Stewartia
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Also called Japanese stewartia and Deciduous camellia
Garden plant · TreesFour seasons out of one small tree: camellia flowers in July, scarlet leaves in October, and a flaking cinnamon-and-grey trunk all winter. It wants acid soil, shelter and never to dry out — get those right and it asks nothing else.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Every 4 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Part shade, sheltered
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average to high
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a very cold winter RHS H6, to -20°C
- Size
- 8 m tall · 5 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- Japan and Korea
Is it safe for pets and people?
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
ASPCA lists Stewartia ovata, a different species in this genus, as non-toxic. Nothing is listed for this one, and a sibling's clean bill is not this plant's.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-22. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Brown crisp margins on the leaves facing open sky by late July, on a tree in full sun or in a draught. It wants dappled shade and shelter — this is the commonest reason a young one fails.Scorched leaf edges · disorder
- New leaves yellow between green veins on a tree planted in chalky soil. It needs acid ground and will not be argued out of it.Lime-induced chlorosis · disorder