An open-faced flower
Broad petals reveal golden stamens and give the bloom a natural lively expression.
This store requires javascript to be enabled for some features to work correctly.
Evergreen foliage, vivid flowers, zero boredom 🌺
Family: Theaceae · Pot diameter: 15cm · Height: about 30cm
Camellia japonica ‘Dr King’ combines an aristocratic stance with a red flower that remains lively and approachable. Large semi-double blooms open with broad petals and a golden centre, standing clearly above dark polished foliage. This classical Australian cultivar has a full presence and a flowering display that seems designed to illuminate sheltered winter corners.
Its upright dense habit holds an elegant line by an entrance, in a partially shaded courtyard or in a large pot and, as it matures, gains the authority of a small evergreen specimen shrub. The light-red flowers are vivid enough to lead, yet soft enough to combine with cream, copper and fresh spring greens.
Three characteristics explain why this cultivar genuinely stands out: its principal colour display, its particular natural habit and the value it retains beyond a single season.
Broad petals reveal golden stamens and give the bloom a natural lively expression.
‘Dr King’ was recorded in Australia in 1944 and remains recognisable for its colour and form.
The dense crown supplies evergreen height and structure without spreading untidily.
Why you will love it: Large light-red flowers, a golden centre and substantial evergreen elegance.
Use it as a specimen near an entrance, in the middle to rear layer of a border or in a large pot sheltered from afternoon heat and cold winds.
In a group, allow about 1.8–2m from centre to centre. In a pot, keep open space around the crown for even light and air movement.
Combine light red, gold, cream and deep green in sheltered partial shade, with acid compost and consistently cool moisture.
Bright partial shade or gentle morning sun, with shelter from hot midday light, drying winds and sudden changes.
Even, cool moisture without waterlogging; pay particular attention from summer through bud development.
Evergreen and broadly within RHS H5 hardiness in a sheltered position. In a pot, roots and buds need more care during prolonged frost.
This page covers ornamental use. Do not consume flowers or leaves without certain identification, and keep pruning tools clean.
Place in bright partial shade or gentle morning sun, sheltered from hot midday light, drying winds and sudden early sun after frost.
It needs organic, acid to neutral soil that holds cool moisture yet drains freely. Plant shallowly, keeping the root surface level with the surrounding soil.
Choose a roomy outdoor pot with excellent drainage and an ericaceous growing medium. Avoid moving into an excessively large pot, as unused compost is slow to dry.
Maintain even moisture, especially from summer through bud development. Water thoroughly when the surface begins to dry and always allow excess water to escape.
Use an ericaceous fertiliser sparingly after flowering and in early summer, applying it only to already moist compost. Stop late feeding so new growth can ripen.
The natural habit needs very little pruning. Clean or correct lightly just after flowering and shelter buds and flowers from cold, drying air.
After planting, growth may remain slower while the root system settles. Correct moisture and a sheltered microclimate build the base for dense future growth.
Main stems branch gradually to form an upright, dense, bushy habit. Its natural line is best maintained with light correction rather than rigid clipping.
With maturity it repeats its principal display every year: large light-red semi-double flowers from late winter through spring.
Indicative natural silhouette of the exact cultivar; verified mature dimensions 2–2.5m high × 1.5–2m wide.
The crown remains evergreen in suitable conditions. Density, colour intensity and exact timing vary with light, temperature and microclimate.
What to expect after planting: Growth may be restrained through the first season while roots establish. In a suitable position in open ground it reaches approximately 2–2.5m in height and 1.5–2m in spread (maturity 15–20 years). Growth in a pot is usually more restrained and depends on available root space. Season and microclimate determine whether the plant arrives with flowers, buds, fresh growth or a quieter crown.
The Australian cultivar ‘Dr King’ was first published in the 1944 Camellia Grove Nursery catalogue.
A semi-double camellia has more than one row of petals, while the golden stamens remain visible at the centre—distinguishing it from formal-double forms.
Six practical answers covering light, watering, pots, mature size, pruning and seasonal behaviour.
Bright partial shade or gentle morning sun, with shelter from hot midday light, drying winds and sudden changes.
It needs organic, acid to neutral, freely draining soil. In strongly alkaline water or soil, younger leaves may show chlorosis.
Yes, in ericaceous compost and a pot with excellent drainage. Gradual repotting and even moisture matter more than an excessively large pot.
In a suitable position in open ground it reaches approximately 2–2.5m in height and 1.5–2m in spread (maturity 15–20 years). Growth in a pot is usually more restrained and depends on available root space.
Its principal flowering period is late winter to spring. Exact timing depends on microclimate and the maturity of the buds.
Sudden drought, large moisture fluctuations, hot drying air or a move into an unsuitable microclimate can trigger bud drop. Stable conditions are the goal.