Sacramento likes to call itself the Camellia Capital of the World—and the Sierra Nevada foothills are very much part of that story. You can feel it every winter when glossy, dark green shrubs suddenly explode into color just as the rest of the garden is sleeping.
Here in Grass Valley, Nevada City, and the surrounding ridges, camellias are one of the most reliable ways to bring flowers into a cold-season garden. And if you zoom out a bit, there’s an even richer tale: from 1850s camellias in downtown Sacramento to experimental tea plantings in the foothills today.
From Gold Rush river town to “Camellia City”
Camellias arrived in Sacramento not long after the Gold Rush. By the early 1850s, seeds and plants were being shipped west and trialed in the young river city. The mild winters, ample winter rainfall, and fertile soils turned out to be just about perfect for these evergreen shrubs, and they quickly became favorites in home gardens and public plantings.
Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, camellias moved from novelty to signature plant. Gardeners experimented with new varieties, nurseries began to specialize in them, and neighborhoods filled up with stately shrubs that glowed with blooms just when people needed color most. By the 1920s and 1930s, Sacramento was hosting formal camellia shows, and local boosters leaned into the idea of branding the city around this one plant.
Eventually, the camellia was adopted as Sacramento’s official city flower, and large collections were planted in parks and around public buildings. Today, when you walk through downtown in late winter and see camellias blooming everywhere, you’re looking at more than a pretty shrub—you’re seeing a plant that helped define a regional identity.
And that identity doesn’t stop at the edge of the Valley. It climbs right up into the foothills.
Extending the camellia belt into the Sierra Nevada foothills
The Sierra Nevada foothills share many of the same advantages that made Sacramento a camellia stronghold: cool, wet winters; warm, dry summers; and plenty of sites with bright shade or morning sun and afternoon shade. Many ornamental Camellia japonica cultivars are hardy in USDA Zones 7–9, with some newer selections stretching into slightly colder pockets. That lines up beautifully with much of Nevada County.
Most foothill gardens sit in Zones 8–9, which is nearly ideal. Tuck camellias on the east or north side of the house, or under tall pines and oaks, and you get:
- Cold-hardy evergreen structure – Shrubs that hold their foliage through winter, offering a deep green backdrop when deciduous trees are bare.
- Late fall to early spring bloom – Many varieties flower from late autumn into early spring, bridging the gap between fall foliage and spring bulbs.
- A valley-to-foothills connection – Planting camellias in Grass Valley or Nevada City is a simple way to echo that Sacramento camellia heritage in a more mountain-framed landscape.
In other words, the camellia story runs like a band from the river city up into the hills, changing character but still clearly part of the same regional “camellia belt.”
Camellia japonica vs. tea camellias: same family, different roles
Most of the camellias you see in ornamental plantings around homes and public buildings are Camellia japonica and its hybrids. These are the classic showpieces: large, glossy, dark green leaves with big, rose-like blooms in red, pink, white, and every kind of stripe and speckle. Some blooms are loose and informal, others are tightly layered and almost look carved.
Tea camellias, Camellia sinensis, belong to the same genus but play a very different role. At first glance, they look more modest. Their leaves are smaller and more narrowly pointed, and their flowers are usually simple white with a bright golden center—charming, but not as dramatic as a big double japonica.
The magic of C. sinensis is in the foliage. The young leaves are what become green, oolong, and black tea, depending on how they’re processed. That makes tea camellias both ornamental and productive—a shrub that can be part of the landscape design and also part of what ends up in your teapot.
Tea camellias in the foothills
The foothills are quietly building a tea story of their own. Research trials and small farms have been exploring Camellia sinensis as a specialty crop, taking advantage of the same basic conditions that make the region good for ornamental camellias: acid-leaning soils, cool winters, and good drainage on sloping ground.
From experimental plots at research centers to tea-focused plantings on small farms, tea camellias are starting to show that the Sierra Nevada foothills can support more than just ornamental camellias. They give the region a living link between Sacramento’s showy camellia heritage and a new chapter of locally grown tea.
Growing requirements: what camellias need to thrive
Whether you’re planting japonica types for flowers or sinensis for homegrown tea, their basic needs are similar—with a few key differences.
Light and exposure
Camellia japonica
- Best in partial shade: morning sun with afternoon shade, or high, dappled light under taller trees.
- Avoid harsh, reflected heat from west-facing walls and strong winter wind, which can scorch leaves or damage buds.
Camellia sinensis
- Tolerates more sun than many japonicas, especially in cooler foothill sites, but still appreciates protection from the hottest afternoon sun.
- Excellent on a gentle slope with good air drainage—similar siting to blueberries or other acid-loving shrubs.
Soil and pH
Both types want acidic, well-drained soil.
Ornamental camellias usually grow best with a pH around 5.5–6.5, in soil rich in organic matter.
Tea camellias tend to prefer slightly more acidic conditions, roughly 4.5–6.0, again with plenty of organic matter and excellent drainage.
In practical foothill terms:
Work in compost, leaf mold, or fine bark before planting to loosen the soil and increase organic content.
Consider a slightly raised bed or mound if your soil is heavy, clayey, or compacted. Camellias do not like “wet feet.”
Use mulch—pine needles, shredded bark, or oak leaves—to help maintain acidity, moderate soil temperature, and hold moisture.
If you notice yellow leaves with green veins, that often signals an iron uptake issue caused by the soil pH drifting too high, not necessarily a lack of fertilizer. In that case, adjusting pH and adding organic matter usually does more good than simply feeding more.
Nutrients and fertilizing
Camellias aren’t heavy feeders, but they do respond to a steady supply of the basics.
They need:
- Nitrogen (N) for leafy growth and overall vigor.
- Phosphorus (P) for root development and bloom.
- Potassium (K) for general plant health and stress tolerance.
- Micronutrients like iron, magnesium, sulfur, and calcium to keep foliage deep green and flowers abundant.
For ornamental camellias:
- Use a gentle, acid-forming fertilizer made for camellias, azaleas, or rhododendrons.
- Apply in late winter or early spring after flowering, and, if needed, a light follow-up in early summer.
- Organic options like cottonseed meal or other natural acid-loving plant foods provide a slow, steady release without shocking the plant.
For tea camellias:
- Think like a blueberry grower—keep fertility modest but consistent, focusing on nitrogen sources that work well in acidic soils.
- Avoid heavy, high-salt synthetic fertilizers, which can stress roots and interfere with the flavor and quality of the tea leaves.
Water and cold hardiness
Once established, both japonica and sinensis tolerate our dry summers better than many broadleaf evergreens, especially if mulched. However, camellias set their flower buds in summer, so consistent moisture through the dry season leads to better bloom the following winter.
A few key points:
- Water deeply and infrequently rather than with frequent light sprinkles.
- Maintain a 2–3 inch mulch layer to conserve moisture and protect surface roots.
- Avoid waterlogged conditions around the root zone—drainage is as important as irrigation.
In terms of cold, most japonicas and many tea camellias are hardy into the low teens Fahrenheit when established. In much of Nevada County, that makes them excellent choices for reliable winter structure and bloom, as long as they’re protected from sudden temperature swings and desiccating winds. A bit of frost cloth over newly planted shrubs during an unusually hard freeze is usually all the protection they need.
Why camellias belong in Sierra Nevada foothill gardens
Put it all together, and camellias hit a sweet spot for our region:
- They connect us to a living history that stretches from Gold Rush–era Sacramento to today’s foothill gardens.
- They’re cold-hardy evergreens that actually do something in winter: they flower, often when little else is in bloom.
- They appreciate the acid-leaning, well-drained soils and cool nights that define much of the Sierra Nevada foothills.
- And in the case of tea camellias, they hint at a fascinating emerging crop that fits beautifully into the story of small, specialty farms scattered up and down the slopes.
If you’re walking through the nursery in December and see those fat buds and glossy leaves, you’re looking at more than just a pretty shrub. You’re looking at a plant that ties Sacramento’s historic camellia culture to the modern Sierra Nevada foothill garden—and maybe even to your own future cup of tea.