Camellia vernalis 'Hiryu' (?)
We replaced a white Camellia sasanqua, which seemed not hardy enough for our garden, by this well-known cultivar, which has a reputation of good cold hardiness. The large plant came from a breeder in Northern Italy and was labelled 'Hiryu', but the truth is, you never know what you get when you order a 'Hiryu'. No one seems to know for sure what the 'true' 'Hiryu' looks like as there has been much confusion since its introduction first in Japan in 1847 and then in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century. It is often confused with 'Kanjiro'. Anyhow, the busy bee couldn't care less, and we are not too concerned either. Whatever its true identity, it's a beautiful plant and we do hope it survives our Swiss winters in good condition. Best on black.
Deutscher Text auf www.secretgardens.ch/winter.html