Camellia japonica ‘Nobilissima’

A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. ‘Leaves two and a half inches wide and three inches and eight lines long, roundish oval, a little acute, much dentated, and of a beautiful green, bud oval, obtuse, scales yellowish; flowers large, three inches in diameter, full white, exterior petals large, numerous and recurved; those of the interior smaller, crowded, rumpled; in appearance like the Pomponia. –Superb.’  [Berlèse Monography p.49/1838].

Horticultural & Botanical History

Probably raised by Lefevre in Belgium about 1832.  Berlèse gives the date as 1834 [Berlèse Monography p.96/1838].  Very similar to, and possibly synonymous with the cultivar introduced from Japan by Von Siebold in 1829-30, now known as ‘Fujiyama’.  [ICR].  FC. p.267/1837.  Berlèse Iconographie vol.I pl.31/1841.

History at Camden Park

‘Nobilissima’ was listed in the 1850 catalogue but not in 1857 and was among the camellias positively identified at Camden Park by Walter Hazlewood, although with some reservations, in the 1930’s.  He described it then as small white, 5 rows of outer petals, centre composed of stamens and petaloids’.  [TJSC].

Notes

Published Jun 30, 2009 - 04:46 PM | Last updated Aug 10, 2011 - 04:50 PM


Figured is a pure white, double camellia, the inner petals small and jumbled.  Berlèse Iconographie vol.1 pl.31, 1841.

Camellia japonica  'Nobilissima' | Berlèse Iconographie vol.1 pl.31/1841 | BHL

 

More details about Camellia japonica ‘Nobilissima’
Family Theaceae
Category
Region of origin

Garden origin, Belgium

Synonyms
Common Name
Name in the Camden Park Record

Camellia japonica nobilissima 

 

Confidence level high