DECEMBER - Japanese Flower Calendar
DECEMBER Camellia. Tsubaki
The camellia is a beautiful flower, sometimes known as the Rose of Winter, that flowers from late November until the end of Spring. The genus is native to East Asia and is very popular in both China and Japan. Camellias come in many different forms from single to massive double blooms and in all colours from white through palest pink to crimson and on to the dark hues of red.
They arrived in the west in the 18th century and have quickly become very popular throughout the gardens of Europe. Tea comes from the leaves of Camellia sinensis and the popularity of tea at that time is thought to have awakened the interest in these beautiful blooms as garden plants.
In China the camellia is a symbol of happiness of love and romance very different to the superstitions in Japan where the camellia, especially the red self grooming ones,are considered unlucky. The Japanese do not like camellias in their houses since the days of the Samurai, they thought that the complete head falling off the plant with a thud was a bad omen and that the next time they went fighting would be their last and they would lose their heads.
Camellias are very difficult to arrange and are said to be the test of the skill of an Ikebana artist.
Haiku for camellia
A camellia -flower
As it drops, spills the water
From the yester-shower
