The Camellia Society of Central Florida (CFCS) is celebrating 71 years of growing and appreciating winter’s lovely blooming flower… the camellia. One of central Florida’s oldest flower clubs, CFCS is hosting one of Florida’s oldest and largest flower shows on Saturday, January 21, 2017 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Winter Park Garden Club Clubhouse at Mead Botanical Garden (1500 S. Denning Dr., Winter Park, FL 32789).
From 1-4 p.m. the public is invited to see in person (blooms are not viewable until 1 p.m.) the breath-taking beauty of thousands of camellia flower blooms from Florida in the colors of pink, red, white, multiple colors and even yellow. The show is sanctioned by the American Camellia Society with judges from across the state.
The free show includes: free parking; assorted colorful varieties of camellia plants on site for sale from South Seminole Farm & Nursery and Loch Laurel Nursery; camellia plant raffle; a Camellia 101 Class from 10 – 11 a.m. Robert Bowden, executive director of Harry P. Leu Gardens (RSVP for classes email lkmccoy@cfl.rr.com); camellia experts available to answer any questions; and self-guided tours of the camellia garden at Mead.
If you have camellias growing in your yard, the Camellia Society of Central Florida wants your blooms! Anyone can enter a bloom or blooms; you do not have to be a member of the society. Blooms must be brought for competition between 7-10 a.m., the morning of the show to the Winter Park Garden Club, Clubhouse at Mead Botanical Garden (1500 S. Denning Dr., Winter Park, FL 32789). Volunteers are available to assist. Cash prizes will be awarded.
The camellia flower comes from eastern and southern Asia, and was introduced to the United States in 1741 by Andreˊ Michaux, a French plant explorer and botanist to King Louis XVI. Outside of Charleston, South Carolina, Michaux, gave plantation owner Henry Middleton a “Reines de Fleus” (Queen of Flowers) camellia, the first camellia to be introduced in the US. Today, only one of the original “Reines de Fleus” survives at Middleton Place among the many hundreds of camellias plants on the 65 acre garden.
The 71st Annual Camellia Show is a partnership of the CSCF, Mead Botanical Garden and the Winter Park Garden Club. Sponsors include: Espoma Organic Fertilizer and South Seminole Farm & Nursery, Apenberry’s Garden Center & Loch Laurel Nursery.
The Camellia Society of Central Florida (CSCF) members share in the enthusiasm of growing and learning about the beautiful camellia flower. The society represents Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Volusia, Brevard and Lake Counties. CSCF meets monthly) at Morning Star school (930 Leigh Ave. Orlando 32804) the first Thursday of each month from September – May at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.camelliacfl.com.