Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Camellia japonica ‘Pearl Maxwell’
Pearl Maxwell Camellia
- Family
- Theaceae
- Height
- 6 to 10 feet
- Width
- 4 to 6 feet
- Flower color
- Large, double blush pink flowers
- Foliage color
- Glossy, dark green leaves
- Bloom time
- Late winter to early spring
- Light
- Partial shade
- Water
- Regular
- Maintenance
- Pruning is generally not necessary
- Growing zone
- Hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9
- Wildlife
- flowers may attract pollinators such as bees when in bloom
About this plant
Camellia japonica 'Pearl Maxwell' produces medium, formal double flowers in soft shell pink from midwinter into early spring, with neatly overlapping petals forming beautifully symmetrical blooms. Glossy, dark green leaves are leathery and evergreen, creating a polished backdrop that emphasizes the delicate flower color. Its dense foliage and compact, upright branching provide handsome structure throughout the year, while the abundant winter flowers bring welcome color during the quietest garden season.
Originated by Mrs. C. O. Maxwell of Reno, Georgia, this cultivar was introduced in 1949 as a seedling of Camellia japonica 'Enrico Bettoni'. Its refined flowers and evergreen character make it well suited to woodland gardens, mixed shrub borders, foundation plantings, containers, espalier, and specimen settings, where the formal blooms can be appreciated up close.
Works well in
Foundation Plantings · Specimen Plants · Woodland Gardens · Shade Gardens
Companion plants
Sarcococca · Rodgersia · Cyclamen · Fatsia · Lungwort · Primrose
Design tip
Think about where you’ll see this camellia from inside the house, since its blush-pink flowers arrive when the garden can feel especially quiet. A view from a kitchen or living-room window turns its late-winter display into part of the home as well.
