Doesn't have the bark of the familiar Asian species for starters. Also not nearly as tractable. But it probably has the most well colored stamens in the genus.

When I worked at the Seattle arboretum we moved one of these that had been there for decades, as a part of the camellia collection renovation.

Unfortunately it didn't make it - I wish it had just been left where it was.

Later I was on hand for the dormant season moving of another one of some vintage from a private garden in Seattle to one farther out. This second example actually came through the move, only to show starting with flowering the following year why the previous owner wanted to be rid of it - it was this weird variant with mediocre small partly developed flowers. (Notice how the flowers of yours are tending to be asymmetric, with gaps here and there between the petals. Now picture this same pattern with in addition - as I remember it - tiny petal size and fewer of them).

I am a proud owner of the transgressive Asian X North American hybrid, 'Scarlet Sentinel'. Growing slowly and not worth posting a pic of yet.

Sam should contact the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha's Vineyard, MA. Their internationally renowned Stewartia collection and research is amazing.

And they have to weed out the copious seedlings, as it seems that every seed germinates in their wonderfully acidic sandy loams. They consider Symplocos paniculata an invasive pest.

VV, I'm slightly confused...did you take those pictures at Polly Hill? Looks like someone is trying to mist propagate a Scarlet Sentinel and getting a low % of success. My plant was grafted.

Beautiful. Wonderful old-school painting too.

WOW have been listening to the weather reports from western US, record heat & drought. Am not sure our cherished Silky Camellia could withstand such conditions. Wierd that THIS Oregon mailorder firm is one of the few that carries this eastern native. IMO no one in their right mind orders mail order plants in this heat. Thos Jefferson Ctr for Historic Plants also has them sporatically.

Luckily I am not restricted to mailorder. Regarding plant knowledge, propagation is where we seperate the men from the boys. Stewartia spp. has doubly dormant seed. To overcome embryo dormancy it must go through two winters. This year all the planets lined up for me and here's what they look like.

Considering that 99% of the posters on these forums only consider the ornamental, decorative value of plants lets look at some species.

S. sinensis

S. rostrata below

S. pseudo-camellia below

It is worth noting Asian species commonly produce nodding flowers lasting only one day hence the carpet of spent flowers under the tree. Partially obscured by the foliage, it is entirely possible to pass by the tree and not even realize it is in bloom.

I didn't bother to include bitty S. mondelpha flowers. It seems that the close up mode on my camera is not working.

Silky Camellia aficionado Jack Johnson stated Of all the native woody plants SC has the largest flower of any with the exception of the magnolias.

What do you think, is that accurate?

Hi sam:

What do the flowers on your SC measure out to? Seems like they are similar to healthy floriferous Cornus florida, which wouldn't have trouble being 4" (10 cm) across - as would Stewartia ovata and even Franklinia alatamaha.

I looked around after davidrt28 commented, and found some more pictures from Polly Hill.

It's good that SC flowers well.

Here are some additional images from the grounds.

Stewartia pseudocamellia

Stewartia x henryae Skyrocket

Stewartia monadelpha

C. florida flower, complete with stigma, stamens & petals.

Chuckle - stepped right into your bear trap.

Wouldn't sell many of them with that ad, though...

Yeah but this reminds me how former member Tom used to argue somewhat pedantically that trees don't "heel", I'd say, to a layperson...which after all is the only person who is going to care about "what has bigger flowers", Dogwoods have large 4" white flowers. Not tiny little yellow ones.

True plants don't heal in quite the way animals can, but they still 'form new tissue covering damaged or dead tissue'.

HERE is an excellent overview of the flowers of SC from Dr Pell of the US Botanical Garden, she is a real gem.

Dr. Pell does have a certain clarity about her, and I also thought the video was excellent. My one and only experience with this tree was at the North Carolina Arb near Ashville. It was sited near the entrance to the visitors center and I was gobsmacked by the flowers. This was about 15 years ago, and I have no idea if the tree is still there, but it was quite a sight to see.

We are far too cold for Silky Camellia, and even Japanese Stewartia is marginal at best up here.

In the recent American Gardener magazine Polly Hill is featured, and in a small description of their Stewartia collection the writer said that the famous specimen 'Delmarva' took 27 years to flower. I have some seedlings going now, but I don't think I have that many years left. Sam_md, how long did yours take to bloom?

GroWild Nursery in Fairview TN lists Stewartia malacodendron - 27 of them in 3G pots at last check.

Perhaps I should go corner the market...

Didn't see it on the list; just checked.

Wonder if sam_md scarfed them all up...

Ha, ha! They are wonderful plants. Would be a temptation to do so, right?

Oh my word. That Stewartia is gorgeous. Makes me sad I live in NH!

I have Japanese Stewartia that finally gets full of blooms so it does put on a show. Took years though. Also have pink rostrata which took years to bloom but now gets covered. Definite carpet of flowers underneath while blooming.

Love these trees. Wish I was further south to try the one in orignal post!