Camellia sasanqua

Camellia sasanqua Thunb., commonly called Christmas Camellia, is an evergreen shrub belonging to the Theaceae family. The most well-known representative of the Camellia genus is for sure the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). The beautiful red Camellia sasanqua is native to the coastal forests of southern Japan and has been cultivated in Japan, where the plant is called Sazanka, for its decorative flowers since the 18.century. The leaves of Camellia sasanqua are used to make tea, while the seeds are used to produce tea seed oil, which is used for cooking, in cosmetic and for lubrication.
Flowers get a size of 5-7 cm.

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Image: Camellia sasanqua