Camellia japonica ‘Pressii’

Horticultural & Botanical History

It is an English cultivar that Loddiges’ Nursery considered to be similar to, but better than the double white ‘Alba Plena’.  ‘This very fine variety was raised from seed by Mr. Press, at E. Gray’s, Esq. of Hornsey.  It is certainly among the best which have been obtained in this country, and flowers with tolerable certainty.’  [LBC no.1745/1833].

History at Camden Park

Listed in all published catalogues [T.251/1843].  ‘Pressii’ is listed in both the 1830 and 1836 editions of Loddiges’ Nursery catalogue, copies of which are held at Camden Park [CPA].  In the 1836 edition it is marked with a ‘c’, denoting grown at Camden. ‘Pressii’ was also among the camellias identified at Camden Park, although with some doubt, by Walter Hazlewood in the 1930’s.  He described it then as ‘white, striped and barred red, veined crimson, seven rows of outer petals, centre confused, small petals’.  He also described what he took to be a pink sport of ‘Pressii’.  [TJSC].  A plant of ‘Pressii’ was presented to the Sydney Botanic Garden on December 24th 1845 [RBGS AB].

Notes

See also Camellia japonica L. var. punctata.  Berlèse relates Camellia punctata to ‘Press’s Eclipse’.

The plant figured as ‘Pressii’ in the Floricultural Cabinet is ‘Press’s Single Red’, a different plant.  [FC p.267/1837].