Camellia japonica ‘Otome’ ("Otometsubaki")

Japanese name: オトメツバキ
Scientific name: Camellia japonica ‘Otome’

[Overview]
A garden cultivar of the Yuki-tsubaki line, and evergreen.
The branches spread horizontally, and the tree is somewhat weak in vigor.
The leaves are simple, alternate and elliptic.
They are thick, dark green and glossy on the upper surface.
The leaf margin has blunt serrations.
Young petioles have fine hairs.
The flowers are usually solitary (rarely paired) in the axil of the first scale leaf of the winter bud.
The flowers are pale pink, fully double, medium-sized, with rounded petals.
The whole flower falls at once.

[History]
It is described in the Honzo Zufu (1829).

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings or layering.
It is hardy, tolerating both heat and cold.
It grows from sun to shade, but it is better to avoid places that receive afternoon sun and shade that is too dark.
Avoid also the north wind in winter.
It prefers fertile, well-drained, weakly acidic soil.
Water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
For plants in the garden, once established, watering is not particularly necessary unless the soil becomes extremely dry.
For plants in the garden, apply slow-release fertilizer in January–February as fertilizer in winter; for potted plants, apply it in September and after flowering.
When the soil has become biased toward alkaline, it is good to apply a physiologically acidic fertilizer (such as ammonium sulfate).
Flower buds form in early summer to summer, so if pruning, do it as soon as possible after flowering.
Pests and diseases include sooty mold, tea tussock moth and scale insects.
In particular, the tea tussock moth requires caution, as even touching it can cause a skin rash.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)