"White by the Gate" . . . 

known as one of the purest white flowers grown in gardens, Club member Amelie Geiger has a spectacular specimen of this evergreen camellia.  After reading about Camellia Bowls in last month's blog post, Amelie clipped some of her blooms and shared the photo.  

The flowers are so perfect, they don't seem quite real.  But, real they are and Amelie invites our members who are interested in these seasonal blooms to stop by and walk onto her driveway to view them close up.  More tree than bush, it's on the right, just before you reach her front steps.  She has been told that it might be the only white camellia plant growing on Seabrook.

By way of research, the closest match to Amelie's plant is named "White by the Gate" Camellia.  Its primary characteristics are pure, formal white blossoms, blooms in winter and early spring, grows well in partial shade, and remains dense and neat without pruning, once established.  This plant typically grows to about 6 to 15 feet tall, and 6 to 8 feet across (although 2 feet on the smaller side and up to 20 feet on the larger, depending on the environment).  With our March meeting speaker (who guided our recent camellia garden tour at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens) coming up, what a nice invitation to see this specimen up close.  Thank you, Amelie.  

You will find Amelie's address in our Club member directory.

Research source:  The Tree Center