Q: I have a Samantha camellia but don’t know much about it.

A: Unlike our familiar Camellia sasanqua and Camellia japonica species, ‘Samantha’ is a Camellia reticulata. The leaves have very defined veins.

The are more than 200 camellia species, including the one that furnishes iced tea! Reticulata camelias are known for the huge size of their blooms: saucer to dinner plate in diameter.

You won’t find much beyond the “tried and true” camellias at local nurseries but County Line Nursery near Byron GA (www.countylinenursery.com) offers a huge selection online.

camellia japonica