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Steady as She Goes gardenia ( Gardenia jasminoides ) . Photo by : Proven Winners .
In the languorous warmth of recent saltation and other summer , many garden in the South are filled with the intoxicating essence of gardenia plants in bloom . But even if you do n’t experience in a sultry southern climate , you’re able to still savor the creamy livid flowers and intoxicating fragrance of these outstanding evergreen shrubs by give them the subtropical condition they be intimate .
On this varlet : Basics|Planting|Gardenia Care|Growing Indoors|Pictures|Design mind

On this varlet :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Gardeniaspp . ; the most common garden coinage isG. jasminoides(syn . G. capital of Maine , G. grandiflora )
Common names:
Gardenia or Cape Jasmine
Zones:
8 - 11 ; with a few variety hardy to Zone 7
Height/spread:
Upright , spread , or bushy habit ; 3 to 8 foot marvellous and wide-cut , count on the cultivar . Dwarf variety show turn over just 6 to 24 inches marvellous .
Exposure:
Full sun to partial tad , with auspices from hot afternoon sun
Bloom period:
May - June , with some varieties experience sporadic rebloom into capitulation
Flowers:
Gardenia flower are typically blank , with exclusive , semi - double , or bivalent peak browse from 2 to 5 inches in diam . Some cultivar , such as ‘ halcyon legerdemain ’ , have larder yellowed flush .
Foliage:
Glossy , drear green leaves 2 to 4 column inch long will remain attractive throughout the twelvemonth .
Are gardenias poisonous?
Gardenias are poisonous to pet and small fry , stop a identification number of toxic properties including saponin and glycoside .
Are gardenias deer resistant?
Gardenias are regarded as cervid - repellent , though deer may graze on plants they would n’t otherwise if other food reference are scarce .
PLANTING GARDENIAS OUTDOORS
When to plant:
As with many outpouring - bloom shrubs , fall is the safe time for planting because it gives the root system more clock time to get established .
Where to plant:
Plant gardenias in a internet site that receives full Lord’s Day to partial shadiness , with protection from hot good afternoon sun . Provide good air circulation ; in cooler climates , protect from hard freezes and drying winter jazz .
How to plant:
loose soil in the planting area and amend with compost or other rich organic matter . allow for good drain . If plants are raft - bond , gently tease out the roots . Dig a hole twice as wide and slenderly cryptic than the radical ball and place in the planting hole so the top of the root chunk is at or slightly above basis story to permit for reconcile . Fill in the trap with stain , tamp down mildly , and water thoroughly . water system plants on a regular basis until established .
For containers:
Make certain pots have adequate drain holes . Use a gamey quality all - purpose potting soil that drains well .
GARDENIA CARE
Gardenias bloom well when planted in well - debilitate , acid soil . Photo by : Paul Brennan | Dreamstime .
Temperature and humidity:
The idealistic temperature grasp for gardenias is 60 - 70 degrees fluorine , though they can go down to 15 degrees F. Plants may experience stress , damage or failure to develop blossom bud in utmost temperatures . gardenia prefer moderate to gamy humidness of at least 50 % .
Soil:
Gardenia requirements for land include good drainage , amendment with compost or other rich organic matter , and an acidic pH of 4.5 - 6.0 . Mulch plants to keep them moist ( but be sure to keep it away from the cap of the industrial plant ) . Gardenias have shallow beginning systems , so avoid tame around the antecedent zone once they are demonstrate .
Watering:
Gardenias like systematically moist but not waterlogged dirt , call for about an inch of water per week . Containers dry out out more quickly and will postulate more frequent lachrymation , especially during blistering , dry spell .
Amendments and fertilizer:
In bound , apply aslow - dismission plant food word for dot - loving plants(such as azalea ) according to instruction . bet for a formulation that include smoothing iron and magnesium . Fertilize again in late June . urine plants well before and after fertilizing . Cease fertilise by descent to void cold-blooded legal injury to new growth .
Pruning:
Prune gardenia bush in summer after they have finished flower so you do n’t absent any bud . Before pruning , make certain the variety show you ’re growing only blooms once and has completed its blooming bicycle . If it does prime more than once , rationalize off faded bloom just below the leaf node to further repeat blooming .
Pests and diseases:
gardenia are susceptible to several pests , includingwhiteflies , mealybugs , scale , aphidsandspider mite . Diseases includepowdery mold , anthracnose , sooty mould , or leaf spot . For counselling on controlling and troubleshooting these problems , seeGardenia Insects & Related PestsandGardenia Diseases and Other Problemsfrom the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service .
GROWING GARDENIAS INDOORS
Gardenias are democratic houseplants for their attractive flowers , foliage and sweet scent . photograph by : Steffen Hauser / botanikfoto / Alamy Stock Photo .
“ A gardenia is not the easiest plant to bring into bloom [ indoors ] , though plants that are glad with their situation will often blossom in late outpouring and again in the surrender . In between , they enjoy expend the summer alfresco in a shady blot , ” say Barbara Pleasant , author ofThe Complete Houseplant Survival Manual .
Growing conditions:
Unless you have a glasshouse or sunroom , it will be difficult to give indoor plant enough sunshine and humidity to produce bloom bud . Pleasant recommends placing plants in a southward - facing window where they will take in at least four hours of sunlight day by day , but not strong midday sun . To increase humidity , place a humidifier in the room or order your pots in a tray of damp pebbles . Cool nighttime temperatures ( 60 degrees F ) and warm daytime temperatures ( 75 academic degree F ) will promote right flowering .
Use a well - run out , acidic soil , such as a mixing of 2 parts pot soil and 1 part peat moss .
Keep grunge evenly moist at all times , but do not overwater or allow puddling .

Fertilizing:
feed in every two week with a balanced houseplant fertilizer that bear micronutrients , especially iron , or use a dense - release azalea fertiliser . A want of iron or a soil that ’s too alkaline can lead to yellow leave-taking .
Repotting:
Repot young works annually in late wintertime until the roots fill 8 - column inch pot , then repot every two years to refresh the soil .
Alternative houseplant:
If you struggle to grow gardenias , tryMitriostigma axillare , the African gardenia , with sweet - scented flush that blossom all twelvemonth . Many gardener find it very gentle to give care for .
GARDENIA VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners
STEADY AS SHE live on ® —Buy now from Proven Winners
Zones:7 - 10Habit : Upright spreading habitSize:3 to 5 foot tall , 4 to 7 feet wideBloom time : Spring to ice

Flowers are produced unceasingly over an exceptionally prospicient time . Plants are passion and cold tolerant , with prime buds more resistive to dropping off due to bad weather . The pure white double flower are complement by glossy unripe leafage . Use this larger shrub in a foundation planting , or as a place upright - alone specimen .
PILLOW TALK ® —Buy now from Proven Winners
Zones:7 - 10Habit : mound habitSize:30 to 42 inches grandiloquent , 36 to 48 inches wideBloom sentence : leap

get life story to any garden with the thick , glowing white blooms of Pillow Talk ® that blanket its glossy evergreen foliation each spring . Its heavyset , wide - than - grandiloquent form is everlasting for border fronts , allowing gentle enjoyment of its naughty , floral odor . This sturdy plant offers year - round of drinks interest , is heat tolerant , and resists deer .
" It ’s well-situated to care for in a container and its slow growth makes its size well-heeled to wield . I also love the fragrance , and the dark green , shiny leaves really stood out and provided a skillful dividing line with lighter leafage plants . " — Sean , Spoken Garden
Photo by :

' WHITE GEM '
Zones:8 - 11Habit : Compact habitSize:1 to 2 feet tall and wideBloom metre : Late leaping to summer
‘ White Gem ’ is the crown jewel of dwarf gardenias for develop indoors because it only reaches a height of 1 to 2 foot . This dull grower is adorn with daisy - like whitened flowers with sensationalistic centers that exude a strong aroma . Use in container and smaller space .
exposure by : R Ann Kautzky / Alamy Stock Photo
' VEITCHII '
Zones:8 - 11Habit : Upright habitSize:4 feet tall , 3 foundation wideBloom metre : Late spring to fall
This dependable ever - flower gardenia yield pure bloodless , rosiness - like flowers from spring into dusk and will continue flower throughout the year when kept in a warm environment , such as a nursery or sun parlor . Protect from spicy afternoon sunlight in southern mood . Grow as a container specimen or stand - alone emphasis , as hedging or in aggregate plantings .
photograph by : Matt Howard / Shutterstock
' FROSTPROOF '
Zones:7 - 11Habit : Upright habitSize:4 to 5 feet magniloquent , 3 to 4 foundation wideBloom time : ahead of time to late summertime
bonk for its cold tolerance , ‘ Frostproof ’ is sturdy than most other gardenia , with good electric resistance to recent frost wrong . The double ashen flower have a wax - similar appearance . employ for hedging , mixed mete , instauration plantings , or as a container specimen . Protect from red-hot good afternoon sun in hotter climate to prevent foliage singe and bud drop - off .
photograph by : Lucia Barabino / Pixabay
' KLEIM ‘S Thomas Hardy '
Zones:7 - 11Habit : Mounding shaggy habitSize:2 to 3 feet tall and wideBloom time : tardy saltation through summer
Also develop for its moth-eaten resistance , ‘ Kleim ’s Hardy ’ has a pocket-sized mounding habit , with fragrant white single flower . In colder field , plant bloom from mid fountain to early summertime , while in warmer areas , they may blossom all class . Use in containers and small space .
picture by : Weerawat Trinerachanon / Dreamstime
' RADICANS '
Zones:8 - 11Habit : scummy spreading habitSize:6 to 12 inches magniloquent , 12 to 36 inches wideBloom prison term : later spring to early summertime
From later spring through former summer , industrial plant are covered with dainty 1 - column inch doubled blank flower , place off by lustrous dark - green foliage . This dwarf spreading eccentric is ideal for habit as a fragrant creep groundcover , along tract , or for determine into a bonsai Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
Photo by : Garden World Images Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
' mystery story '
Zones:8 - 11Habit : Upright bushy habitSize:6 to 8 feet grandiloquent and wideBloom clip : later springtime to fall
In addition to its alluring name , ‘ Mystery ’ is noted for its enormous two-fold white roselike flowers , which traverse 4 to 5 inches across . This attractive rounded shrub heyday from mid saltation through early summer , with sporadic blossoming into fall . Use this larger diverseness as privacy screening , hedge , or a stand - alone specimen in the landscape .
DESIGN IDEAS
A gardenia grows in front of a classic statue . Photo by : John Glover / Alamy Stock Photo .
See more fragrant plants to grow:20 Fragrant Flowering plant
touch on : Southern GardensTropical Gardens