common gardenia

Description

General aspect and origins - Gardenia augusta is also known as Cape jasmine, common gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, Gardenia grandiflora, Gardenia radicans, Gardenia schlechteri or Gardenia florida. This plant belongs to a genus of about 200 species, that was named in honor of Alexander Garden, who was a botanist.
Leaves - Leaves are evergreen, simple, opposite, elliptic or lanceolate, glossy, dark green, and can be 2-6 in (5 to 15 cm) long.
Flowers - Gardenia augusta has simple flowers (sometimes double for some cultivars) with 5 to 12 petals and which are 1.5 to 3 in (about 4-7.5 cm) in diameter. Young flowers are generaly pure white and often turn yellow-cream when older. They are strongly scented. Cape jasmine generally blooms from mid spring to mid-fall, in mild temperate climates.

Culture

There are many cultivars of Gardenia augusta, including:

G. augusta 'Belmont' (= 'Hadley') - Vigorous cultivar, with large leaves, white-cream double flowers.

G. augusta 'Florida' - Large flowers. Grows up to about 3 ft (90 cm) tall.

G. augusta 'Kleim's Hardy' - A very cold-hardy selection, with simple and strongly scented white flowers. Can grow to about 3 ft (90 cm) tall.

G. augusta 'Magnifica' - Vigorous cultivar, with large double flowers. Slightly shy blooming, though.

G. augusta 'Mystery' - A dwarf cultivar, less than 3 ft (90 cm) tall with semi-double flowers.

G. augusta var. radicans - This variety is native to Japan. The shrub is less than 2 ft (60 cm) tall and has a long blooming period.

G. augusta 'Rothmanii' - Double flowers.
G. augusta 'Variegata' - Variegated leaves, as its name suggests.

G. augusta 'Veitchii' (= 'Veitchiana') - An erect shrub with small leaves and pure white double flowers. Blooms in winter.

G. augusta 'Vietnam' - A selection from Vietnam, with simple flowers. Likely to be less hardy than the US cultivars.

This species is often grown indoors, which is likely to prove difficult. However, it is very frost-hardy, and all the cultivars can withstand temperatures down to about 15°F (-10°C) and even 5°F (-15°C) for the hardiest selections, like 'Kleim's Hardy'. It should thus be reliably grown in USDA zones 8 and warmer, and could be tried in the most sheltered places in USDA zones 7.
Soil - This shrub likes light, acidic, fertile and well-drained soils that remain moist.

Propagation

Gardenia augusta can be propagated by seeds, or by cuttings : ripe wood in winter, semi-ripe wood in late summer to early fall, or green wood in mid to late spring.

Pictures of Gardenia jasminoides