Camellia petelotii is an evergreen shrub or a small tree; it can grow 1.5 - 5 metres tall.This is one of several species of Camellia growing in Guangxi that have golden-yellow petals. These petals are being harvested indiscriminately from several of those species for purported medicinal benefits.
Species in this genus generally prefer a peaty, more or less lime-free soil with a pH in the range 5 - 7, but most will grow well in an open loam to which ample leaf-mould has been added, so long as it is well-drained and lime-free.