What do you know about camellias?

Camellia (Tsubaki in Japanese) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae, native to eastern and southern Asia from the Himalaya east to Japan and Indonesia.


There is some controversy over the number of existent species, with anything from 100–250 species being accepted. The genus was named by Linnaeus after Fr. Georg Joseph Kamel S.J., a Jesuit botanist.


They are evergreen shrubs and small trees from 2–20 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, thick, serrated, usually glossy, and 3–17 cm long. The flowers are large and conspicuous, 1–12 cm diameter, with (in natural conditions) 5–9 petals; colour varies from white to pink and red, and yellow in a few species. The fruit is a dry capsule subdivided into 1–5 compartments, each containing 1–8 seeds.


The genus is generally adapted to acidic soils, and does not grow well on chalk or other calcium-rich soils. Most species also have a high rainfall requirement and will not tolerate drought.


Camellia species are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Camellia.





Cultivation and uses:


Camellia sinensis is of major commercial importance because tea is made from its leaves. Tea oil is a sweet seasoning and cooking oil made by pressing the seeds of Camellia sinensis or Camellia oleifera.





Many other camellias are grown as ornamental plants for their flowers; about 3,000 cultivars and hybrids have been selected, many with double flowers, as in the gallery below. Camellia japonica (often simply called Camellia) is the most prominent species in cultivation, with over 2,000 named cultivars; next are C. reticulata, with over 400 named cultivars, and C. sasanqua, with over 300 named cultivars. Popular hybrids include C. × hiemalis (C. japonica × C. sasanqua) and C. × williamsii (C. japonica × C. salouenensis). They are highly valued in Japan and elsewhere for their very early flowering, often among the first flowers to appear in the late winter. Late frosts can damage the flowers.





Camellias have a slow growth rate. Typically they will grow about 30 centimetres a year until mature although this varies depending on variety and location.





Camellia japonica is the state flower of Alabama as well as the city flower of the Chinese municipality Chongqing.





I hope u find the info useful.


Jay

What do you know about camellias?
They are lovely, scented flowers that lots of poetry has been written about them. I believe there's even a movie named after them.
Reply:Camellias grow on shrubs which will grow into small trees if not pruned back occasionally. The blooms are all shades of pink, red, and white or variegations of those colors. variegations can be in the form of spots, streaks, stripes, or blotches. There are a few rare yellows. Hybridizers are trying to get the yellow to give us some other shades, but are not being too successful yet.





There are several species of Camellias which are grown in home gardens. The species that most people grow are Japonicas, followed by Reticulatas, and Sasanquas. There are also many hybrids between these species and some of the other species.





The blooms have several different forms. Some are single, having not more than 8 petals encircling the center of stamens. There are semi-doubles, which have two or more rows of petals but still have a good show of stamens. Anemones have a ring of "guard" petals that lie flat around the base with a central mass of small petals and petaloids that seem to pile up on top of one another. Peony forms are round blooms that stand high with irregular petals. These can be loose with petaloids and stamens showing. Others do not show stamens but are a mass of irregular petals, others are masses with intermingled stamens and/or petaloids.





The last two forms are very similar. They both have imbricated petals. Some blooms have petals that line up so there is a distinct swirl around to rosebud type center. The big difference is that the rose form doubles will open up fully if left on the bush and will show some stamens. The formal double always keeps a central bud that does not open.





All of the forms have variations. Some have incurved petals, some have petals that stand up like rabbit ears, some are thick and others have none of these features. There are literally thousands of varieties. Their size varies from miniatures that are less than 2 inches across to the very large which are over five inches across.





If you select your camellias carefully, you can have blooms from October until early April. Some varieties spread their blooming season out for a long period and others bloom more quickly and are finished.
Reply:only that they change their color to blend in with their environment
Reply:They bloom in the fall and early winter here in the south. You should keep the dead blooms raked from under them. Not recommended to be mulched.
Reply:they're like lizards, look similar
Reply:Sacramento CA seems to have a lot of them
Reply:Didn't she marry the Prince of Wales?
Reply:It can be like a herb and I think pill form and it is used to lower cholesterol.