Camellia

Camellia japonica is a familiar camellia species to most gardeners, but it’s only the beginning; with more than 200 species there are many more camellias to know and appreciate. Native to eastern and southern Asia, camellias feature large glossy evergreen foliage and winter blooms.

Camellias taste good too. Green, oolong, white and black tea all come from tender new leaves of the Camellia sinensis, the different teas are created by how leaves are processed.

The Award Winning Camellia Forrest

Descanso Gardens is home to thousands of camellias and was awarded the status “Garden of Excellence” by the International Camellia Society. A number of species, most notably the C. japonica, C. reticulata and the C. sasanqua, are represented in Descanso’s extensive collection. From these and other species, there are hundreds of cultivars to view during the winter blooming season.