About Camellia azalea C.F.Wei
Camellia azalea C.F.Wei is native to the Ehuangzhang Provincial Nature Reserve in Yangchun City, Guangdong, China, and is a national first-class protected plant in China. Its Chinese name is 杜鹃叶山茶, which translates to Rhododendron leaf camellia (pronounced dù juān yè shān chá), named for its leaf shape that resembles that of a rhododendron. Compared to other camellia species, its flowers are more similar to those of rhododendrons, giving it the common name 杜鹃红山茶, or Rhododendron red camellia. It also goes by the common names 四季紅山茶, Four Seasons Red Camellia, and 四季茶花, Four Seasons Camellia, because it can flower year-round. Its peak flowering period falls between July and September, which differs from the typical winter-flowering habit of most camellias. Camellia azalea is an evergreen shrub or small tree that grows up to 4 meters tall. It produces bright red flowers, which grow in clusters of 1 to 5 and reach 9 to 10 centimeters in diameter. This species is classified as Critically Endangered.