The International Camellia Society

USA Region

Directors:

Florence Crowder

1149 Cockerham Road

Denham Springs,

LA70726 U.S.A.

Brad King

1530 Marendale Lane

Arcadia,

CA91006 U.S.A.

Ron Wolfe

2019 Old Dominion

Albany, Georgia

31721 U.S.A.

Directors:

Florence Crowder

1149 Cockerham Road

Denham Springs,

LA70726 U.S.A

Contact USA Region Director

There are sections of the United States that support ideal conditions for the camellia to grow.  Various climatic and other conditions allow for quite an array of those with their own requirements. 

Many species of camellias are grown in home and public gardens over a very large area covering many states:  on the eastern coast from Maine, south to Florida; in the south on the Gulf coast, from Florida, west to Texas; on the western coast from Oregon to southern California; and the extreme west off the mainland in the state of Hawaii.  Each area has one or more camellia shows a year at which the public is invited to view the displays. Please see the shows listing below for current details.

It is recognized that the first camellias were brought to the US in 1800 by John Stevens of New Jersey and were a single red, along with ‘Alba Plena’.   From Mr. Stevens nurseries in New York camellias spread to other eastern cities and eventually to the south and west.  More detail can be read in the 2010 yearbook of the American Camellia Society, ‘History 101: How camellias won the West’ by Bradford King.    

The primary regional organization is the American Camellia Society that has had its headquarters in Fort Valley, Georgia since 1968.  The Executive Director is Celeste Richard.  Other leadership includes a Board of Directors with Regional and State Directors and Vice President and a Trust Board. 

Other camellia organizations are related to the preservation of the camellia:
The Great Gardens of America Preservation Alliance established in 2008 in Charleston, South Carolina and
Camellia Preservation in Savannah, Georgia.