Shown above are photographs of some of the camellias growing in my garden. It has been a great year in Central Alabama for camellias. This year some of the hybrid blossoms measured over 5 inches in diameter.

Now for a little history about camellias: In 1959, the camellia was named the Official State Flower of Alabama. The history and migration of the camellia, sometimes called “The Rose of Winter,” is an interesting story. The most popular camellia throughout the world is often not even recognized as a member of camellia family. According to the American Camellia Society, “Camellia sinensis is better known as the tea plant. The word tea comes from the Chinese Amoy dialect for the word t’e. Tea is better known in China and Japan as ch’a from the Cantonese dialect. Tea first became popular in China during the reign of the Emperor Nung around 1700 B.C. During the period of trade, the East India Company brought tea from China to Europe where it became very popular. It may have first arrived in London in 1650, where it was known as Tay or Tee.”

“Tea quickly became a part of life and was known as “the cup that cheers but does not inebriate.” After tea became so universally popular, the government decided to place a tax on it, which led to the Boston Tea Party and later to the American Revolution. So you might say that a camellia was the origin of the Revolution that created the United States as a separate country from Great Britain.”

“It is generally agreed that the Camellia japonica was brought to Europe from China. Officials tried to bring tea plants to England for propagation, but either by mistake or on purpose, plants of Camellia japonica were sent by the Chinese instead. The first japonica was growing in England some time before 1739 in the greenhouse of Lord Petre. The Camellia was named by Linnaeus in honor of a Jesuit priest serving in the Philippines - Joseph Kamel.”

Camellia japonica arrived in North America in the late 1700s. At the time it was considered a plant species for the rich and wealthy, often grown in glass greenhouses in the north because the winters were too harsh. But it wasn’t long before Camellias made their way down south to antebellum gardens. Today, some of the oldest camellias can be found in the old plantation gardens in Charleston, South Carolina. 

It did not take long for camellia-fever to spread across the United States. In the 1930s and 1940s, Camellia shows began springing up all across the south. “People would come from everywhere, bringing in baskets full of camellias to present for exhibition—sometimes thousands at a time.” Years ago, The Men’s Garden Club in Savannah, Georgia reported that at one of their shows more than 5000 blooms were entered into the single competition.

Source References: American Camellia Society, AmericanCamellias.com