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Rubiaceae
Gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
Purity, secret love, refinement, sweetness.
- Family
- Rubiaceae
- Genus
- Gardenia
- Native to
- Asia, Africa, Oceania
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- evergreen shrub
- Height
- 0.6–2.4 m
- Sunlight
- Bright indirect to morning sun
- Soil
- Acidic, well-drained, rich
- Water
- Consistent moisture
- Hardiness
- 8–11
- Lifespan
- Perennial
Did you know
- Gardenias are named after Dr. Alexander Garden, an 18th-century Scottish-American naturalist.
- They're notoriously finicky — requiring precise humidity, acidic soil, and stable temperatures.
- The intoxicating fragrance comes from compounds including methyl benzoate and linalool.
- Gardenia flowers turn yellow as they age — not a sign of disease.
- The fruit of Gardenia jasminoides has been used as a yellow dye in China since ancient times.