This was the first thing I saw when I reached the species section yesterday, Camellia caudate, around 3m tall, lying on its side. Though rarely flowering, its superb foliage has made it one of my favourites.

It was growing in an area that is always wet, probably from springs underground. Looking at the base of the stem it is hard to see how it was ever standing in the first place. Sadly it was the only specimen of C.caudata in the collection though I hope I have a young plant to replace it with in a few years time.

The only picture I have of it in flower dates from 2007, a sorry specimen. Hey ho.