Kitadani-no-tō-tsubaki

Encyclopedia of Camellias in Colour, vol.I, 1972, p.367: From Fuku’oka Prefecture, Dazai-fu Machie, Kitadani; owner Tamura Seishi, but the his­tory is unknown. However the age of the tree is estimated at 500-600 years, height about 8 M, trunk 70 cm girth at 50 cm above ground. It is said to be the largest and oldest Japanese To-tsub­aki (C.reticulata) The plant is in a Dazai-fu Manor with Chinese connections and was probably, originally an import from China. The present flowers are, at times, variegated with white on red but, in olden times, they were larger and, it is said, not variegated.

講談社　1975年　《現代椿集》 P.367.　　福岡　福岡県大宰府町北谷の田村正嗣の所有するもので、来歴は不明であるが、推定樹齢500～600年、高さ約8ｍ、地上50ｃｍの幹周70ｃｍで、日本最大、最古のトウツバキである。　　文／箕田