Camellia japonica 'High Fragrance' (Camellia)

Camellia japonica is a woody, evergreen shrub originally native to upland forest understories of eastern Asia and noted for its beautiful, showy flowers which differ greatly between cultivars. While some cultivars may be shorter, it is important to dedicate a lot of space to camellias when planting, as mature specimens require a lot of room for root spread in the soil, and plants can reach sizes of up to 15' tall and wide. The 'High Fragrance' cultivar typically reaches a semi dwarf size of only 5-8' tall and wide, though both dimensions can vary greatly with pruning and advanced age. 

Originating from camellia breeder J. Finlay of New Zealand in 1986, 'High Fragrance' is a rarity among camellias as one of the first pleasantly fragrant cultivars to hit the market. With ruffled pink flowers with yellow centers, and with a delicate, rose-like floral fragrance, 'High Fragrance' is one of 55 cultivars from J. Finlay with a strong, sweet fragrance, and is sure to impress in the garden. Among the spring camellias, 'High Fragrance' is a mid- to late-season bloomer, making its long-blooming flowers more resistant to damage from late frosts. Due to their native upland forest habitat, camellias prefer part-shade conditions and moist, slightly acidic soils with a good amount of organic matter. With glossy, evergreen leaves and flowers that attract a great deal of early season pollinators, Camellia japonica 'High fragrance' is a great non-native ornamental selection that doubles as shelter for overwintering birds, and serves as an excellent deer-resistant evergreen for any garden.