Common Name:

General Information

Camellia reticulata is an evergreen shrub or a tree; it usually grows from 4 - 15 metres tall, but is occasionally no more than around 2 metres tall[].
This species is an important oil crop in Yunnan, where the plant is harvested from the wild and also cultivated or semicultivated for its seeds. It is also often grown as an ornamental, there are several named forms some of which make good hedges.
The demand from the horticultural industry is causing significant depletion of plants in the wild. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - S.W. China (Yunnan)

Habitat

Sparse forests, open pine forests, scrub and thickets on dry often stony hillsides; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,200 metres[, , ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Camellia species are found mainly in the warm temperate to subtropical regions of southern China, and most species experience mild winters with few frosts plus wet summers[]. This species is fairly cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[].
Species in this genus generally prefer a peaty, more or less lime-free soil with a pH in the range 5 - 7, but most will grow well in an open loam to which ample leaf-mould has been added, so long as it is well-drained and lime-free. Most species are understorey plants in forests (preferably oak or pine) and prefer a warm, sheltered position with moderate shade; at least at the hottest time of day[, ]. Requires a position sheltered from strong winds[].
A very ornamental plant[].
Plants are not very self-compatible, self-fertilized flowers produce few seeds and these are of low viability[].
This species was named after the cultivated garden form, the true wild form is Camellia reticulata simplex. Sealy[].
This species is cultivated or semicultivated in W Yunnan as a seed oil crop[].
Selected forms, particularly with large, double or semidouble flowers, have been propagated for hundreds of years as garden plants. Some extant cultivars date back to at least the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 C.E.)[]..

Edible Uses

An edible oil is obtained from the seed[, ]. This is a particularly good oil-bearing species[].
The globose to oblate capsule can be 35 - 40mm x 40 - 50mm, 3 - 5-loculed with 1 or 2 brown, semiglobose to globose seeds 10 - 15mm in diameter per locule[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant responds well to trimming and can be grown as a hedge[].

Other Uses

The oil obtained from the seed of this species is likely to be very similar in quality to that obtained from Camellia oleifera. The uses of that oil are as follows:-
The seed contains 40 - 50% of a non-drying oil. The oil consists mainly of oleic acid. It is not subject to polymerize nor to oxidize, nor does it form solids at low temperatures[]. The oil has a wide range of applications. It is a good raw material for industrial uses, it is used as an illuminant, in making textiles and in the manufacture of items such as soap, margarine, hair oil, lubricants, inks and paint. It is also used in the synthesis of other high-molecular weight compounds, and to make a rustproof coating for metals. It is often used medicinally and in cosmetics in items such as skin creams and anti-wrinkle compounds[, , , , , ].
Various compounds are extracted from the seeds once the oil has been removed. These include saponins (used an emulsifying agent in pesticides, for foam-forming fire extinguishers and in detergents), tannins and pentosan[].
The seed cake has insecticidal activity, and has been proven to give effective control over a range of pests[, ].

Propagation

Seed - can be sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[]. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water and the hard covering around the micropyle should be filed down to leave a thin covering[, , ]. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 23°c[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are more than 15cm tall and give them some protection from winter cold for their first year or three outdoors[].
Cuttings of almost ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, mid summer to early autumn in a shaded frame. High percentage but slow[]. This species does not strike from cuttings.
Cuttings of firm wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, end of early summer in a frame[, ]. Keep in a cool greenhouse for the first year[]. This species does not strike from cuttings.
Leaf-bud cuttings, mid summer in a frame. This species does not strike from cuttings.