Gardenias

Image of Gardenia Flower Gardenias are one of the most popular exotic flowers. Gardenias are very fragrant creamy-white flowers and glossy, dark-green leaves. Gardenias are waxy, white and very fragrant flowers.

Gardenias are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Gardenia

Gardenias flowers are solitary or in small clusters, white or pale yellow. The gardenia flowers are with a tubular-based corolla with 5-12 lobes petals from 5-12 cm diameter.

Gardenias flowers from about mid-spring to mid-summer, i.e., May through July. Many of the gardenia species are strongly scented.

Facts About Gardenias

Gardenias are evergreen shrubs and small trees growing to 1-15 m tall.
The Gardenia plant leaves are opposite or in whorls of three or four.
The leaves are dark green and glossy 5-50 cm long and 3-25 cm broad, with a leathery texture.
The leaves are simple, entire, hairless, with wavy margin.
Gardenias are grown for their beautiful foliage and they make great cut flowers.
The genus Gardenia is named after Alexander Garden, a physician in Charleston of South Carolina.
Gardenias can be used as screens, hedges, borders or ground covers.
The most popular cultivated species is the Cape jasmine, native to China.
Each gardenia flower is followed by 6-sided berries of rich orange-red with long, elegant stems.
Gardenia thunbergia produces a woody fruit which has hard, angular seeds inside.

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Growing Gardenias

Gardenia plants need high humidity.
A loose, well-drained organic soil is recommended.
For best results plant gardenias in full sun, partial shade, or shifting shade.
Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball.
Thoroughly mix one part soil and one part planting mix.
Check that the top of the original root ball is slightly above the level of the surrounding soil.
Take the soil mixture and make a gentle mound of soil sloping away from the plant.
Water drains away from the trunk.
Remove any air pockets, if present.
Water the plant with a root stimulator.