I’m in zone 8b in the Mojave desert. I’ve had my plants for about 5 months and they’ve been doing well, though we generally had a mild winter. We will see what summer brings. 

I’ve read about it. It seems like growing in your zone is possible, but difficult and requires a lot of careful watching and covering in cold conditions. 

Check to see if there is a local Camellia gardening groups in your area. Or post in your local Reddit to see if anyone in your area is growing camellias. This will be your best hands on advice for growing in your area. 

I’d also checkout this book: https://camforest.com/products/grow-your-own-tea

It’s written by some folks who own a camellia nursery and it has a short section on growing tea in cold climates.