The camellias, a foundational part of Descanso Gardens’ horticultural heritage, will be curated to reflect their botanical importance and honor the individuals who nurtured and preserved them.
A newly dedicated entrance will pay tribute to “The Camellia King,” Francis Miyosaku (FM) Uyematsu, a pioneering Japanese American nurseryman based in Los Angeles. FM Uyematsu was instrumental in developing and introducing countless camellia cultivars and importing rare and specialized varieties from Japan.
In 1942, following President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066, FM Uyematsu and his family, along with thousands of other Japanese Americans, were forcibly incarcerated during World War II.
Before being sent to the Manzanar internment camp, he sold 300,000 and 320,000 camellia plants to Manchester Boddy for a fraction of their value. These plants and others acquired from the Yoshimura family’s Mission Nursery formed the foundation of Descanso Gardens’ first signature collection.
This revitalized garden will also feature a special area showcasing cultivars from Nuccio’s Nurseries, a family-run business in Altadena that has been growing camellias for over 90 years. More than 300 of their exceptional specimens came to Descanso after the Eaton Fire.
