'Empress of Winter Flowers' Reigns at Descanso Gardens

Camellia, the elegant Asian 'Empress of Winter Flowers,' reigns at Descanso Gardens throughout the winter with a forest of vividly-colored flowers.

Descanso's extraordinary camellia collection, the largest in North America, thrives in 20 acres of dappled sunlight, filtered through canopies of mighty Coast Live Oaks. The collection includes thousands of tree-sized bushes planted six decades ago by founder E. Manchester Boddy, and smaller specimens planted in more recent years.

Some camellias began to bloom at Descanso in late September. Others will flower into spring. But in January and February they all come out to brighten the winter landscape. During that time thousands of experts and amateurs will celebrate the beauty with two months of flower shows, talks, walks and sales that lead to Descanso's annual Camellia Festival Feb. 23 to 26. Everything is open to the public and, with the exception of plant sales, free with Gardens admission.

Special tours of Descanso's Camellia Forest will be led by camellia horticulturist Wayne Walker at 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 15 and 29; and at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26.

Events over which the camellia will reign will begin Saturday, Jan. 7, with a rare public meeting of the Camellia Societies Judges Symposium. Amateur growers will be able to join the experts from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn how to present camellia blossoms for shows.

Visitors are welcome to attend flower shows and sales by the Pacific Camellia Society, Jan. 14 and 15, and the Southern California Camellia Society, Jan. 28 and 29. Those two societies will meet together at Descanso at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, and offer home gardeners an opportunity to bring camellias for identification, to win camellia plants and to learn more about this favorite winter flower.

Descanso's annual Camellia Festival, Feb. 23 to 26, will include the Southern California Camellia Council Show Feb. 25 and 26; camellia care lecture Feb. 25, and camellia plant sale and pruning demonstration, Sunday, Feb. 26.

As winter gives way to spring, camellias reluctantly step off center stage in the Gardens. But before they go the Pacific Camellia Society and Descanso will welcome guests again from March 18 and 19 for the annual Late Bloomers Show.