Maurice Denis

Maurice Denis (C.japonica)  European Reg. No. 145.  Chance seedling first established 1985, with first blooming in 1995.  Grown and named by Fañch Le Moal, of Park ar Brug, Plouisy, Brittany, France, in honor of the French artist and painter, 1870-1943.  First established in 1993, with first blooming in 1997.   Introduced in “Catalogue des obtentions bretonnes du Camellia”, published by the Société bretonne du Camellia, 2012.   The plant has an upright habit, with a medium growth rate; a long blooming period begins early in the season.  Flower buds are oval and light green.  The medium-sized white (RHS N155B group) flowers are hose-in-hose semi-double form, with an average of 17 petals per bloom.  Stamens are columnar, anthers and filaments yellow.  Infrequent petaloids are the same color as the petals. Spent blooms remain on the bush. Leaves are medium size, dark green, and flat.  Fruit development is sparse, but when seedpods are formed, they are 10 mm in diameter, round, and maroon.