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Celebrating California Camellias

Published on: January 03, 2019

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Just days ago Californians celebrated The Rose Parade in Pasadena. Weeks ago people decorated their homes with poinsettias for Christmas. But January in California is the season to welcome beautiful, blossoming camellias, celebrated at flower shows and festivals.

Now in its 75th year, Temple City Camellia Festival and Parade prepares for the annual coronation of cute kids riding on floats one weekend in February. It’s old-fashioned fun with carnival rides and hometown charm a mere 8 miles down the road from Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses.

Camellias aren’t limited to the greater Los Angeles area though they do have a strong presence this time of year at Descanso Gardens, Los Angeles Arboretum and Huntington Library & Gardens. Each of them hosts camellia festivals and events January-March. See California camellia festivals & events!

To go back to the roots of camellias in California, your best bet is to head to the Pioneer Camellia Grove at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. In addition to a plaque honoring Sacramento’s beloved flower in what’s known as “Camellia City,” prepare to take pictures this time of year to capture the colorful scene — sometimes the ground looks like it’s covered in pink snow!

According to Capitol Museum more than 800 different varieties of camellias can be found throughout the park. Introduced to California in the 1850s, they made their debut in Sacramento during the Gold Rush. Local seed store owner James Lloyd Lafayette Franklin Warren brought the first seeds from Boston in 1852. Little did he know that Sacramento would become the “Camellia City of the World” — the title bestowed upon it in the 1920s.

 

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