What happened to my camellia?

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blumz Trussville, AL(Zone 8a) May 13, 2011

A couple of years ago I purchased a camellia shrub at a large botanical garden sale. The shrub bloomed for me the follow fall, and again this past fall. This spring it started to grow, only problem is, it's growing into something other than a camellia! About half the shrub still has camellia foliage, and the other half is something I don't recognize. Apparently, the camellia was started on the root stock of another shrub, and the host plant has somehow managed to come back. I don't know why ... :o( And I don't know what to do about it ... :o(
Questions: What is the mystery shrub? What can I do to get it out of my camellia?

Here's a picture of the part of the shrub that I can't identify.

Thumbnail by blumz
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blumz Trussville, AL(Zone 8a) May 13, 2011

And here is a picture showing the camellia foliage along with the mystery foliage.

Thumbnail by blumz
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CamelliaShop Savannah, GA Jun 20, 2011

Camellias are not genetically compatible with other plants, so it's not growing on it or grafting to something else. My guess is that a seed or small plant probably was growing in the container along with the camellia, so close it looks like it's coming out of it. I have a nursery, and our plants are grown outdoors and we have to carefully watch for this type of thing, it happens all the time. I would cut out the odd looking plant because it will compete with the camellia for water or nutrients.

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Gitagal Baltimore, MD(Zone 7a) Jul 10, 2011

Could it be Abelia?

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