Camellia japonica Beni-otome at Windsor
Camellias have been cultivated in China and Japan for over 1000 years, first for the oil from their seeds, later for tea and for ornament. The tea plant, C. sinensis (L.) Kuntze, has small, white flowers and is usually grown in hedge-like rows, the tips of the shoots being carefully pinched off as they grow. Tea was first brought to Europe, specifically Holland, in 1610 and first auctioned in London in 1657. Today there are over 2000 named ornamental cultivars of camellia, mostly of C. japonica, raised mainly in the United States, China, Japan, England, and seeds of several species, but particularly of C. japonica, L., C. oleifera Abel, and C. sasanqua Thunb. are processed for their oil, which is used as hair oil, for cooking, and as an ingredient in soap.
Size: 3700px × 5409px
Photo credit: © Roger Phillips / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: beni-otome, bush, camellia, double, flowers, garden, gardening, japonica, nature, petals, plant, red, shrub, spring, trees, woodland
