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A Bloomin' Surprise For Christmas

By Phran Novelli,

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Well, look at that. A few years ago my friend Molly had an extra camellia so I took it off her hands and planted it by my patio. Camellia sasanqua is an Asian plant that's a member of the tea family.

Evergreen, it's one of the cold-hardy camellias that bloom in the fall, mine's supposed to have red flowers in winter. Every year it's stayed green, formed buds and then - bupkis, no flowers. I don't know why. I never figured it out. I don't really fuss over shrubs. I plant them, water them in and then they either live or they die. This one, kept living, it just wouldn't bloom.

Until this winter. After never seeing a flower in 4 years, all of a sudden the week before Christmas, I looked out the window and in between the browning hydrangeas I spied something - bright red flowers. Maybe it was the weather, all the rain water this year or whatever, but having a camellia blooming for Christmas Day was an extra special gift.

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