Camellias are one of my favorite flowers: they have delicate soft petals and deep green foliage; they smell intoxicating and they aren’t high-maintenance. They can thrive when kept away from direct sunlight indoors or outside. Camellias can tolerate both the cold and the heat. They’re strong.
My boyfriend gave me a gorgeous camellia plant for my birthday.
“The heart can think of no devotion
Greater than being shore to the ocean-
Holding the curve of one position,
Counting an endless repetition.”
-Robert Frost
He didn’t know it, but the reason I like them most is because of their beautiful hidden meaning:
The camellia is prized in Chinese culture for its perfect symmetry and symbolizes long-lasting devotion. In the eyes of the Chinese, the petals of the camellia reflect the spirit of a lady, and the holder of the petals (called the calyx) represents the young man entrusted by the lady as her protector.
“She didn’t need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms and sleep as a child sleeps, knowing that someone stronger than you is protecting you from all evil and all danger”
-Paul Coelho, Brida
The calyx of the camellia falls with the petals when the flower has finished blooming. This is unlike most other flowers, where the calyx remains on the stem even after the petals have dropped. Because of this, camellias also symbolize an everlasting union between lovers.
“I imagine a line, a white line, painted on the sand and on the ocean, from me to you.”
-Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated
Camellias come in pink, red, and white and each variety has its own significance. Pink camellias symbolize longing, while red camellias symbolize passion. White camellias symbolize adoration, perfection, and loveliness. While pink and red camellias most frequently symbolize romantic love, white camellias could symbolize love in many forms, including the love of a parent for a child. When a woman gives camellias to a man, they represent good luck.
“Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping… waiting… and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir… open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us… guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love… the clarity of hatred… the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we’d know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we’d be truly dead.”
-Joss Whedon
My camellia plant has white blooms with red and pink edges. It sits in a lovely blue pot that I had to put on wheels so I can move the plant: it’s more of a small tree. It’s a perfect and lovely gift, from a perfectly noble man.
Sources: http://www.gardenguides.com/127382-meaning-camellia-flower.html#ixzz3M7G6jsQn
http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/flower-camellia.htm