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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Friday, April 17, 2015

My Favorite Plant...This Week. Can You Guess?




Last weekend we visited Well's Medina Nursery (more on that in another post) where I met my new plant crush.  Look at the new bronze-tinged golden foliage and the zowie red new stems.  Can you guess what it might be?


Does this image of a mature leaf help?
 Here it is looking all dramatic this evening.

Have you figured it out yet?  Maybe this has been around and you already know what it is.  In addition to this foliage, it also blooms.

This image by Susan Bailey was borrowed from the JC Raulston Arboretum website. You've probably guessed by now.
Camellia ×williamsii 'Golden Spangles' (variegated Williamsii camellia)

Did you guess?  My favorite plant...this week is Camellia x williamsii 'Golden Spangles'


If you guessed anywhere in the first four pictures, you deserve a pat on the back so go ahead, reach around and do that right now.  If you didn't guessed when you saw the bloom, give yourself a hug.  If you didn't know after you saw the tag in the last photo, perhaps a visit to the eye doctor is in order and seriously, let's not do any driving for a while o.k?

The Favorite Plant...This Week meme is sponsored by Loree at Danger Garden.  Visit her blog to see her favorite and to find links to other bloggers' faves.

May your weekend be filled with great garden adventures.  If you're in the area, The Rhododendron Species Garden annual Spring sale at Weyerhauser in Federal Way starts on Friday at 3:00, The Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Spring Plant sale, Hortlandia, opens on Saturday at 10:00 in Portland, and the Northwest Perennial Alliance Sale is on Sunday at 9:00 in Seattle.

31 comments:

  1. I guessed Camellia but wasn't too sure because of the variegation. But wow very nice, I haven't seen a variegated camellia before.

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    1. It was a first for me too and I'm looking forward to watching it grow in my garden!

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  2. I've never seen a variegated Camellia before either. What a cool plant, love the red stems! I have to admit, I didn't know till I saw the flower.

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  3. Wowsa, nice new fav! I can picture you and Alison sprinting around to hit all 3 sales, will you?

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    1. Weyerhauser right after school. Working on Sunday so won't be able to hit the Seattle show. Those jobs sometimes get in the way of gardening!

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  4. I recognized it as a Camellia but admit that the variegation had me second-guessing myself. Great choice!

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  5. I never saw a variegated camellia before. I have one that tends to have virused leaves -- easy to tell the difference, virus is all spotty and not at all uniform.

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    1. I'd never seen a variegated camellia before either.

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  6. The variegated foliage three me too. It's a beauty!

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  7. The flower gave it away! What a lovely camellia with so much going on. I love the red stems and two tone leaves.

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    1. I've decided to remove a yew that's been in my garden for years to make space for this. It'll be far more interesting and also evergreen.

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  8. I thought they were hydrangea, I was way off. I think they are beautiful though, love love the red stems. Rosenerds.com sells wholesale flowers online.

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  9. That's a flashy fave, Peter! I just saw a camellia with small, wavy leaves, most uncamellia-like. Wish I'd gotten the name, it looks right up your alley.

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    1. Sounds like you saw a really interesting camellia! I do love a flashy plant!

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  10. I guessed camellia when I saw the leaf, but of course, I've never seen THAT camellia before.

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    1. It was new to me and although it was with the other camellias at the nursery, the leaves were so much smaller than the others that I wondered if it was in the right place.

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  11. Oh gosh, I'm jealous. I can't grow Camellias here. That's a beauty!

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  12. Camellia leaves are quite distinctive even with the unexpected variegation. I love those red stems.

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    1. Indeed, the glossy, leathery leaves of camellias are distinctive. I love variegated foliage! The combination of the foliage and those red stems sold it!

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  13. I could not guess it before you showed a flower, Peter. I love camellia and if I had a warm greenhouse I would certainly have it!

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    1. Camellias are gorgeous and we take them for granted here as they are so widely planted.

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  14. The first image had me going, "he's into a photinia?" I guess they are pretty right now with some red-tip leaves, and probably prettier there than in our desert soils. But that close to the Loree Doug Fir-Opuntia Zone, you have better choices!

    Then I read on...Camellia gave a sigh of relief!

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    1. When I first gardened here, I thought photinia was the bees knees. At that time, we lived next to someone who let one become a tree instead of butchering it into a hedge and it was a lovely thing. I've never had one in my own garden - way more interesting things to grow!

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  15. Hard to reach my back through the aches and pains of overdoing the early, overzealous gardening. A hug, I can manage...and, serendipitously, that about matches up with my level of insight here.

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  16. Camellia wasn't the first thought I had. I've never seen those striking red petioles on one. How awesome is that?

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  17. where do i buy these. i am in dallas, tx

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    1. I've no idea & haven't seen them in nurseries in the pacific northwest this season and can't find an online source in the U.S. Sorry.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.