Anemone-form flowers
Large guard petals frame a dense centre of waved petaloids, producing a strongly three-dimensional bloom.
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Camellia japonica ‘Volunteer’® Premium 15cm
Normal price
€30,00
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Camellia japonica ‘Volunteer’®
A classic lady with modern bicolour style—respect 🙇
- Pink-red blooms with a white edge
- Changing seasonal colour
- Glossy evergreen foliage
- Selected by Mark Jury
Camellia japonica ‘Volunteer’® makes each new flower something to look forward to, as its colours develop through the season. Broad outer petals surround a generous, ruffled centre, giving the large anemone-form blooms their distinctive depth. Early flowers are soft pink with white edges; later blooms deepen in tone and the last may be red. Set against glossy foliage, this changing display gives a single camellia the variety and interest of a small collection.
Its compact upright form suits a focal position near an entrance or seating area, where the changing flowers become part of the daily view. Dark foliage gives depth behind lower, lighter planting and keeps the composition complete once the flowering season has passed.
What makes it special
‘Volunteer’ is not simply bicoloured; its appearance shifts as the flowering season advances.
Colour in sequence
Early flowers are paler and pink-white, while later blooms deepen towards red.
A dark evergreen backdrop
Glossy leaves remain ornamental all year and intensify the colour of every flower.
Why you will love it: each flush looks slightly different while retaining the cultivar’s unmistakably luxurious flower form.
In the garden & on the balconyPlacement & plant combinationsIn sheltered partial shade as a winter focal point in an acid border or a large container.
Where gentle morning light meets shelter
Place it on an east- or north-facing side, beneath a light high canopy, or in a courtyard sheltered from drying wind. Avoid positions where winter morning sun hits frozen buds.
Allow room for the crown to become a medium-sized shrub and keep the front layer lower so flowers remain visible. Use a stable deep pot for container growing.
Combinations that work
White edges and pink-red centres balance with deep green, cream and cool pink. Companions should share acid to neutral soil, partial shade and even moisture without saturation.
- Sarcococca confusa — adds a lower evergreen body and winter scent in the same sheltered partial shade
- Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ — brings soft golden movement at the base in cool, humus-rich and free-draining soil
- Helleborus × hybridus — provides low winter flowers in cream or plum shades without hiding the camellia blooms
Care at a glance
Light
Bright partial shade or gentle morning sun; protect from hot afternoon light.
Watering
Even moisture, especially from new growth through flower-bud development.
Climate & hardiness
Hardy in cool winters, but flowers and buds benefit from shelter from frost and drying wind.
Safety
Not intended for consumption; keep it as an ornamental plant.
Detailed careComplete care guideAcid soil, even water, sheltered light, moderate feeding, post-flowering pruning and bud care.
Light & shelter
Choose bright partial shade with protection from strong sun, drying wind and abrupt frost.
Acid soil
It needs humus-rich, acid to neutral and well-drained soil. Alkaline water or soil may cause chlorosis.
Watering
Maintain even moisture without waterlogging. Summer drought can cause flower buds to drop later.
Feeding
Use an ericaceous feed after flowering and stop strong applications by midsummer.
Pruning
It normally needs only cleaning and light shaping immediately after flowering, before the next buds begin to form.
Buds & flowers
Shelter from morning sun after frost and from heavy rain on open blooms. Remove fallen petals as routine hygiene.
Development over timeFrom the first bud to a changing performanceSeasonal development is most visible in the progressive colour shift and the maturing evergreen crown.
Establishment
Keep roots cool and evenly moist through the first year. Limited top growth is normal while the plant adjusts.
Flower-bud formation
Buds form on the current year’s growth and require consistent water from summer until they open.
Colour progression
As the season advances, blooms usually deepen from pink-white to stronger pink-red and finally red.
Mature habit & dimensions
Long-term maturityHeight 2 mSpread 1.5 mCompact upright shrub
A compact shrub with upright branches, broad glossy leaves and full flowers with ruffled centres.
Form through time
Seasonal cycleEvergreen foliage
Early flowersSoft pink flowers with white margins on the broad petals.
Late flowersColours deepen towards red and the white edging may disappear.
Fresh growthAfter flowering, fresh green shoots extend the dense crown.
The colour shift appears in successive flowers through the flowering season. The foliage stays green and the same camellia continues with fresh growth.
What to expect after planting: a small number of striking blooms on a young plant and a larger display as mature flowering shoots increase.
History & originCultivar originA camellia that flowered before grafting and was dedicated to volunteers in 2001.
At Tikorangi in Taranaki, New Zealand, Mark Jury was growing camellias from seed to use as grafting rootstocks. One flowered before it could be grafted. Its full blooms, pink with white edges early in the season and deeper red later, were distinctive enough for Jury to retain it as a new cultivar.
The name ‘Volunteer’ suited its unexpected arrival: Jury described the plant as having volunteered itself. Ten years of trials and building up plant stocks followed before it was ready for wider distribution.
In 2001 the camellia was linked with the United Nations International Year of Volunteers. It appeared on a New Zealand Post stamp in March, with its release announced for June that year. The nursery discovery had gained a second meaning: a flower dedicated to the people who give their time to others.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Anemone form from transformed stamens
The anemone or pincushion form develops when part of the central stamen whorl is developmentally converted into petaloids. Broad outer guard petals remain, while petaloids and residual fertile stamens create the textured centre.
One clone, successive shades
The same genetic individual can open flowers from soft pink and white to deeper pink and red during the season. These are not separate cultivars, but shifts in phenotypic expression as flowers develop and open under changing conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers about position, watering and long-term growth.
01Why are the flowers different colours?
This is characteristic of ‘Volunteer’. Early blooms are paler pink-white and late blooms may become deeper red.
02Does it need ericaceous compost?
Yes, especially in a pot. An acidic, humus-rich and free-draining mix reduces the risk of chlorosis.
03When should it be pruned?
Immediately after flowering and only as needed. Later pruning may remove growth that would carry the next buds.
04Can it stay in a container?
Yes, in a large stable pot with ericaceous mix, open drainage and consistent watering.
05Why are the buds falling?
Common causes include summer drought, abrupt moisture changes, hot roots or frost.
06Can it take Greek sunshine?
Only gentle morning or filtered light. Hot afternoon sun may scorch leaves and flowers.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.