Camellia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Camellia |
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| Camellia sasanqua is used as a garden plant, its leaves are used for tea, and its seeds for oil | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Theaceae |
| Genus: | Camellia L. |
| Species | |
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About 100–250, see text |
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| Synonyms | |
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Thea |
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Camellia is a group of flowering plants. They belong to the plant family called Theaceae. These plants grow naturally in eastern and southern Asia. You can find them from the Himalayas all the way to Japan and Indonesia. Scientists are still figuring out exactly how many types, or species, of Camellia there are. Most agree there are between 100 and 250 different species. A famous scientist named Carl Linnaeus gave the genus its name. He named it after Fr. Georg Joseph Kamel, who was a botanist and a Jesuit priest. Kamel brought the Camellia japonica plant from Manila to Spain.
Camellias are evergreen shrubs and small trees. They can grow from 2 to 20 meters tall. Their leaves are arranged one after another along the stem. They are simple, thick, and usually shiny. The edges of the leaves are serrated, meaning they have small teeth. Leaves are typically 3 to 17 centimeters long.
The flowers of Camellia plants are large and easy to see. They can be from 1 to 12 centimeters wide. In nature, they usually have 5 to 9 petals. Their colors can be white, pink, or red. A few species even have yellow flowers. The fruit of a Camellia is a dry capsule. It is divided into 1 to 5 sections. Each section holds 1 to 8 seeds.
Camellia plants generally like acidic soils. They do not grow well in soils that have a lot of calcium, like chalky soils. Most types of Camellia also need a lot of rain. They do not handle drought (very dry periods) well. The larvae (young forms) of some butterfly species eat Camellia plants.
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What Are Camellias Used For?
The Camellia sinensis plant is very important for business. This is because tea is made from its leaves. Another product is tea oil. This is a sweet cooking oil. It is made by pressing the seeds of Camellia sinensis or Camellia oleifera.
Many other Camellia plants are grown just for their beautiful flowers. These are called ornamental plants. There are about 3,000 different types, called cultivars and hybrids. Many of these have "double flowers," which means they have many layers of petals. You can see examples in the gallery below.
Popular Camellia Types
Camellia japonica is the most popular type grown in gardens. It is often simply called "Camellia." There are over 2,000 named types of Camellia japonica. Next in popularity are C. reticulata with over 400 types, and C. sasanqua with over 300 types. Some popular hybrids (plants created by crossing two different types) include C. × hiemalis and C. × williamsii. People in Japan and other places really like Camellias. This is because they bloom very early, often in late winter. However, late frosts can sometimes harm the flowers.
Camellias grow slowly. They usually grow about 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) each year. This can change depending on the specific type and where it is growing. Camellia japonica is the official state flower of Alabama. It is also the city flower of Chongqing, a large city in China.
Famous People Who Loved Camellias
Many famous people have admired Camellias:
- Her Majesty The Queen Mother grew Camellias in all her gardens. When her coffin was moved, a Camellia from her own garden was placed on it.
- Coco Chanel, a famous fashion designer, was known for wearing a white Camellia.
- Alexandre Dumas, fils wrote a very famous novel called The Lady of the Camellias (1848). The plant was very important to the story.
- Ralph Peer, a pioneer in the music industry, was once the president of the American Camellia Society.
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Double flowered Camellia
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Camellia sasanqua
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Camellia japonica 'Pink Perfection'
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19th century illustration
See also
In Spanish: Camellia para niños
