Camellia azalea explained

Camellia azalea, native to the Ehuangzhang Provincial Nature Reserve in Yangchun City, Guangdong, China, is a national first-class protected plant in China.^[1] The Chinese name of Camellia azalea is 杜鹃叶山茶/Rhododendron leaf camellia (dù juān yè shān chá),^[2] because of its rhododendron-like leaf shape. Compared with other camellia species, the flower of Camellia azalea is more like Rhododendron, so it is commonly known as 杜鹃红山茶/Rhododendron red camellia.^[3] It is also commonly known as 四季紅山茶/Four Seasons Red Camellia or 四季茶花/Four Seasons Camellia, because it can flower throughout the year, July-September is the most prosperous period of flowering, which is different from the habit of Camellia flowering in winter.^[4]

It is a small tree or an evergreen shrub, and grows up to 4 meters tall. The plant tends to grow bright red flowers that can be found in clusters of 1 to 5 and of a size of 9-10cm in diameter.^[5] Camellia azalea is a Critically Endangered species.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Camellia azalea C.F.Wei. Taipei Collectible Botanical Garden. 24 November 2022. en. 24 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221124135040/https://www.future.url.tw/plant/view/244. live.
2. Web site: 杜鹃叶山茶. iPlant.cn 植物智. 24 November 2022. zh. 24 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221124135039/http://www.iplant.cn/info/Camellia%20azalea. live.
3. Web site: The giant panda in the plant kingdom—Rhododendron red camellia. 自然生态保护共享平台. 24 November 2022. zh. 24 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221124135039/http://djysc.bwwzz.cn/coohome/coserver.aspx?uid=E0C1ADA52ABE4B50B5DEC696983A3D4A&aid=33643AE1DD9D4394B0CF7A91E042236C&clid=&t=173. live.
4. Web site: Camellia azalea C.F.Wei. Taipei Collectible Botanical Garden. 24 November 2022. en. 24 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221124135040/https://www.future.url.tw/plant/view/244. live.
5. Web site: NParks Camellia azalea . www.nparks.gov.sg . 31 December 2021 . 31 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211231184426/https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/0/6083 . live .
6. Web site: Camellia azalea. 2021-12-31. Global Trees. en-GB. 2022-01-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20220118201654/https://globaltrees.org/threatened-trees/trees/camellia-azalea/. live.