Baton Rouge Camellia Society

Baton Rouge Camellia Society

The purpose of the Baton Rouge Camellia Society is to stimulate general interest in camellias, promote research, and disseminate horticulture information concerning the growth, care, and propagation of camellias.
 
BRCS's feature event of the year is its annual show and plant sale.  This takes place on the second weekend of February every year.  Hundreds and hundreds of Baton Rouge's best camellia blooms are on display for the public to see and enjoy.  At this event you can also purchase camellia plants from BRCS's inventory of hundreds of varieties.

The Baton Rouge Camellia Society (BRCS) is affiliated with the American Camellia Society.  It was formed in the 1970's by three men.  BRCS has since grown to a membership of more than 200, with 10 to 15 members participating weekly in camellia work at the society's nursery at the LSU AgCenter Burden Center (Burden Center).  BRCS promotes growing camellias, and teaches horticultural practices related to growing camellias including propagation and cultivar identification.
 
BRCS played a major role in the relocation of almost 500 camellia plants from the Vi and Hank Stone camellia garden in Baton Rouge to Burden Center in 2002, 2003, and 2004.  This camellia collection is somewhat unique in that it is made up of camellia cultivars/germ plasm from all around the world, which Vi Stone collected during her lifetime of international travels.  The Vi and Hank Stone camellia garden is now known as the Vi and Hank Stone Memorial Camellia Collection at Burden Center.  BRCS provided advice which helped make the move possible, and helped organize the replanting of these plants into garden rooms of like kinds. 

 Today, BRCS operates a camellia nursery under the auspices of the MOU with Burden Center at Burden Center, and propagates a thousand camellia grafts annually at this facility.  Half of the proceeds from the sale of these camellias is donated to Burden Center for the support of the Vi and Hank Stone Camellia Collection.
 
Dr. Trent James provides leadership to one of BRCS's significant community outreach activities.  He and several society Camellians (BRCS SWAT Team) frequently go to private gardens to help with variety identification and provide information on best growing practices.
 
























 

Photos from 2016 Camellia Show