---
title: "Camellia: classification, 245 accepted species, distribution and growing | Floreboard"
url: https://floreboard.com/en/plants/camellia/
language: en
last_reviewed: 2026-10-24
publisher: Floreboard
---

Curtis's Botanical Magazine · 42 · 1788 · public domain

# 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](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:39017-1) · [IPNI](https://www.ipni.org/n/39017-1) · [WCVP](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/2232/taxon/2694433) · [Catalogue of Life](https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/3GBT) · [GBIF](https://www.gbif.org/species/3189634)

## 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.

- [](https://floreboard.com/plants/plates/bm-42.jpg)Camellia japonicaCurtis's Botanical Magazine · 42 · 1788,
- [](https://floreboard.com/plants/plates/bot-mag-998.jpg)Thea chinensisCurtis's Botanical Magazine · 998 · 1807, Sydenham Edwards
- [](https://floreboard.com/plants/plates/bot-register-22.jpg)Camellia japonicaEdwards's Botanical Register · 22 · 1815, Sydenham Edwards, Smith
- [](https://floreboard.com/plants/plates/bot-mag-2784.jpg)Camellia reticulataCurtis'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.

## Further reading

- [Flower guide](https://floreboard.com/en/flowers/camellia/)
- [Reference library](https://floreboard.com/en/library/)

## References

- [WCVP · World Checklist of Vascular Plants (via ChecklistBank dataset 2232)](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/2232) · accessed 2026-10-24
- [Kew (POWO data on the ColPlanta site) · Camellia native range](https://colplanta.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:39017-1/general-information)
- [RHS · How to grow camellias](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/camellia/growing-guide)
- [ASPCA Animal Poison Control · Camellia (Camellia japonica)](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/camellia)

Names, places of publication, synonyms and distribution checked against WCVP (2026-10-24); the text follows the cited sources and awaits specialist review.