Camellia Flower – Meaning, Symbolism and Colors
Flower symbolism is valuable for various reasons. Sometimes it can help us choose the right flower sort for someone we love and other times it can help us learn more about history and cultures that lived before us.
Flower symbolism was created by our ancestors and it is something that has been passed on from one generation to another. Flowers carry an important symbolic meaning and artists often used them to express deep emotions and hidden messages to the world.
Using flowers in rituals and ceremonies dates back hundreds of years, and some of those traditions are alive and well even today. Weddings could not be imagined without flowers and flower decorations.
Baptisms and funerals couldn’t be imagined without flowers as well, because they are there to tell people who are no longer with us how much they mean to us or to celebrate baptism of someone who has accepted the guidance of God. In today’s text we will be talking about Camellia flower and the hidden symbolism behind it.
Meaning of the Camellia flower
Camellia flower has several important meanings that are passed on from one generation to another and that made it up until today. These meanings are:
Longevity
- Camellia flowers were symbols of longevity and overcoming everything that time has in store for us. This flower is often taken to graves to send the message out to the world, that those who have died might not be on earth with us but they will continue to be alive in our hearts.
Desire
- Camellia flowers are also symbols of desire and passion we feel towards someone. This flower is a perfect gift for our partner or anyone else to whom we feel these strong emotions. This flower will express your emotions and send a strong message to the person you love without you even saying a word.
Perfection
- The Camellia flowers are also symbols perfection and excellence. You can gift this flower to someone who you consider to be perfect or to someone who you want to see successful. Many relied this meaning to the Camellia flower because it looked perfect and almost unreal to many, which is why they decided it deserves such a strong symbolical meaning.
Camellia Flower – Etymological meaning
Camellia flower got its name after father Georg Joseph Kamel who was the founder of taxonomy. The plant was actually standardized by Carl Linnaeus in the year 1753 since Kamel didn’t engage too much in studying of the plant itself.
Camellia Flower – Symbolism
We believe that everybody’s first association with this flower is the famous novel by Alexander Dime “The Lady with Camellias”. Delicate, gentle, sophisticated and graceful camellia certainly deserved to be on the list of the most favorite flowers that we traditionally gift not only to those we love, but also to people we secretly admire, and who may not even be aware that they are the object of our admiration.
That is why, in addition to the obvious association of perfection and decency, camellia has always been a symbol of longing.
Camellia is considered to be the oldest cultivated plant in the world, originating from the eastern parts of Asia, where it’s much more popular name, the Japanese Rose, is still used today. It can surely be said that, in the Far East, it represents a kind of religious symbol. Not only is it possible to hear that Camellia follows the roads of Buddhist priests, but it can often be found in many temples as well as in cemeteries.
In their eyes, camellia is a flower of flowers, the only one that combines the beauty of anemone, the elegance of rose and the sophistication of orchids. In her large and full flower we see a direct image of supremacy, a victory over material, freedom, and new beginnings.
In addition to its obvious splendor and beauty, this flower truly associates itself with spirituality, peace, honor, the perfect balance that exists in nature. In Chinese tradition, camellia marks a beautiful girl, and the perfect look of this flower has always been associated with all those relationships that emphasize sustainability, that is, relationships that defeat both time and all possible obstacles.
Moreover, in the East it is considered that the petal is a symbol of the spirit of a young girl, while the so-called cup of flowers (which in the case of a camellia falls along with her petals) is a symbol of a young boy who is committed to caring for and protecting the girl. From there, a clear association of the perfection of their community and endless dedication, which ultimately forms the basis of every true love.
So, we can rightly conclude that camellia is one of the most popular flowers that express love, lust and passion. This is especially true for camellia red. Pink, on the other hand, are mostly associated with lovers who separate something (or someone), so they are given to the people for whom our hearts are eager.
White camellia conveys a message of admiration, so it can freely be said that by donating this flower we emphasize one’s sweetness and femininity.
Contrary to the deeply rooted belief that the giving of flowers is strictly reserved only for women, the camellia donated to a man has its own special meaning – a symbol of happiness.
Camellia Flower – Color meaning
Flowers can come in various colors but they can also come in one or two colors maximum. Color of a flower can really bring out the symbolic meaning and double it sometimes, but it can also tone it down and change it into something completely different.
Colorful flowers are there to make our lives happier and to help us feel more optimistic about the new day. Color has its own unique symbolism and only when we combine the symbolism of a certain flower with the symbolic meaning of a color, we can get truly send a strong message to someone we love.
The Camellia flower comes in several colors and they are:
Pink
The color pink is a symbol of romance, love and affection. This color is also a symbol of feminine energy and it is mostly devoted to females. The pink Camellia flowers are symbols of longing for something or someone. This flower is a perfect was t express to your loved one that you miss him or her and that you can’t wait to see them.
Red
Red Camellia flowers are symbols of desire and passion for someone. These flowers are an ideal gift from someone for Valentine’s Day and if you want to send the message that you are deeply in love with this person.
White
White Camellia flowers are symbols of innocence and love between a mother and a child but they can also be symbols of mourning and taken to funerals to honor the ones who are no longer with us. White Camellias are also considered to be lucky, so many bring them inside their homes in order to attract good fortune.
Camellia flower – Botanical facts and characteristics
For camellia they say that the combination of elegance of rose, the beauty of anemone and the sophistication of orchids, is why it is also called the queen of flowers. Its beautiful flowers and oval, leather, dark green leaves decorate many gardens and balconies.
Camellia is considered to be the oldest cultured plant in the world that originates from the warm, forested areas of East Asia. She arrived in Europe 300 years ago when she brought Portugal, England, Germany and the French as a raw material for tea production from Japan. In nature, two hundred species of wild camellia were found, and more than 300,000 cultivars were created.
Camellia is a plant for semi-shaded and shady places in the garden that are warm, humid and protected from the sun and the wind. It tolerates cold well, and some will even flourish under the snow. If the cold weather period lasts longer, protect it with a straw and wicker cover. In order for the plant to progress well, the soil needs to be a poorly acidic reaction (pe-ha of land from 4.5 to 6.5) and has to have good permeability.
As the root of the camellia is very sensitive, too much moist soil can cause rotting of the root. If the bottom of the fruit pit is porous, mix it with sour peat and manure, and if the soil is loamy to the bottom first, add a lot of sand and mix it with the soil, and then just add peat and manure fertilizer.
When you have chosen a place to plant camellia, check the quality of the soil and the drainage of the terrain. Dig the pit for the camellia at least two times deeper and three times wider than its crochet. From a dugout, make a half-pile in the center of the pit. When planting the roots of camellia, place on the prepared surface to make the plant easier to straighten, but make sure that the crown is at least 10 cm above the ground.
Camellia has a shallow root and suffocates if it is too deep-rooted. With a mixture of the soil you prepared a few days before planting, fill the pit, press the earth around the roots of the camellia with your hands, and then plant the plant with water. The best time for planting and transplanting camellia is between October and March. Before planting, plant well, and during the transplant, keep the Camellia root, not the stem.
Camellia flourishes in the third year of life, at the time when there are few other flowers in the garden, that is, in autumn, winter and early spring. Beautiful camellia flowers can be single, double or semi-dull, and the color palette ranges from crimson-red and pink to snow-white and colorful with dots or stripes. The camellia flower lasts for four months.
Of the two hundred wildlife species of camellia, gardeners have created several thousands of cultivars, among which the most famous and most accessible Camellia japonica. It’s a bush of slow growth and longevity. This flower is characterized by a large flower, up to 15 cm, in contrast to the tiny red flowers of the original species originating from the Far East. The color of the flower ranges from completely white to red, dotted, colorful. It grows relatively easily both in gardens and indoors.
Camellia sasanqua, or a flower of mountain tea as it is called, is transmitted to Europe from Japan. It is stronger and more resistant to Camellia japonica, it is easily adapted to new conditions, it blooms richly from autumn. It suffices very well both very sunny and shadow. Unfortunately, this type of camellia is difficult to mainain in some areas. The original color of the flowers of this fragrant camellia is white, but there are cultivars that have pink and even burgundy colors.
Camellia reticulata is a rather demanding type of camellia, but for such beauty, it is worth adding extra. For her, decide if you want to have a gorgeous plant surrounded by numerous large flowers, like butterflies, in the spring.
Among the camellias that are suitable for our climatic conditions and which can handle temperatures and up to 20 degrees, the Camellia japonica “Bob Hope” is very special, very adaptable to all conditions in the garden, even to the sun or half-shade.
They bloom from mid-winter to late spring with shiny red flowers. And Camellia japonica “C.M.Xovey” is easy to breed in all climatic conditions. Strong growth and loose crochets with shiny green leaves. The flowers are large in size from 10 to 13 cm, intense pink colors with whites of white spots. Bloom from winter to late spring. It suits her half-sided or shady positions in the garden.
Camellia Flower – Secret message
Camellia’s symbolism is rich and it dates back hundreds of years. The main associations with these flowers are purity, love and affection. This is a perfect flower for someone who means a lot to you and to someone who needs a little bit of recognition in life.
Flowers carry an important symbolic meaning and artists often used them to express deep emotions and hidden messages to the world. Using flowers in rituals and ceremonies dates back hundreds of years, and some of those traditions are alive and well even today.
Besides having their own symbolic meanings, flowers also hide a secret message that we need to learn and understand.
The Camellia flower is telling you to cherish love and to always think positively no matter what. This bright and optimistic flower is going to bring love back into your life and make you appreciate everything good in it.