Assigment 32 : Marie Duplessis

A woman so wonderful
Beauty unmatched
Camellia, a name so fitting
Dared my heart to spend
Eternity with her.

- (Unknown)


The heroine of the novel The Lady of the Camellias, used to wear a Camellia as her symbol.
The novel was based on the life of real-life French courtesan Marie Duplessis.

Coco Chanel was well known for wearing a white Camellia.

Camellia japonica is the state flower of Alabama as well as the city flower of Sacramento, California; Newberg, Oregon; and of Slidell, Louisiana.

Elizabeth, the Queen Mother grew Camellia in all of her gardens.
As her body was taken from Royal Lodge, Windsor to lie in state at
Westminster Hall of the Palace of Westminster, a Camellia from her gardens was placed on top of the flag-draped coffin.

Once an abbot asked Onitsura (Japanese poet) what the essence of haiku art was, and he replied: "In front of a garden, a camellia tree blooms with white flowers." Since the truth of the universe lies even in a single flower,a single flower gives insight into the universe...