Meili Shengxia

Meili Shengxia (C. azalea × C. azalea F1 new hybrid 'Xiangri Guangchang'). Liu Xinkai et al. 2023, Illustrations of the New Camellia Hybrids that Bloom Year-round, Zhejiang Science and Technology Publishing House, p.330. HAR-14-4., a cross seedling (DGC-No.13) of C. azalea × C. azalea F1 new hybrid 'Xiangri Guangchang'. Flowers pink with puple hue, semi-double form, medium size, 7.5-9.5cm across and 4.0cm deep with 27-32 large petals arranged in 3 rows, petals narrow obovate with flat surfaces, occasionally a few of semi-erected and small petals in the center, stamens thin and fluffy, bloom dense. Leaves are very similar to those of C. azalea, dark green, obovate, heavy leathery, cuneate at the base, margins smooth. Plant compact, branches dense, bushy and growth vigorous. Starts to bloom from early-summer, fully blooms from autumn to winter and sporadically in spring. The cultivar name means “Beautiful Mid-Summer”.

美丽盛夏 Camellia ‘Meili Shengxia’ 。刘信凯、钟乃盛、柯欢、武艳芳主编，2023，《第二部四季茶花杂交新品种彩色图集》，浙江科学技术出版社，第330页。 HAR-14-4.杂交组合：杜鹃红山茶×杜鹃红山茶F1代新品种‘夏日广场’，杂交苗编号：DGC-No.13。花朵粉红色，泛紫色调，半重瓣型，中型花，花径7.5-9.5cm，花朵厚4.0cm,外部大花瓣27-32枚，呈3轮排列，花瓣狭长倒卵形，瓣面平铺，中部偶有少量半直立的小花瓣，雄蕊基部簇生，花丝细而蓬松，开花稠密。叶色和叶形与杜鹃红山茶极为相似，浓绿色，稠密，倒卵形，厚革质，长7.0-7.5cm,宽2.5-3.5cm,基部楔形，边缘光滑。植株紧凑，枝叶稠密，灌丛状，生长旺盛。夏初始花，秋、冬季盛花，春季零星开花。