Camellia L.
camellias · Theaceae
- Accepted name
- Camellia L.
- First published
- Sp. Pl.: 698 (1753)
- Family
- Theaceae
- Accepted species
- 245 (including 4 natural hybrids)
- Native range
- 24 TDWG regions, tropical and subtropical Asia
- Common names
- camellias
- Databases
- POWO · IPNI · WCVP · Catalogue of Life · GBIF
Overview
Camellia belongs to the tea family, Theaceae; Kew gives its native range as tropical and subtropical Asia. Among the common names Kew’s Economic Botany Collection records for the genus are Assam tea, green tea and black tea: the tea plant belongs here too.
The camellia of florists and gardens is mainly C. japonica, which WCVP records as native to north-central and south-east China, Taiwan, Japan (including the Ryukyus) and Korea.
Classification and naming
Linnaeus published the genus in Species Plantarum in 1753; generic synonyms are listed below. The plate above is from Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, plate 42 (1788), named in the text “Camellia Japonica. Rose Camellia”.
| Genus name | Published in |
|---|---|
| Calpandria Blume | Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 178 (1825) |
| Camelliastrum Nakai | J. Jap. Bot. 16: 699 (1940) |
| Dankia Gagnep. | Notul. Syst. (Paris) 8: 131 (1939) |
| Desmitus Raf. | Sylva Tellur.: 139 (1838) |
| Drupifera Raf. | Sylva Tellur.: 140 (1838) |
| Piquetia Hallier f. | Beih. Bot. Centralbl., Abt. 2. 39: 162 (1921) |
| Salceda Blanco | Fl. Filip., ed. 2.: 374 (1845) |
| Sasanqua Nees | P.F.von Siebold, Nippon 4: 13 (1834) |
| Stereocarpus Hallier f. | Beih. Bot. Centralbl., Abt. 2. 39: 162 (1921) |
| Thea L. | Sp. Pl.: 515 (1753) |
| Theaphylla Raf. | Med. Fl. 2: 267 (1830) |
| Theopsis (Cohen-Stuart) Nakai | J. Jap. Bot. 16: 704 (1940) |
| Tsia Adans. | Fam. Pl. 2: 450 (1763) |
| Yunnanea Hu | Acta Phytotax. Sin. 5: 282 (1956) |
Distribution
WCVP records the genus as native to 24 TDWG botanical regions and introduced in 14 more.
AssamBangladeshBorneoCambodiaChina North-CentralChina South-CentralChina SoutheastEast HimalayaHainanJapanKoreaLaosLesser Sunda Is.MyanmarNansei-shotoNepalPhilippinesSolomon Is.Sri LankaSulawesiTaiwanThailandTibetVietnam
Introduced
Andaman Is.Argentina NortheastArkansasBoliviaEthiopiaGuineaGulf of Guinea Is.IndiaJuan Fernández Is.MauritiusRéunionSeychellesTrinidad-TobagoTürkiye
Accepted species
WCVP accepts 245 species; names with × are natural hybrids. The count changes with revisions; checked 2026-10-24.
Show all 245 accepted species
| Name | On this site |
|---|---|
| Camellia alpina S.S.Ying | |
| Camellia amplexicaulis (Pit.) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia amplexifolia Merr. & Chun | |
| Camellia anderseniae Orel | |
| Camellia andrefrancisii Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia anlungensis Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia annamensis N.S.Lý, V.D.Luong, N.D.Do, T.H.Lê & Thi L.Nguyen | |
| Camellia assimiloides Sealy | |
| Camellia aurea Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia azalea C.F.Wei | |
| Camellia bidoupensis Truong, Luong & Tran | |
| Camellia brevistaminata Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia brevistyla (Hayata) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia bugiamapensis Orel, Curry, Luu & Q.D.Nguyen | |
| Camellia candida Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia capitata Orel, Curry & Luu | |
| Camellia cattienensis Orel | |
| Camellia caudata Wall. | |
| Camellia celebica (Warb. ex Kochs) S.S.Ying | |
| Camellia chekiangoleosa Hu | |
| Camellia cherryana Orel | |
| Camellia chinmeiae S.L.Lee & T.Y.A.Yang | |
| Camellia chrysanthoides Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia columna Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia compacta Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia concinna Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia connata (Craib) Craib | |
| Camellia corallina (Gagnep.) Sealy | |
| Camellia cordifolia (F.P.Metcalf) Nakai | |
| Camellia costata S.Y.Hu & S.Y.Liang | |
| Camellia costei H.Lév. | |
| Camellia crapnelliana Tutcher | |
| Camellia crassipes Sealy | |
| Camellia crassiphylla Ninh & Hakoda | |
| Camellia crassisepala Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia crispula Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia cupiformis T.L.Ming | |
| Camellia cuspidata (Kochs) Bean | |
| Camellia daeseobii V.C.Nguyen & Vuong | |
| Camellia dakplaoensis Luu, T.T.H.Nguyen & The H.Nguyen | |
| Camellia dalatensis V.D.Luong, Ninh & Hakoda | |
| Camellia danhducii V.D.Luong, Vuong & V.C.Nguyen | |
| Camellia debaoensis R.C.Hu & Y.Q.Liufu | |
| Camellia dilinhensis Ninh & V.D.Luong | |
| Camellia discorsa Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia dormoyana (Pierre) Sealy | |
| Camellia drupifera Lour. | |
| Camellia edithae Hance | |
| Camellia elizabethae Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia elongata (Rehder & E.H.Wilson) Rehder | |
| Camellia erubescens Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia euphlebia Merr. ex Sealy | |
| Camellia euryoides Lindl. | |
| Camellia exigua Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia fangchengensis S.Ye Liang & Y.C.Zhong | |
| Camellia fansipanensis J.M.H.Shaw, Wynn-Jones & V.D.Nguyen | |
| Camellia fascicularis Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia flava (Pit.) Sealy | |
| Camellia flavida Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia fleuryi (A.Chev.) Sealy | |
| Camellia flosculora Curry, V.S.Le, T.Q.Cuong & V.D.Luong | |
| Camellia fluviatilis Hand.-Mazz. | |
| Camellia foleyana Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia forrestii (Diels) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia fragilis Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia fraterna Hance | |
| Camellia fulva Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia furfuracea (Merr.) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia gaudichaudii (Gagnep.) Sealy | |
| Camellia gilbertii (A.Chev.) Sealy | |
| Camellia glabricostata T.L.Ming | |
| Camellia gracilipes Merr. ex Sealy | |
| Camellia grandibracteata Hung T.Chang, Y.J.Tan, F.L.Yu & P.S.Wang | |
| Camellia granthamiana Sealy | |
| Camellia grijsii Hance | |
| Camellia guanwuensis S.S.Ying | |
| Camellia gymnogyna Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia hagiangensis Q.U.Le & T.T.Le | |
| Camellia hainanica Y.L.Zhao & Z.G.Xu | |
| Camellia hainingii S.X.Yang & Y.S.Huang | |
| Camellia hamyenensis Ninh & Le | |
| Camellia harlandii Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia hatinhensis V.D.Luong, Ninh & L.T.Nguyen | |
| Camellia hekouensis C.J.Wang & G.S.Fan | |
| Camellia hiemalis Nakai | |
| Camellia hiepii V.S.Dang, Vuong, V.C.Nguyen & V.D.Luong | |
| Camellia hirsuta Hakoda & Ninh | |
| Camellia hoabinhensis V.D.Luong, Ninh & V.T.Pham | |
| Camellia hoangbacii V.C.Nguyen & Vuong | |
| Camellia honbaensis Luu, Q.D.Nguyen & G.Tran | |
| Camellia hongiaoensis Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia hongkongensis Seem. | |
| Camellia hsinpeiensis S.S.Ying | |
| Camellia huana T.L.Ming & W.J.Zhang | |
| Camellia huulungensis Rosmann & Ninh | |
| Camellia ilicifolia Y.K.Li | |
| Camellia illia Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia impressinervis Hung T.Chang & S.Ye Liang | |
| Camellia indochinensis Merr. | |
| Camellia ingens Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia insularis Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia × intermedia (Tuyama) Nagam. | |
| Camellia inusitata Orel, Curry & Luu | |
| Camellia japonica L. | 2 plates |
| Camellia × kamoshibori M.Hiroe | |
| Camellia kirinoi Ninh | |
| Camellia kissi Wall. | |
| Camellia krempfii (Gagnep.) Sealy | |
| Camellia kwangsiensis Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia lanceolata (Blume) Seem. | |
| Camellia langbianensis (Gagnep.) P.H.Hô | |
| Camellia laotica (Gagnep.) T.L.Ming | |
| Camellia lasiostyla (Warb. ex Kochs) S.S.Ying | |
| Camellia latifolia Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia lawii Sealy | |
| Camellia leptophylla S.Ye Liang ex Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia lienthuongiae V.D.Luong, Vuong & V.C.Nguyen | |
| Camellia longicalyx Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia longipedicellata (Hu) Hung T.Chang & D.Fang | |
| Camellia longissima Hung T.Chang & S.Ye Liang | |
| Camellia loshanensis S.S.Ying | |
| Camellia lucii Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia luongii Ninh & Le | |
| Camellia lutchuensis T.Itô | |
| Camellia luteocalpandria S.X.Yang & E.D.Liu | |
| Camellia luteocerata Orel | |
| Camellia luteoflora Y.K.Li ex Hung T.Chang & F.A.Zeng | |
| Camellia luteonerva Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia luteopallida V.D.Luong, T.Q.T.Nguyen & Luu | |
| Camellia mairei (H.Lév.) Melch. | |
| Camellia maoniushanensis J.L.Liu & Q.Luo | |
| Camellia megasepala Hung T.Chang & Trin Ninh | |
| Camellia melliana Hand.-Mazz. | |
| Camellia micrantha S.Ye Liang & Y.C.Zhong | |
| Camellia mileensis T.L.Ming | |
| Camellia mingii S.X.Yang | |
| Camellia minima Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia mollis Hung T.Chang & S.X.Ren | |
| Camellia multigemma Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia murauchii Ninh & Hakoda | |
| Camellia namkadingensis Soulad. & Tagane | |
| Camellia nematodea (Gagnep.) Sealy | |
| Camellia neriifolia Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia nervosa (Gagnep.) Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia ngheanensis N.D.Do, V.D.Luong, N.S.Lý, T.H.Lê & D.H.Nguyễn | |
| Camellia ninhii V.D.Luong & Le | |
| Camellia oleifera C.Abel | |
| Camellia pachyandra Hu | |
| Camellia pallida Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia parviflora Merr. & Chun ex Sealy | |
| Camellia parvimuricata Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia parvula Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia paucipunctata (Merr. & Chun) Chun | |
| Camellia pentagonalema Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia petelotii (Merr.) Sealy | |
| Camellia phanii Hakoda & Ninh | |
| Camellia philippinensis Hung T.Chang & S.X.Ren | |
| Camellia phuongchiana Curry, V.H.Quach, T.T.Hoang & Q.C.Truong | |
| Camellia piloflora S.X.Yang | |
| Camellia pilosperma S.Yun Liang | |
| Camellia pingguoensis D.Fang | |
| Camellia piquetiana (Pierre) Sealy | |
| Camellia pirifructa Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia pitardii Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia pleurocarpa (Gagnep.) Sealy | |
| Camellia polyodonta F.C.How ex Hu | |
| Camellia proensis V.D.Luong, Dudkin & V.H.Quach | |
| Camellia psilocarpa X.G.Shi & C.X.Ye | |
| Camellia ptilophylla Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia pubicosta Merr. | |
| Camellia pubifurfuracea Y.C.Zhong | |
| Camellia pubipetala Y.Wan & S.Z.Huang | |
| Camellia puhoatensis N.S.Lý, V.D.Luong, T.H.Lê, D.H.Nguyễn & N.D.Do | |
| Camellia pukhangensis N.D.Do, V.D.Luong, S.T.Hoang & T.H.Lê | |
| Camellia pulchella Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia punctata (Kochs) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia pyriformis T.S.Hoang & T.N.Bon | |
| Camellia pyriparva Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia pyxidiacea Z.R.Xu, F.P.Chen & C.Y.Deng | |
| Camellia quangcuongii L.V.Dung, S.T. Hoang & Nhan | |
| Camellia quephongensis Hakoda ex Le | |
| Camellia quynhii V.D.Luong, V.H.Quach & T.T.Hoang | |
| Camellia reticulata Lindl. | 1 plate |
| Camellia rhytidocarpa Hung T.Chang & S.Ye Liang | |
| Camellia rosacea Tagane, Soulad. & Yahara | |
| Camellia rosiflora Hook. | |
| Camellia rosmannii Ninh | |
| Camellia rosthorniana Hand.-Mazz. | |
| Camellia rostrata S.X.Yang & S.F.Chai | |
| Camellia rubriflora Ninh & Hakoda | |
| Camellia rusticana Honda | |
| Camellia salicifolia Champ. | |
| Camellia saluenensis Stapf ex Bean | |
| Camellia sasanqua Thunb. | |
| Camellia scabrosa Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia sealyana T.L.Ming | |
| Camellia semiserrata C.W.Chi | |
| Camellia septempetala Hung T.Chang & L.L.Qi | |
| Camellia shuangbaiensis G.P.Yang & B.H.Wu | |
| Camellia siangensis T.K.Paul & M.P.Nayar | |
| Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze | 1 plate |
| Camellia sonthaiensis Luu, V.D.Luong, Q.D.Nguyen & T.Q.T.Nguyen | |
| Camellia sphamii Q.C.Truong & V.S.Le | |
| Camellia stellata Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia stuartiana Sealy | |
| Camellia subintegra P.C.Huang | |
| Camellia suddeeana D.Wei Zhao | |
| Camellia synaptica Sealy | |
| Camellia szechuanensis C.W.Chi | |
| Camellia szemaoensis Hung T.Chang | |
| Camellia tachangensis F.S.Zhang | |
| Camellia taliensis (W.W.Sm.) Melch. | |
| Camellia tenii Sealy | |
| Camellia thanxaensa Hakoda & Kirino | |
| Camellia thuanana T.T.Hoang | |
| Camellia thuongiana V.D.Luong, A.Le & T.L.Nguyen | |
| Camellia tianeensis S.Ye Liang & Y.T.Luo | |
| Camellia tienyenensis Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia tomentosa Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia tonkinensis (Pit.) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia transarisanensis (Hayata) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia trichoclada (Rehder) S.S.Chien | |
| Camellia triquetra Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia tsaii Hu | |
| Camellia tsingpienensis Hu | |
| Camellia tuberculata S.S.Chien | |
| Camellia tungyanshanensis S.S.Ying | |
| Camellia tuyenquangensis V.D.Luong, Le & Ninh | |
| Camellia uraku Kitam. | |
| Camellia vanlangensis V.D.Luong & V.T.Pham | |
| Camellia velutina V.T.Pham, V.D.Luong & Aver. | |
| Camellia venusta Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia × vernalis (Makino) Makino | |
| Camellia villicarpa S.S.Chien | |
| Camellia viridicalyx Hung T.Chang & S.Ye Liang | |
| Camellia vuquangensis V.D.Luong, Ninh & L.T.Nguyen | |
| Camellia wardii Kobuski | |
| Camellia wilkesiana Orel & Curry | |
| Camellia × williamsii W.W.Sm. | |
| Camellia xanthochroma K.M.Feng & L.S.Xie | |
| Camellia yangii D.Wei Zhao | |
| Camellia yokdonensis Dung bis & Hakoda | |
| Camellia yunnanensis (Pit. ex Diels) Cohen-Stuart | |
| Camellia zhaiana S.X.Yang | |
| Camellia zijinica M.Lin, Q.L.Ye & Q.Fan |
Historic plates
Plates in date order; the printed names are kept as they appear, current names are on the species pages and the topic page.
Camellia japonica
Curtis's Botanical Magazine · 42 · 1788
Thea chinensis
Curtis's Botanical Magazine · 998 · 1807
Sydenham Edwards
Camellia japonica
Edwards's Botanical Register · 22 · 1815
Sydenham Edwards, Smith
Camellia reticulata
Curtis's Botanical Magazine · 2784 · 1827
William Jackson Hooker, Joseph Swan
Growing and safety
The RHS describes camellias as easy, glossy evergreen shrubs that thrive in acid soil (below pH 7), the same conditions as rhododendrons. Flowering depends on the group: C. sasanqua cultivars flower in autumn and winter, while C. japonica and C. × williamsii cultivars flower in late winter and early spring. Keep plants well watered through summer, when next year’s flower buds form; summer drought and excessive or late-summer feeding cause bud drop, so do not feed after the end of July.
The ASPCA lists C. japonica as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.