Camellia japonica 'Adolphe Audusson' – A Classic Camellia with Stunning Blood-Red Semi-Double Blooms
Camellia japonica 'Adolphe Audusson' is a magnificent and time-honoured evergreen shrub, celebrated throughout the world for its dramatically beautiful flowers in a deep, rich blood-red. One of the most widely grown and admired camellias ever introduced, 'Adolphe Audusson' has earned its enduring reputation through decades of reliable, spectacular performance in gardens across the British Isles and beyond. Flowering generously from late winter through to spring, it delivers a bold and breathtaking display at precisely the moment when the garden craves vivid colour and drama.
The blooms are large and semi-double in form, with broad, velvety petals of the most intense crimson-red arranged in elegant, slightly informal layers around a prominent central boss of golden stamens. The contrast between the glowing scarlet of the petals and the bright cluster of stamens at their heart is particularly striking, lending each flower a jewel-like brilliance that commands attention from across the garden. Set against the plant's deep, polished, dark green evergreen foliage, the effect is one of sumptuous, theatrical beauty.
'Adolphe Audusson' develops into a vigorous and handsomely proportioned upright shrub with a bushy, well-furnished habit. Its strong constitution and free-flowering nature make it one of the most dependable camellias available, equally at home as a bold specimen in a sheltered border, as a wall-trained feature on a sheltered fence or wall, or as an impressive focal point in a woodland garden setting. It also performs well in large containers, where its spectacular blooms can be enjoyed at close range on patios and in courtyard gardens.
Beyond its outstanding seasonal flowering, the dense, lustrous evergreen canopy provides excellent year-round structure and a handsome, weed-suppressing presence throughout the garden in every season. Long-lived, increasingly floriferous with age, and truly unforgettable in full bloom, 'Adolphe Audusson' is a garden classic that rewards its grower with a richer and more spectacular display year after year.
Like all camellias, 'Adolphe Audusson' thrives in a sheltered position in partial or dappled shade, with protection from cold, drying winds and early morning winter sun, which can scorch newly opened blooms on frosty mornings. It performs best in moist, humus-rich, well-drained, acidic soil and benefits greatly from an annual mulch of composted bark or leaf mould to retain moisture and feed the roots.
Bold, dramatic, and utterly reliable, Camellia japonica 'Adolphe Audusson' is a superb choice for gardeners seeking a classic, large-flowered camellia of exceptional impact and timeless garden presence.
Seasonal Beauty & Growth
Winter
Plump, well-developed flower buds swell against the deep, glossy evergreen foliage, building rich anticipation for the bold and vivid display to come.
Late Winter–Spring
Large, sumptuous blood-red semi-double flowers open in great abundance, their velvety petals and golden stamens creating a breathtaking display of colour and drama over a long and generous season.
Summer
Deep, lustrous dark green evergreen leaves maintain a handsome, polished presence throughout the growing season, providing rich structure and a lush green backdrop.
Autumn
The dense, glossy canopy remains neat, attractive, and weed-suppressing while new flower buds quietly form in readiness for the following season's spectacular show.
Why Grow Camellia 'Adolphe Audusson'?
✔ Large, velvety blood-red semi-double flowers of exceptional impact
✔ Striking golden stamens create a brilliant contrast at the heart of each bloom
✔ Generous, prolonged flowering season from late winter through to spring
✔ Vigorous, upright, and well-furnished habit with a strong constitution
✔ Glossy dark evergreen foliage providing year-round structure and appeal
✔ One of the most reliable and free-flowering camellias available
✔ Increasingly floriferous and spectacular as it matures
✔ Hardy and dependable in sheltered UK gardens
Perfect For
- Woodland and dappled shade gardens
- Acid-loving shrub borders
- Feature and specimen planting
- Sheltered wall and fence training
- Large patio and courtyard containers
- Sheltered walled gardens
- Japanese-style garden schemes
- Bold, dramatic planting designs
Planting & Care Guide
Position: Partial shade or dappled shade; shelter from cold, drying winds and avoid early morning sun on frost-touched buds and blooms. A west- or north-facing sheltered wall or fence is ideal and can also help to show off this variety's dramatic blooms to full effect.
Soil: Moist, humus-rich, acid
