Family Theaceae
Camellias are flowering shrubs of which there are numerous cultivars and hybrids. These have been raised from the many different species introduced to Europe from China and Japan. Of the many different types available Camellia japonica hybrids are the plants usually grown for pot culture. They were very popular in Victorian times and many large estate
owners devoted a whole greenhouse to their cultivation. Some magnificent specimens, bearing hundreds of flowers, were grown. Actually Camellia japonica, and its hybrids, is quite hardy and can be grown outside with success in milder climates.
