What Camellias Have Seen

Southern California is an important site for camellia history. Closely related to tea plants, ornamental camellias come from East Asia and began circulating globally via circuits of the British Empire in the 17th and 18th centuries, and subsequently in the U.S. as well. In mid-20th century California, camellia history intersected with the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, and rare camellia varieties were prized by wealthy businessmen who shaped many of the cherished gardens and landscapes of Los Angeles. This talk traces local, regional, and global routes of camellia migration and cultivation as well as the motivations and desires of the individuals who cared for them.

Top image: Camellias in bloom. Photo by Wendy Cheng.