Camellia azalea - Camellia Azalea

Camellia Azalea is an evergreen shrub 1-2.5 m tall with long and narrow, dark-green leaves. It has bright red flowers and the petals are narrow, slightly notched at the tip. Leaves are narrow and untoothed, reminiscent of azaleas. Leaf-stalks are 6-10 mm, hairless, leaf blade long obovate, 5.5-12 × 2-4 cm, leathery, below pale green or glaucous, above dark green, both surfaces hairless, midvein thick and elevated on both surfaces, secondary veins 6-8 on each side of midvein, slender, and visible on both surfaces, base wedge-shaped, margin entire and slightly curled, tip broadly blunt to rounded and sometimes notched. Flowers are dark red, borne at branch-ends, solitary or up to 5 in a cluster, 8-10 cm in diameter, nearly stalkless. Petals are 6-9, obovate to long obovate, 3-8.5 x 2-4.5 cm, basally narrowed, tip notched. Stamens are 3.5-4 cm, in about 4 whorls. Camellia azalea is endemic to Guandong Province, China, where it is found in a restricted area. Flowering: October-December.