Camellia History & Design

The Camellia plant was christened in 1735 by the Swedish naturalist Carl von Lineu in honor of Jesuit Georg Kamel, a missionary in the Philippines. All of the 267 species recorded within the genus Camellia originated from eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia. In China, Camellias have been treasured in the last three centuries as ornamental plants, and to provide food from fermented young leaves, cosmetics, culinary and industrial oils, high grade charcoal for fuel, and tea. (For more Camellia history, click here.)

Below, we've listed some of our favorite Camellia inspired items...




1. The Lady of the Camellias (French: La Dame aux camélias) is a novel based on a true story by Alexandre Dumas, first published in 1848, that was subsequently adapted for the stage. The Lady of the Camellias premiered at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris, France on February 2, 1852.

2. Chanel has a history with Camellias and has since used them for both fashion design and design inspiration. Here are the Camellia sandals for sale currently by Chanel.

3. This floral wallpaper is based completely on the Camellia flower.

4. The camellia is the most popular and highly respected flower in the Chinese culture. It was the national flower of Dai Li, an ancient southern kingdom of China and it symbolized steadfastness and excellence. Here they are painted on a Chinese fan.

5. This famous poster, "Lady of the Camellias" by Alfons Mucha in 1896, can found in a myriad of variations all over the world.

6. White Camellia perfume by St. John, introduced in 1998.

7. Here is another designer Katy Kane who used a camellia for her inspiration for a little fabric bow.

8. The camellias on this Chinese wall screen in Coco Chanel’s apartment were the inspiration for her famous “C’s”. (Wanderlust & Co.)

9. Camellia painted dinnerware.

Camellia Time…

It’s been a cold and rainy winter here (for Los Angeles) and as a result the camellias have burst into bloom. Camellias are often some of the earliest blossoms of the new year, and some varieties even begin as early as Fall of the previous year!

Though camellias are primarily famous for their beauty, it’s lesser known that they are also the source of one of the world’s oldest and most prized beverages: tea. Camellia sinensis and camellia sasanqua are the two species from which all black and green teas originate.  Tea, of course, plays a prominent role in Asian cultures, (as expressed in the tea ceremonies of China, Japan, Korean and Vietnam), European cultures (afternoon tea), and as a highly valuable commodity was a key player in the political history of Asia and the Americas for centuries...

最近ロサンゼルスに天気が少し寒い。雨も降れた。
その時からこっちに椿の花が咲いてる。
その前年の秋という早い時期に椿の花が咲き始める若干の種類があります。

椿の花も本当にきれい。
そして、椿の豪華なもののためにも使われます。
それは、中国、日本、韓国人とヴェトナムで見つかる突出した伝統的な茶道文化の中心的な関心です。
椿から製造されるもう一つの部材は、椿油です。
それが料理において使われて、南中国で最も一般的に用いられるとわかります。

But that’s another story. With literally thousands of hybrids of the ornamental camellia japonica available, you’re bound to find one that fits the personality of your garden. For more information, refer to the International Camellia Society, the American Camellia Society, the Southeastern Camellia Society, and your local nursery. In Los Angeles we’re very lucky to have camellia specialists Nuccio’s Nursery as a (fantastic) resource .

でもそれは他の物語です。
椿の多くの異なる百花 が、あります。
時々、異なる百花 は、一緒に移植されます。
もしあなたが椿の インフォメーションを欲しい、他のサイトがあります（英語だけ）例えばInternational Camellia SocietyとThe American Camellia SocietyとThe Southeastern Camellia SocietyとNuccio's Nursery（ロサンゼルス市）です。

Here at the Lenkin Gardens we have a row of camellias located in the front entrance area. Here are some of them:

写真の上にはレンキンガーデンの椿：











Hope this may inspire some of you to notice the camellias in bloom and/or enjoy a cup of tea before the cold weather is gone.

寒いの冬がなくなる前に、何人かに咲いている椿の花に気がつい。そしてかまたはお茶を飲むの楽しみにしています。