List of Award of Garden Merit camellias
Below is a selected list of camellia cultivars which currently (2016) hold the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Camellias are popular shrubs of medium to large size (typically 1 to 4 cubic metres), originating in China and the far east. Best seen in a dappled woodland setting, they thrive in acid soil, like other calcifuges such as rhododendrons. They are especially valued for their glossy evergreen foliage and large showy blooms, in shades of red, pink and white. These can appear as early as November in favoured locations in the  temperate Northern Hemisphere; but the main flowering season is early to mid spring (February to May). Though the plants are robust, the blooms are easily damaged by frost. It is therefore advisable to site the plants away from direct morning sun. Maximum dimensions are shown in metres, after 10–20 years.