Here's the mystery:
A tree about 3 meters (~9.8ft) tall that has been pruned into a hedge at the house I am renting in Williamsburg VA (zone 7b). It has glossy serrated alternating leaves, large flowers on the ends of the stems, and green 1.5" diameter nut-like fruit (or maybe true nut) with 4-10 seedy/nut meaty sections. The brown covering of the seed is hard yet thin. Squirrels have been eating it. Any ideas what this is?
EDIT I just stared at the leaf picture again and thought the leaves looked a lot like a camellia. And appears to be Camellia oleifera...
I agree with your edit - the first photo looks like camellia leaves/flower bud, the second like camellia seed pod, and the third like a camellia blossom. Good call!
We've gotta get close enough to that helmet to pull the choke on it's engine and flood his mind! Or, we could just read this tiny ad:
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