Camellia Flower Meaning and Legendary Stories: Latest Detailed Guide

Camellia, also known as camellia, is a plant of the genus Camellia in the family Theaceae. Its flowering period is relatively long, blooming from October to May of the following year, with the peak blooming period usually from January to March. It is a traditional ornamental flower of China, ranking eighth among the “Ten Famous Flowers,” and is also one of the world's precious flowering trees and shrubs. Let's take a look at the flower meaning and legendary stories of the camellia!

When Does the Camellia Bloom

Depending on the variety, camellias bloom continuously from late September to early May, presenting a scene of vigorous vitality in late autumn, deep winter, and early spring. The camellia produces new shoots twice a year. The first is the spring shoots, which begin in March to April, and the summer shoots, which emerge from July to September. The camellia's flowering period is long, with most varieties blooming for 1 to 2 months, and a single flower typically lasting 7 to 15 days, with the flowering period in February to March.

What Is the Flower Meaning of the Camellia

1. Camellia: lovable, modest, cautious, virtue, ideal love, remarkable charm.

2. White camellia: pure and innocent, lovable, perfect charm, true affection, ideal romance, elegant.

3. Red camellia: naturally beautiful, the virtue of modesty, humility, noble rationality.

4. Pink-white camellia: extravagant, fashionable.

5. Pink camellia: overcoming difficulties.

The Legend of the Camellia

In the final years of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chongzhen sent Wu Sangui to guard Shanhaiguan. Later, the peasant rebel army led by Li Zicheng captured Beijing, and Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself. Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, Wu Sangui surrendered to the Qing army and served as a vanguard, leading the Qing troops into the towns to suppress the peasant rebel army. After the Qing army entered the pass, Wu Sangui was ranked first in merit and was enfeoffed as the Prince of Pingxi, stationed in Yunnan. From then on, Wu Sangui ran rampant in Yunnan, oppressing the people everywhere. He built palaces and the Axiang Garden on Wuhua Mountain, and ordered people from all over Yunnan to present rare flowers and exotic plants.

At that time, there happened to be a camellia in Puji Temple within Luliang County. Its flowers had nine stamens and eighteen petals, with a rich fragrance filling the air, making it a rare treasure of the world. When the county magistrate of Luliang saw the imperial decree, he sent people to Puji Temple and forced the residents around the temple to dig up the camellia. The villagers refused to comply, so not a single person lifted a hand to dig up the tree. One night, a highly respected elder in the village saw a beautiful maiden walking toward him, holding a blooming camellia in her hand. The maiden said to the elder: “The villagers love me and nurture me, so my flowers only open for the fellow villagers. Wu Sangui can forget about ever seeing me. But you cannot keep me here. If you insist on defying the order, it will only bring suffering to the common people. It would be better to let that county magistrate send me away. I have my own way to deal with them, and I will return in victory.” The elder reached out to grasp the maiden's hand, but suddenly woke up and realized it had been a dream.

The next day, the elder told the villagers what had happened in the dream. Everyone agreed that it was the Camellia Fairy sending a message through the dream, so they decided to follow the fairy's wishes and dig up the camellia. The county magistrate was overjoyed and personally delivered the camellia to Wu Sangui's Axiang Garden. But no sooner had the camellia been set down than with a “crash,” all the leaves fell off the tree. Wu Sangui flew into a rage and blamed the county magistrate for not protecting it properly along the way. At this point, one of Wu Sangui's advisors said to him: “Your Highness, calm your anger. Flowers and plants exposed to the sun along the journey often end up like this. As long as it is replanted, it can still survive.” Only then did Wu Sangui's anger subside.

But when spring came, the camellia grew a full set of leaves but simply would not bloom. Enraged, Wu Sangui took up a whip and lashed the camellia, leaving a scar on the trunk. By the following spring, Wu Sangui brought everyone to the Axiang Garden to admire the flowers again, only to see the camellia produce a few thin, small blossoms. Wu Sangui said angrily: “What kind of world-famous flower is this!” With that, he raised his whip and struck again, leaving a second scar on the trunk. When the third spring arrived, Wu Sangui came to the Axiang Garden once more and found that no flowers were blooming in the garden at all, and a crow was perched on the camellia cawing directly at him. Wu Sangui was burning with fury and swung his whip at the camellia tree again. This time, blood seeped from the second scar. Wu Sangui ordered the gardener to be seized and punished immediately. To save the gardener, the Camellia Fairy endured her pain and came into Wu Sangui's dream, singing:

Wu Sangui, Wu Sangui, do not revel in your drunken stupor,

Blame not the Flower King, blame your own folly.

I am but a common girl, seeking no wealth or rank,

I only wish to return home, to live out my poor years.

Wu Sangui raised his precious sword and slashed at the Camellia Fairy. With a “crack,” the sword struck the nine-dragon chair, cutting off a bloody dragon head. The Camellia Fairy sneered and sang again:

Your soul is base and low, your name stinks to high heaven.

A traitor who sold his lord for glory, a fox among dogs!

In vain you built palaces and gardens, your throne stained with blood.

Heaven is wrathful and the people resentful; disaster will surely fall upon you.

Hearing this, Wu Sangui broke out in a cold sweat. After waking, he summoned an advisor who interpreted dreams and asked about the fortune or misfortune of this dream. The advisor said: “The ancients said that fortune is what misfortune leans upon, and misfortune is what fortune hides within. The camellia is a lowly species; entering the palace brings misfortune, leaving the palace brings fortune. It would be better to banish it back to its original home, turning misfortune into fortune.” Wu Sangui thought this made sense and sent the camellia back to Luliang County.

When the camellia returned to its hometown, the villagers were overjoyed and all came out to welcome it. Everyone tenderly touched the whip scars on the trunk, overcome with mixed feelings of sorrow and joy, shedding tears of emotion. That night, all the villagers had the same dream. The Camellia Fairy said to them: “In fighting against enemies, one must have patience and resilience. Though I am covered in scars, I have finally returned. I am the victor.” From then on, the people of Yunnan all called the camellia the Flower of Victory, and the blooming of the camellia represented the joy of people's victory in battle.