Camellia

Camellia

Tea Family
Theaceae

Camellias are beautiful flowering evergreen shrubs and trees which originate in China, Japan and neighbouring countries.

Garden forms are derived from only a few species, but with many thousands of hybrid varieties. The leaves of one species, Camellia sinensis, are dried to make tea.

Trebah has a large and varied collection of camellias. The oldest camellia at Trebah, Camellia sasanqua ‘Crimson King’, is believed to be over 90 yrs old and heralds in the camellia season with its bright crimson flowers. Others that start flowering before Christmas are Camellia sasanqua 'Hugh Evans' and Camellia japonica 'Nobilissima' and others continue until mid-summer.

Whilst camellias can be enjoyed at different parts of the garden, we have many varieties that grow on Camellia Walk - one of the first paths you come to as you enter the garden. As you can imagine, it is quite a colourful site to behold in spring.