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The purposes of this study were to examine the germination characteristic and seed storage behavior of seeds of Camellia brevistyla and determine an appropriate seed storage method. Fresh mature seeds of seedlot 1 reached a germination percentage of 38.9% and a mean germination time (MGT) of 56.7 d after incubation under alternating temperatures of 30/20℃ (day/night) for 16 wk. However, the germination percentages slightly increased to 47.8 and 44.4%, while emergence was able to occur within 7 wk with MGTs significantly decreasing to 35.3 and 31.7 d after 2 mo of 1 and 4℃ stratification, respectively. Fresh mature seeds of seedlot 2 had a germination percentage of 74.3% and an MGT of 73.9 d after the same germination conditions and period. Germination percentages significantly increased to 92.4, 94.3, and 95.2%, while emergence was able to occur within 5 wk with MGTs significantly decreasing to 16.5, 16.6, and 14.0 d after 3 mo of 1, 4, and 10℃ stratification, respectively. However, 3 mo of 1, 4, and 10℃ stratification completely broke seed dormancy. Fresh mature seeds of C. brevistyla were sensitive to desiccation and low temperatures. Most seeds died when the moisture content dropped to about 10%; moreover, they completely lost viability when the moisture content dropped below 5%, and seed germinability rapidly decreased at a storage temperature of -20℃. However, C. brevistyla seeds maintained their initial germinability when stored at 1~4℃ with moist sphagnum. Thus, seeds of C. brevistyla are defined as having temperate-recalcitrant storage behavior. Additionally, the optimal seed storage conditions of C. brevistyla are wet storage at 1℃ for fresh mature seeds, and the initially germinable seeds still had germinability after 2 yr.