. So don't come up on searches. Apart from that annoying link to Dr Ackerman
Sorry if it was a bum steer.
Toothed leaves might be? I do not grow camellias but have just one.
A double red camellia unknown variety given to me. I wondered if it might be important in identification as your leaves appear more heavily toothed.
Or is it just younger leaves and it smooths out with age.
Mine does not have any of the large pronounced toothed ones like yours, not on young or older foliage.
It might be an important identifier.
Good Luck.
Edit Dr Ackerman not Mr. for shame on me.
And his hybrids/ cultivars are a mixed bag of various ones so may have varied characteristics.