This group includes the well known garden Camellias. They are quite hardy but dislike cold winds and alkaline soils, probably growing best in a thin woodland. They are sometimes cultivated as an oil crop in the Orient, this oil is non-drying and is especially popular as a hair dressing. Cephalotaxus harringtonia - Is an evergreen coniferous shrub from the woodlands of Japan. It grows in most soils, succeeds in heavy shade but prefers light shade and dislikes exposed positions.
Plants are either male or female but have been known to change sex.
Both seed and fruit are edible but can taste resinous, we have no information as to the category of this oil. The Dogwood, is a native deciduous shrub found wild in mixed woods, scrub and hedgerows on calcareous soils though it succeeds on most soils. It can also be grown as a hedge. It is said to be edible when refined. Young branches of the plant are used in basket making and a grey-blue dye is obtained from the fruit.