Camellia japonica

Botanical Description

Camellia japonica is an evergreen shrub or a small tree; it usually grows from 1.5 - 6 metres tall, occasionally reaching 11 metres[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is a valuable oil crop in parts of Asia and is commonly cultivated there. It is also widely used for its medicinal virtues. Camellia japonica is one of the most commonly grown ornamental plants, valued especially for its late winter to early summer display of flowers. Camellia japonica has a wide range and is abundant. It is used extensively in horticulture, but is also harvested for food oil, medicine and dyes. The subpopulation from Japan is abundant, though there are known threats to the subpopulations in Taiwan and in the Republic of Korea, whilst it has been judged as rare in China. However, globally the plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].