Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Camellia japonica ‘Pressii’

A cultivar of Camellia japonica L., ‘Pressii’ has double flowers, the petals having a clear white ground with pink stripes.  [ICR].

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].

Published Jul 01, 2009 - 01:37 PM | Last updated Aug 10, 2011 - 04:30 PM

Figured is a double camellia, the petals having a white ground with pink stripes.  Loddiges Botanical Cabinet no.1745, 1833.

Camellia japonica ‘Pressii’ | LBC no.1745/1833 | RBGS

 

Family Theaceae
Category
Region of origin

Garden origin, England

Synonyms
  • ‘Press’s Eclipse’

 

Common Name
Name in the Camden Park Record

Camellia japonica Pressii 

 

Confidence level high