Camellia (kah-mel’-i-ah) – Evergreen shrubs and trees, a native of China and Japan, belonging to the Tea family, Theaceae.
They are prized for their handsome glossy-green leaves, showy, single, semi-double and double flowers, adapted for outdoor cultivation in the milder parts of the United States.
The Latin name, Camellia, honors the Moravian Jesuit missionary and botanist George Joseph Kamel.
Camellias cannot be surpassed by any of the broadleaved evergreen shrubs in all those areas where they may be grown as garden plants. Any garden in which they are used freely is lifted out of the commonplace, and even a single specimen improves its own surroundings. Various Uses Of Camellias Camellias make good specimen plants … Read more
Camellias are Asiatic, evergreen shrubs that are cherished for their waxy, long-lasting flowers. Their alternate, toothed leaves are of leathery texture, attractive, and decorative around the year. By proper choice of varieties, six or seven potted or tubbed camellias will provide a season of bloom from mid-September through March. Though they are often thought of … Read more
The word “can’t” is an anathema to me. So when I was told that camellias “can’t” be grown outdoors in the North, my streak of Scotch stubbornness rebelled. Camellias intrigued me, and catalogs, with long sections devoted to enticing color plates of camellias, offered fuel to the fire. A casual search of weather records indicated … Read more
Camellias make excellent pot plants, and because of certain unusual cultural requirements, they are well adapted for growing on porches and sunrooms that are or can be closed in during Winter. They have been kept in good condition for many years, even to 50 or more with their root systems confined to the limited space … Read more
When wild geese fly high, there is a haze on the far horizon, and the weather turns, pleasantly cool, then November has arrived. Potting of Small Plants Usually, some small plants in the garden can be potted to make sunny windows brighter for the winter. Small petunias, coleus, marigolds, and even morning glories will frame … Read more
Winter never lags if you have camellias in full bloom all season. We grow them in our greenhouse and on our glassed-in porch. Our 22’x24′-foot glass house was built many years ago and paid for itself almost at once with savings on winter vacations—with camellias in bloom, why go away! They like cool temperatures, so … Read more
Want to see a Methuselah of a camellia? You’ll find a venerable specimen of Camellia japonica variety Alba Plena in the Johnson Public Library, Hackensack, New Jersey. It’s in the north reading room near the east wall—perhaps the most winning proof we’ve ever seen of the camellia’s remarkable adaptability. By written record, this camellia is … Read more
The founding fathers of Cape May County, New Jersey, were seafaring men. In the old churchyards, many stones are marked “Lost at Sea,” while the sailing vessel is a common symbol above many an old family name. Like all travelers, the captains and their crews brought home souvenirs from their voyages, not the least of … Read more
For too many years, camellias have been limited to regions along the Atlantic seaboard from Norfolk, Virginia, southward and the Gulf Coast and the West Coast of the United States; too mild areas of England, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, and Australia and to temperate Asia. Because there are now so many reports of … Read more
Since I live in Springfield, Massachusetts, I suppose I should be fond of hardy plants—they are a logical choice for this part of the country. But there is no accounting for flower preferences, and undeterred by the climate, I decided to grow camellias about five years ago. At first, tried them in a greenhouse during … Read more