Your Source for Gardening in the Sunshine State!
Plant of the Month |
A favorite of the perfume makers and florists, Gardenia is an attractive evergreen shrub or small tree. Of the family Rubiaceae it has several cultivated forms. It requires some special care but rewards the gardener with its rich, seductive scent and beautifully formed flowers and glossy green foliage. Gardenia is a sub-tropical plant the family of which is native to tropical Africa and Asia
Plant Facts:
Common Name: Gardenia
Botanical Name: Gardenia
Family: Rubiaceae
Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub or Small Tree
Origin: Tropical Africa and Asia
Zones: 8 - 12, Sub-tropical -- withstands light frost
Height: To 10'
Rate of Growth: Slow
Salt Tolerance: Not salt tolerant
Soil Requirements: Neutral to acidic, fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil
Water Requirements: Water freely when in full growth, barely moist in winter
Nutritional Requirements: Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks
Light Requirements: Partial light or dappled shade
Form: Bush or small tree
Leaves: 4" to 6" -- deep green and glossy
Flowers: White, showy and fragrant -- blooms during Spring
Fruits: None
Pests: Powdery mildew, bacterial leaf spot, anthracnose, dieback, fungal leaf spots, stem cankers, root knot nematodes, whiteflies, mealybugs, scale insects, aphids and thrips
Uses: Accent bush -- show piece
Bad Habits: None
Cost: $$ to $$$ -- reasonable to expensive
Propagation: Greenwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer
Sources: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants,
The Subtropical Garden,
Gardening in the Tropics
©1999 Florida Gardener. All Rights Reserved.
Last updated 06/03/08