CAMELLIA sasanqua “Kanjiro”

The other day I posted a Blip of the bud of this single petal CAMELLIA, knowing it would bloom any day. Sure enough, it bloomed today & seems like a TINY & rare jewel. If the wind kicks up, this Blip will be the only trace of it.

This CAMELLIA is a cautionary tale.
We planted it in shade during our cool January, 2 years ago; but by the time our scorching Summer arrived, it was in full sun. We covered it, then moved it, hoping for a shady spot. Even a few hours of our Summer sun is too much, so I bought them beach umbrella for the afternoon.
That is just the beginning of the ways I pampered it.

We live in an area of Southern California not meant for this beautiful flowering shrub, that “has been immortalized in art & fable, drama, literature & the modern cinema.”
We are a sunburned land with alkaline soil, better suited to citrus, olive trees, lavender & rosemary. It was a hard lesson, but I have learned it.

For this brief moment I will enjoy this bloom. Tomorrow it will probably be gone.