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Do Camellias Smell? (All You Need to Know)

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Camellias are popularly known among the gardeners as the symbol of affection, admiration, desire and passion. By their eye-catching size and vibrant color flowers, they take the attention. They are easy to find flowers, have a long lifetime but aren’t great in smell.

Camellias smell

Not all camellias have a smell. Depending on the  species, camellias smell differently and they have a wide range of smell. A few camellias carry a distinct odor but most of them  have a natural, mild smell. Usually, white camellias and hybrid camellias produce a stronger fragrance than others.

Camellia flowers don’t have a distinct aroma. In a single word, it’s difficult to describe. Some claim it has no odor, while others claim it has a light floral odor. It differs depending on the species of camellia plants. However, it has a pleasant, mild, sweet floral scent and lovely flowering blossoms in a variety of colors.

Depending on the color and size of the camellias, some have a citrusy lemon scent, while others have a rose scent, such as the Japanese camellias, and some have a vanilla scent, such as the white big-sized camellias, while others have a fragrance of jasmine and anise, such as the “Scented Gem” camellias.

Some camellias, on the other hand, don’t produce any odor. Camellias have a delicate scent that must be inhaled very close to the flower because the scent fades with distance. Camellia flowers have a wide range of scents, with some having a natural sweet scent and others having a strong fragrance. Camellias have this scent, which is why it is used in many cosmetic industries to make scents.

White camellias:

White Camellias have a pleasant fragrance. Some white camellias have a sweet floral scent, while others have a lemony-citrus or jasmine scent, while still others have a vanilla-flavored scent. These white camellias bloom in a variety of sizes and release a lovely odor into the environment. Some of these white camellias have a distinct aroma that reminds me of peony blossoms. To some, the odor is unusually difficult to describe.

Japanese camellias:

Some people claim that Japanese camellias have no distinct odor, while others claim that they have a very faint, pleasant odor that varies depending on the species. These have a unique and refreshing scent. With their beautiful flowery smell, these Japanese camellias add flavor to tea.

Are there any fragrant camellias?

Yes, there are some fragrant camellias that have a distinct aroma that differs from the ordinary camellia flowers, such as the ‘High Fragrance Camellia’, a form of Japanese hybrid camellia that has a rose fragrance. Another fragrant camellia with a light perfume is ‘Kramer’s supreme.’ Another fragrant camellia is the “Snow Bell,” which is a white-colored camellia with a light floral scent.

 Another fragrant camellia variety with a musky odor is the “Bert Jones” “Camellia lutchuensis” is a small white camellia species with a lovely smell. ‘Camellia Cinnamon Cindy’ is a variety with a cinnamon or anise-like scent. Camellias that smell like osmanthus are known as “Fragrant Pink” camellias. Camellias come in a variety of odors that vary depending on the species, and these scents let people recognize the blossoms by their scents.

Camellia with a rose scent:

Some camellia species have a rose-like aroma, such as the ‘High Fragrance Camellia’ hybrid camellias from Japan, which exude a sweet rosy fragrance. These cultivators of camellia are the most fragrant.

Camellia scented with jasmine (‘Scented Gem’):

‘Scented Gem’ is a camellia hybrid that possesses a jasmine flower-like aroma. These are lovely blooming camellias with a pleasant fragrance.

Spicy, cinnamon-scented, fragrant camellia:  

Some camellias have a distinctive scent, such as the “Cinnamon Cindy,” a camellia known for its potent scent. The cinnamon-like fragrance of these camellias flowers sets them apart from other sweet-scented camellia species.

Sweet fragrant camellia:

‘Fragrant Pink’ have a wonderful aroma. Because of these camellias have a distinct osmanthus scent, they are well-known among camellia growers.

Vanilla-scented camellias:

The white camellia ‘Sasanquas Camellia’ emits a vanilla-like fragrance. The aroma of these sweet-scented camellias is well-known. A citrus lemony fragrance is produced by some white variety species. Camellias with a pleasant flowery scent are the most common white camellias.

Do fragrant camellias smell good?

Camellias are widely known because of their beautiful shape and color. The smell is not their best feature as they have quite a low, faint and no distinct odor. Most of the species have very mild smells that many people think, camellias don’t contain any smell. They actually have a very delicate smell and to get the smell you have to closely take the smell.

However, depending on the species, some camellias have quite mild, pleasant, sweet smells. The smell is actually fresh and quite refreshing. In fact, they have a variety of unique  flavors and by the scent you can recognize them.  Some camellias have a spicy or mint kind of smell and mist of them have floral, rosy smell. Because of their sweet, mild odor and color, they are quite famous among the gardeners.

What do fragrant camellias smell like?

Depending on the species, camellias smell differently. They have a wide range of smells and it’s hard to explain how they actually smell. The reason is, most of the species don’t have a strong or distinct smell that can differentiate them from others. Some camellias smell spicy, cinnamon-scented while some contain citrusy lemon scent, others may have floral, rosy or sweet smell.

Mostly white camellias and the hybrid ones carry distinct fragrances. White camellias are kind of vanilla or sweet flavored where Japanese hybrid camellias contain a high fragrant rosy smell. ‘Scented Gem’ are another kind of hybrid camellias that scent like jasmine. However, some other camellias also have a potent or strong smell like “Cinnamon Cindy” smell like spicy-cinnamon, “SnowBell” smell like sweet floral, “Fragrant Pink” smell like distinct osmanthus scent etc.

Does camellia oil have a scent?

Camellia flowers carry a kind of essential oil but it’s not like other essential oil. Though it contains a lot of chemical properties, it doesn’t produce an acute or strong fragrance like others. It has 8 types of fatty acids like oleic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, polyphenol antioxidants and some vitamins like  A, D, C, & E and all together they don’t produce a distinct odor.

 The oil has a very mild, faint smell. Because of the mild smell of camellia oil, the flowers don’t smell too strong. That’s why some people think camellias don’t carry a smell. The oil is largely used because of its many health benefits and skin and hair improvement.

What does camellia seed oil smell like?

Camellia seed oil carries different kinds of vitamins, fatty acids, omega-3 fats and many other antioxidants. The smell is very mild, typical of refined vegetable oil and according to some people it smells like light green tea. It’s a carrier oil in some parts of the world used as cooking oil, and in other parts it is widely used for skin and hair benefits.

 By rapidly absorbing in the skin and scalp it provides great advantages. It works for keeping skin soft, supple and healthy and improving the tone and texture of skin. It is absorbed by the hair follicles without being sticky or greasy and ensures amazing benefits. Camellia seed oil is really popular all over the world because of its faint, light smell which makes it easy to blend.

Final thoughts

Camellias have a smell but it’s very mild. They carry a wide range of smells like some carry a  citrusy lemon scent, some have a spicy, cinnamon scent and others may carry a sweet pleasant smell. However, it must be inhaled from close as it has a delicate smell and distance may fade away the scent.

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