CROATIAN FLORA – CAMELLIAS, Rubra SimplexM.

Camellia japonica Rubra Simplex The beauty of the red flowers of this camellia species lies in the simplicity of their arrangement – the floral cluster consists of five to seven petals, and it gains its special charm from the prominently yellow raised stamens. The plant blooms from mid-winter to mid-spring. This camellia holds a special story for Opatija. Iginio Scarpa (1794–1866), a wealthy businessman from Trieste-Rijeka in his time, was an ancestor of Opatija on his maternal side. After prematurely losing his beloved wife Angiolina Sartorio (1801–1832), in her memory, Iginio Scarpa built a summer residence known today as Villa Angiolina. He also purchased surrounding land from Opatija villagers and systematically began landscaping the area, creating the magnificent park that still bears the name Park Angiolina. The story goes that his brother-in-law, Giovanni G. Sartorio, brought the first camellia plant from the Pillnitz Castle Park near Dresden in 1845 and gifted it to Iginio. He planted it near the villa in honor of his late wife, Angiolina. Rubra Simplex from Pillnitz can be seen on the Pillnitz Park website. It is at least 246 years old, approximately 8.9 meters tall, with a diameter of nearly 14 meters and a circumference of about 32 meters. During its flowering period, it bears approximately 35,000 flowers. Considering the climate in that part of Europe, it was always protected during winter with straw and wooden coverings. Nowadays, it has a movable glass dome for protection. The Opatija camellia japonica Rubra Simplex is considered one of the symbols of Opatija for the Camellia Lovers Association. It is located in Angiolina Park and many gardens throughout Opatija. Antonija Cvetković, president of the Camellia Lovers Association “Iginio Scarpa”, Opatija