The flower often called the rarest on Earth is Camellia japonica ‘Middlemist’s Red’. But the label is a popular claim, not a verified global ranking, and the evidence here does not establish that gardeners can buy the cultivar. You can still use its story—and the growing needs of camellias generally—to shape a garden around a distinctive flowering shrub.
What is the flower called the rarest on Earth?
‘Middlemist’s Red’ is a named cultivar of Camellia japonica, a flowering evergreen shrub. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) lists the cultivar, and a 2023 camellia report from Chiswick House and Gardens Trust records it in that collection.
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“The rarest flower on Earth” is not a ranking established by a current global botanical census in these sources. A September 2026 feature by THURSD. repeats the often-circulated claim that two cultivated specimens are known; that is a secondary-source report, not a verified current worldwide count. The sources do not establish a known native wild population or a confirmed commercial source. Treat the name as a botanical curiosity, not a plant you can reliably order.
Plan the garden around camellia conditions
The RHS’s advice is for camellias generally, not a special growing protocol for ‘Middlemist’s Red’. Its guide describes camellias as “easy to grow, glossy evergreens,” but the right site and soil still matter.
#1 Best Overall
- PREMIUM NURSERY GROWN: Arrives established with healthy root development to help your plant thrive. We cannot ship our plants to the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, or WY. All orders to these states will be automatically cancelled
- STUNNING WINTER BLOOMS: Rich, velvety red flowers from mid to late winter, bringing beautiful color to your landscape when many other plants aren't blooming
- YEAR-ROUND BEAUTY: Glossy green foliage provide lasting structure and color well beyond the flowering season
- IDEAL GROWTH CONDITIONS: Grows best in USDA Zones 7-9 and thrives with morning sun and afternoon shade. For best results, plant in acidic, moist, well-drained soil
- READY FOR PLANTING: Grows into a dense, upright shrub approximately 7' tall and 4' wide, making it a beautiful choice for elegant landscaping, hedging, or privacy planting
Choose shelter and filtered light
Site a camellia in partial or dappled shade, protected from cold winds. Avoid a position where early morning sun hits the plant after a frost: the RHS warns that cold winds and early sun can damage buds and flowers. When planning a bed or garden renovation, consider the exposure the shrub will actually experience through the seasons rather than choosing a spot for appearance alone.
Check soil before planting
Camellias need acidic soil. Alkaline ground, including chalky soil, can lead to yellowing leaves and leaf loss, according to the RHS growing guide. If the garden soil is unsuitable, growing a camellia in a container with peat-free ericaceous compost is an alternative. A soil pH test can help you decide whether an in-ground planting site is appropriate.
Rank #2
- PREMIUM NURSERY GROWN: Arrives established with healthy root development to help your plant thrive. We cannot ship our plants to the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, or WY. All orders to these states will be automatically cancelled
- RICH RED BLOOMS: Small orange-red single flowers with golden stamens create seasonal color during fall
- YEAR-ROUND BEAUTY: Glossy green foliage provide lasting structure and color well beyond the flowering season
- IDEAL GROWTH CONDITIONS: Grows best in USDA Zones 7-10 and thrives with morning sun and afternoon shade. For best results, plant in acidic, moist, well-drained soil
- READY FOR PLANTING: Grows into a compact, upright shrub approximately 6' tall and 4' wide, making it a beautiful choice for elegant landscaping, hedging, foundation planting, or specimen gardens
Allow room for a shrub
As general camellia buying guidance, the RHS says plants are usually sold in 3–4 litre pots and typically stand 60–90 cm tall; those figures are not specific to ‘Middlemist’s Red’. The RHS recommends allowing at least 3–5 m per plant. Check the mature dimensions of the particular cultivar you can obtain before setting out a planting scheme, since the rare cultivar’s own dimensions are not established here.
Establish and care for a camellia
- Plant in the right season and position. Follow the RHS camellia growing guide for planting details, using a sheltered, partially shaded location and acidic soil or a suitable container.
- Water while it establishes. Keep newly planted shrubs watered, and do not let the soil dry out during summer, when the next year’s flower buds develop. In hard-water areas, prefer rainwater to prolonged use of tap water.
- Feed in spring. Use an ericaceous fertiliser and avoid feeding late in the season.
- Prune only when needed. If pruning is necessary, do it after flowering. The RHS cautions that hard pruning can delay good flowering for a couple of years or more.
Can you grow another camellia instead?
Yes. A different named camellia can deliver evergreen structure and flowers without pretending to be ‘Middlemist’s Red’. Spring-flowering camellias, for example, are covered in the RHS spring-flowering camellias guide. Choose a cultivar by matching its mature size, habit, flowering season, flower form and colour, and hardiness to your climate, soil and available light. The sources here do not establish current retail stock or prices for any alternative.
Rank #3
- BLOOMING SEASON: Produces stunning red bell-shaped flowers with white edges from autumn through the Christmas season
- GROWTH HABIT: Features an elegant semi-weeping form that adds graceful movement to landscapes
- HYBRID VARIETY: Unique cross between Camellia japonica and sasanqua combines the best characteristics of both parent plants
- CONTAINER SIZE: Comes in a 1-gallon pot, perfect for transplanting into your garden
- LANDSCAPE USE: Ideal as a focal point or accent plant, bringing winter color and architectural interest to gardens
Camellias can be propagated by cuttings, layering and grafting. Seed is not a dependable way to reproduce a named cultivar because seedlings generally do not come true to the parent. If cultivar identity matters, seek a correctly labelled plant from a reputable grower rather than raising it from seed.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Produces medium size fiery red single petal blooms with yellow stamen center. The bloom is medium ( about 3-4 inches across )
- Blooms in fall ( Oct to Dec ). Dark glossy oblong pointed leaves measure approx. 2 to 3 inches long by 1 inch wide with a serrate edge
- Upright growth Habit. Yuletide prefers slightly acidic soils. Sasanqua camellias can take much more sun than the japonica varieties. Afternoon shade in deep south is best
- Mature Height : 8-10 feet Mature Width : 5-6 feet Exposure : shade to partial sun Hardiness Zones : 7-10
- We CAN NOT guarantee plants will have flowers at time of purchase Starter Plants are not large established plants and are not meant to be planted directly into the landscape. All starter plants should be potted and kept in a protected area where it can receive some tlc for at least 6mo to 1 year before planting.
Rank #4
- MATURE SIZE: Grows up to 5 feet tall, perfect for foundation plantings and woodland borders with its compact, ornamental form
- FLOWERING: Features stunning peony-like rosy-red blooms with delightful fragrance, creating dramatic contrast against glossy dark green foliage
- GROWING CONDITIONS: Thrives in full sun with moderate watering needs, requires well-draining acidic soil for optimal growth
- HARDINESS: Suitable for USDA zones 5-8, this evergreen shrub adapts well to various climates while maintaining year-round interest
- PLANTING & CARE: Best planted from fall to early spring, requires regular watering to maintain moisture and post-bloom pruning for shape maintenance
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