Growing the Buttons Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Buttons Gardenia grows steadily into a rounded evergreen shrub between 18 and 30 inches tall and wide. It has a neat, dense structure, always looking trimmed but never needing trimming. The oval leaves are very dark green, with a very glossy surface and about 2½ inches long, clustering densely along the stems. They are thick and leathery, with lots of ‘substance’. They don’t easily burn in the sun, or turn yellow in winter.

For several weeks in May and June, your bush will be in full bloom, with some additional blooms developing through the summer months. The bush might be small and compact, but the blooms are full-sized – 2 inches across – with 15 to 20 petals arranged in two overlapping whorls around the center. This plant has a unique looking bloom. The petals are as thick, lustrous and pure white as any gardenia, and in the center is a cute little ‘button’ that seems to hold it all together, with 6 fat brown stamens forming an arching circle around it. (The button is actually the stigma, the place where the pollen lands when fertilizing the flower). The flower gives off the most amazing sweet scent, loved by everyone, and found in the most expensive perfumes, made by companies like Chanel, Gucci, Givenchy and Marc Jacobs. The flowers slowly turn yellow over a week, and then drop cleanly to the ground, keeping everything neat and tidy.

Using the Buttons Gardenia in Your Garden

This compact shrub is perfect for growing in the front of a border, perhaps along a pathway where its perfume can easily be appreciated. It blends well in areas where you are growing azaleas, blooming after them, or with other acid-loving plants. It is also ideal for pot-growing, where it could be placed on a step or a terrace, or grown inside a porch area. Pots can be brought indoors in winter to protect it if you are gardening in cooler zones. Don’t forget to snip some blooms to bring inside to enjoy in a vase for up to a week.

Hardiness

The Buttons Gardenia is reliably hardy in zones 8, 9 and 10. It should be brought inside in cooler zones once night temperatures fall below 50 degrees and grown in a bright spot indoors until spring. At the other extreme, this plant grows well in hot humid conditions, with temperatures of 105 Fahrenheit tolerated well.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Morning sun and afternoon shade are the ideal for the Buttons Gardenia. It will also grow well in light shade, such as the dappled shade from overhead deciduous trees, or under a clear sky in the shade of a wall. Remember that it is shade in summer, when the sun is high in the sky, that matters most – sun in spring and fall can be more constant. The perfect soil for gardenias is moist, well-drained and slightly acidic. Add plenty of lime-free organic material, like peat-moss or rotted pine needles, when preparing the ground for planting. When you grow it in a pot, use a potting soil for acid-loving plants, like azalea soil.

Maintenance and Pruning

The way to grow gardenias well is to attend to watering. Keep the soil moist but not wet – to do that, don’t water when the ground is already moist, but let the top layer dry a little. Then water well and wait until the surface soil dries again. Use a fertilizer recommended for camellias and azaleas if you cannot find one specifically for gardenias – apply it as directed. Deadheading should not be necessary as the Buttons Gardenia doesn’t usually develop seeds. Trimming isn’t usually needed with such a compact bush, but if you do want to trim do it immediately after the main blooming in spring – otherwise you will remove potential flower buds. Pests and diseases shouldn’t cause problems if you are watering and feeding correctly, and deer don’t eat gardenias at all.

History and Origin of the Buttons Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, was first grown in America by Dr. James Gordon, a Scotsman who had moved to Charleston, South Carolina. He definitely had plants in his garden by 1762. Indeed, the famous botanist Linnaeus created the name Gardenia to honor Dr. Gordon. Since then many improved varieties have been developed, and of course spread all over the world. Sydney, Australia has a similar climate to the South, and acid soil, so gardenias grow well there. North of Sydney is Kariong, and there John Robb is a partner at Paradise Seeds, a specialized plant breeding nursery. In 2007 he collected seeds from a gardenia variety called ‘Veitchii’, and sowed them. In 2010 he selected one of those seedlings for its unusual and attractive flowers, and named it ‘Buttons’. It was patented in the USA in 2014, and released by Star® Roses and Plants as part of their Bloomables® range.

Buying the Buttons Gardenia at the Tree Center

This unique plant is so charming and special, and those big blooms really pop on this compact plant. Everyone is excited by it, and stocks are moving fast. Don’t hesitate to grow it in your garden – order now.

Growing the Fool Proof Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Fool Proof Gardenia is a rounded evergreen shrub that soon grows 3 to 4 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. It has an attractive upright form and remains bushy to the ground for many years. The leaves are very glossy and a rich dark green. They are almost 3 inches long, but just over ½ inch wide – a unique slender shape that give this bush a special look, distinct from other gardenias. Plants flower profusely in spring, and then once the new growth matures a little, cycles of reblooming take place from early summer right into fall. There are almost always some blooms on this bush, for your enjoyment. The flowers are between 2 and 3 inches across, with a high center and they are double, with an outer whorl of 6 petals and an inner center of 10 petals which form a tight bloom. The petals are pure white, with a thick, lustrous texture and of course that wonderful, wonderful scent of gardenias, one of the most beautiful fragrances in the world. Flowers last for several days, slowly turning first cream and then pale yellow, until they shrivel and fall off naturally.

Using the Fool Proof Gardenia in Your Garden

With its tolerance of some shade the Fool Proof Gardenia is perfect for planting beside a path through your garden, or next to your porch steps. Use it to edge beds, or plant it as a specimen among azaleas, or in front of your camellia bushes. It can also be used as a beautiful container plant, kept outdoors all year in the warmest zones, or given some winter shelter in a porch or indoors for the coldest months, if you live in a cooler area. Container growing also means you can grow this plant whatever zone you live in.

Hardiness

The Fool Proof Gardenia is hardy outdoors from zone 7 into zones 9 and 10.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The ideal location for the Fool Proof Gardenia is a spot where it has morning sun and afternoon shade, such as an east-facing wall or fence. Some sun is beneficial for maximum flowering, but direct afternoon sun can easily burn the foliage. Light dappled shade beneath trees is also suitable, but don’t plant it in deep, permanent shade. The soil should be evenly-moist, rich in organic material, but well-drained. It should also be acidic, although if you apply iron chelates regularly it can be grown in neutral to slightly alkaline soils without much problem. Dig plenty of lime-free compost or rotted leaves into the soil before planting, and mulch around the roots in spring with more.

Maintenance and Pruning

Gardenias don’t like root disturbance, so don’t cultivate around the root system. Use mulch instead to control weeds, and this will also conserve moisture and keep the roots cool. Use liquid fertilizers for acid-loving plants, especially if you are growing in a container or pot. Make sure pots have drainage holes and use a compost designed for acid-loving plants. Pruning is not usually needed, but if you want to trim to control the size, do this straight after the spring flowering ends, and don’t trim back summer shoots, as that will prevent re-blooming. This variety has improved resistance to the pests and diseases that can affect other varieties, and it is less likely to be damaged by cold snaps or hot spells. Water regularly, but don’t water if the soil is already damp.

History and Origin of the Fool Proof Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, is also called Cape jasmine, although it doesn’t come from southern Africa, but from India, Vietnam, southern China and Japan. It has been grown for its fragrance in those eastern countries for at least a thousand years. When it arrived in Charleston, South Carolina around 1762 it became an instant hit, and it was soon being grown all across the South. Its intoxicating perfume makes us think of hot, sultry summer evenings and grand balls.

Most varieties of gardenia bloom in spring, just once a year. Robert Lee, or ‘Buddy’, made his reputation as a plant breeder developing the Autumn Encore Azaleas, and his skill in finding plants that re-bloom is renowned. More recently he has turned his attention to gardenias, planting many different varieties at his nursery in Independence, Louisiana. In 2007 he collected many seeds from this collection, and grew them into blooming plants. Among them were some that re-bloomed, and he chose one outstanding plant in 2010 for further trials. In 2020 he patented this plant with the name ‘Leesix’. It is made available to gardeners with the trademark name of Fool Proof, as part of the Southern Living® Plant Collection.

Buying the Fool Proof Gardenia at the Tree Center

This is your big chance to have gardenias in your garden not just in spring, but all the way through into fall as well. Full of perfume, fully double, and with graceful glossy leaves, this bush will be a center-piece in your planting. Order now, because everyone wants that chance, and our plants will soon be gone.

Growing the Double Mint Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Double Mint Gardenia is a rounded evergreen shrub, growing no more than 3 feet tall and wide, with dense branching and a solid, bushy form. The leaves are beautifully glossy and a rich, dark emerald green – and they stay that way all year round, with none of the winter yellowing that so many gardenias show. The oval leaves are between 1½ and 2 inches long, and about ¾ of an inch wide. They have a smooth touch and a slightly leathery texture – tough leaves that won’t burn easily or drop, so your bush stays healthy-looking.

This bush blooms profusely all through May and June, making a wonderful show. Then in fall the first buds that develop open, making a great second blooming, and the later buds become dormant, to open the following spring. The blossoms are a full 2 inches across, made up of as many as 25 petals, tightly arranged into a gorgeous fully-double bloom – just like the best florist’s gardenias. They are pure white when they open, gradually turning darker shades of cream to creamy-yellow over several days. They release the wonderful sweet smell of gardenias, that everyone loves, which drifts across your garden. The spent blooms drop neatly, leaving the bush clean and always attractive.

Using the Double Mint Gardenia in Your Garden

The size and form of this shrub makes it ideal for growing in shrub beds, alone or in groups. Use it as a rounded accent at the corners, or place it beside a path, where its fragrance and beauty can be enjoyed close up. Plant it beneath a window to let the fragrance drift indoors, or grow it beside a door. As it grows in similar conditions, it is perfect to combine with azaleas and camellias. In zones 8 and 9 it is perfect in planters and pots, always looking lovely on your patio or porch.

Hardiness

The Double Mint Gardenia has good winter hardiness, without leaf drop or yellowing, all through zone 7. It also takes the heat of warmer zones, all the way into Texas northern Florida.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The best light exposure for the Double Mint Gardenia is morning sun and afternoon shade. In zone 7 it would also grow in full sun, if the soil is not too dry. It will grow in light full shade as well, such as from deciduous trees, or on the north side of your home. The ideal soil is moist but well-drained and acidic, with lime-free organic materials added when you prepare the bed, and as mulch. For planters use potting soil for acid-loving plants.

Maintenance and Pruning

The key to success with gardenias is even watering – not too wet and not too dry. Feed regularly with fertilizer for camellias and rhododendrons. If you do see any seed pods developing, snip them off, but regular dead-heading is not needed. The natural compact form means no particular need to trim, but if you do want to keep your plants super-neat, trim as soon as the spring flowering is over. Later trimming will remove flower buds, reducing both the fall blooms and those for next spring. If the soil is suitable and you keep your plants moist and fed then pests or diseases will rarely be seen – and deer don’t eat gardenias.

History and Origin of the Double Mint Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, is found growing naturally through Asia, from India to Vietnam and into Southern China, Japan and Korea. It has been grown in gardens of the South and Texas for a long time. Wild plants have single blooms, but forms with double flowers are the most popular. Back in the 1980s Charles J. Hayes, who lived in North Carolina, made a break-through when he found a seedling gardenia that was much more cold-hardy, sun-resistant and very suitable for garden growing. It was named ‘Chuck Hayes’. Around 2010 Josh Kardos and Michael Dirr, horticulturists at the University of Georgia, collected seed from plants of ‘Chuck Hayes’, looking for repeat-blooming plants. They succeeded, and one of the seedlings they grew not only bloomed in fall, but it didn’t yellow at all over winter – a big improvement. They patented their plant in 2013 with the name ‘Double Mint’, and it has been released by Bailey Nurseries under their First Editions® brand of top-quality new plants.

Buying the Double Mint Gardenia at the Tree Center

When the well-known plant expert Michael Dirr is involved in a new plant, you can be sure it has been carefully tested, and really is a significant improvement over older varieties. That’s why we are confident you will love the Double Mint Gardenia. Top-quality new plants sell out fast, so order now while we can still satisfy your order.

Growing the Little Daisy Gardenia

Size and Appearance

Little Daisy Gardenia is a small evergreen shrub growing to just 18 or 24 inches tall, and spreading to 2 or 3 feet wide. It is densely-branched, so it is always bushy and attractive, never becoming gaunt, thin and unsightly. The leathery leaves are a wonderful rich emerald green, holding that color through all the seasons, and they are smoothly oval to lance-shaped, 1½ to 2 inches long and about 1 inch wide. That strong coloring is held in full sun and in shade too, making this one of the most ‘evergreen’ of plants.

Flowering begins in spring and continues through early summer, often repeating in early fall – month after month of blooms. Each flower is at least 2 inches across, with 6 flat petals and a tight yellow center, looking indeed like a daisy, but with thick, velvety petals and a smaller center. Six elegantly curved stamens spreading out from the center complete the picture. At first the flowers are pure white and as they age they gradually turn creamy yellow, each one lasting 2 or 3 days before dropping neatly, leaving the bush always tidy. Flowering is profuse, especially at the beginning, with every stem crowded with delicious blooms – and let’s not forget that wonderful, wonderful gardenia fragrance, the stuff of the very best perfumes.

Using the Little Daisy Gardenia in Your Garden

The combination of evergreen leaves and long flowering makes this plant ideal for every garden. Use it as an edging along paths in both sun and partial shade, or anywhere in the foreground of your beds – you can’t have too much of it. Fill blank spots, and use it in the smallest garden without fear of it outgrowing the limited space. In zones 8 to 10 it can also be grown in planters and boxes, for terraces and if you don’t even have a garden at all.

Hardiness

The Little Daisy Gardenia is completely cold-hardy from zone 7 and also resists the heat of places like Texas through the summer. In zone 6 it should be grown in full sun, in a warm sheltered place.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The Little Daisy Gardenia is very adaptable to different light conditions, growing either in full sun or partial shade. Generally, as you move into warmer zones, afternoon shade becomes beneficial and even necessary to prevent scorching and bud-drop. Too much sun can also limit later flowering if you are growing in the hottest zones. Although pretty easy to grow, this plant does need some attention to the soil, doing best in moist, well-drained acidic soils with added lime-free organic materials mixed into the soil and used as mulch. In planters, use soil for acid-loving plants. Dry soils, and alkaline ones, are not tolerated well.

Maintenance and Pruning

Regular watering is the key to success, keeping the ground evenly moist but not wet. Always allow the soil to dry just a little between watering, but don’t let it become significantly dry. This variety of gardenia doesn’t produce seed, so dead-heading isn’t needed and the flowers drop naturally. If you want to trim, do it after the main flowering period is over, leaving plenty of time for new growth to develop before winter comes. Flower buds for the next year develop in fall, so trimming late will prevent that happening. Pests and diseases can sometimes be seen, but good watering, regular fertilizing with food for camellias and rhododendrons, and suitable soil, make those problems much less likely.

History and Origin of the Little Daisy Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, was once known as Gardenia augusta, and that name is still sometimes used by growers. This distant relative of the coffee bush grows naturally throughout much of Asia, and it can be found from India and Bangladesh through Vietnam and Myanmar into Southern China, Japan and Korea. It was brought to Europe in the middle of the 18th century where it became a popular greenhouse plant, but in America it has been grown outdoors in the South and Texas for a long time. There have been many varieties created, and generally the double-flowered forms seen in florists as more difficult to grow outdoors than the more natural types with single flowers.

Robert H. Head is a horticulturist working in Seneca, South Carolina, who specializes in developing new plant varieties. In 2010 he spotted an unusually compact plant among a group of plants of the older variety ‘Daisy’. That plant is known for its cold-resistance and repeat flowering. The new plant Robert found had all that, but on a more compact bush. In 2019 his company, Head’s Select Inc., patented it with the name ‘RLH-GA1`. It has been licensed for propagation to Greenleaf Nursery Company, who have released it under their Garden Debut® brand, with the very appropriate trademark name of Little Daisy.

Buying the Little Daisy Gardenia at the Tree Center

It is wonderful to have this smaller version of the classic ‘Daisy’ variety available – it’s just as reliable and just as long-blooming. If you thought gardenia was only for the warmest states, think again and grow the Little Daisy Gardenia. You will be thrilled, but order now, as this great new variety is proving incredibly popular.

Growing ScentAmazing Gardenias

One of the newest and best of these smaller varieties is the ScentAmazing Gardenia. It grows into a dense, small bush about 3 feet tall and across, fitting perfectly into any small garden, directly in the ground, or in a planter. It has thick, glossy and rich-green leaves that are lance-shaped. These cover the shrub completely, from top to bottom, creating a unique dense, mounded structure. This is one of the most compact and densely branched gardenias available, and it needs no trimming to keep its perfect form.

Appearance

The flowers of ScentAmazing are not the common double gardenia flowers, with many petals. Instead the flowers are perfect white stars made of six rounded petals, with a yellow center that radiates out 6 narrow yellow strands, like a tiny star within a bigger, white star. The flowers are large, a full 2 inches across, and born in profusion, so that the bush can be completely covered in flowers, almost hiding the foliage.

Pests and Diseases

The flowers are much more durable and resistant to disease than the double forms, which are prone to decay and may fall from the plant before even opening. This, and the generally strength and resistance of the plant, make the ScentAmazing Gardenia very disease tolerant.

Perfume

Unlike some other single gardenias, this flower floods perfume into the air, as strongly as any double variety. Flowering begins in spring, and then from late spring to fall it will alternately rest, then return with another covering of blooms. This creates several flowering cycles a year, a great advance on the ‘once a year’ flowering of other varieties. As the flowers fade, remove them by cutting the stem one leaf below the flower. Cut back to just above the next leaf. This will encourage quicker and more prolific re-blooming.

Hardiness

The ScentAmazing Gardenia grows well throughout zone 7, and through all the warmer zones. It will grow throughout the south, as far north as Delaware in the east, and up the west coast to the Canadian border. Many people can grow gardenias, who thought they couldn’t. Choose a sheltered spot, away from wind, in a partially-shaded spot in your garden. The ideal location has sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon, especially during the hottest months. This will protect it from burning and make it easy for your plant to thrive.

Soil Conditions

It does best in moist, acidic soil with plenty of organic material in it. If you don’t have suitable soil, or you want to be able to bring your ScentAmazing Gardenia onto a terrace or inside your porch, then grow it in a pot, using soil for acid-loving plants. In a pot, of course, it can be grown in much cooler zones, simply by providing some shelter during the winter months in a well-lit place. These kinds of gardenia are much easier to grow than the sensitive, over-sheltered plants sold by florists.

History and Origins of the ScentAmazing Gardenia

The gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), which is also sometimes called Cape Jasmine, can be found growing wild in India and all the way into Vietnam, southern China and to Japan. The Chinese have been growing it for a thousand years, enjoying its fragrance and beauty, and it was first grown in America in Charleston, South Carolina in 1761. This was by a naturalist called Dr. Alexander Garden, who had been sent a plant by his botanist friend, John Ellis. It grew well there, and Ellis named the new plant after Dr. Garden. It became very popular in the South and was once grown commercially for the corsages worn by ladies at Southern balls.

The ScentAmazing Gardenia was developed by Robert Edward Lee, in the town of Independence, Louisiana. This is a small town north of New Orleans, and there Robert was working to develop improved forms of gardenia. He grew some seeds he had produced from a variety called ‘Daisy’, and among the seedlings one stood out as special. He found it in October 2000, and spend years testing it, and trialing it with other growers until he was satisfied that he really did have something special. So special indeed, that in January 2017 he was granted a patent on his new plant.

Buying ScentAmazing Gardenias at The Tree Center

Our ScentAmazing Gardenia plants are grown under license for Robert Edward Lee, from carefully selected stem pieces. They are guaranteed to be this exact variety, which is officially called ‘Leetwo’. There is a lot of interest in gardenias, and we know that such a beautiful new variety as this will not be in stock with us for long. Order now and fill your garden with beauty and fragrance for month after month. If you like this plant then make sure to check out other varieties of gardenia that we stock, including the Frost Proof Gardenia and the August Beauty Gardenia.

It grows into a small shrub 2 to 3 feet tall, and rounded, growing 2 to 3 feet across. This makes it ideal for a smaller garden, or for growing in pots, when it can be moved around the garden to enjoy its perfume everywhere. You can even make a low hedge with this plant. To keep it flowering, only prune in early spring, just when the weather begins to warm. Flowers are produced continuously from June to October, so throughout the ‘outdoor’ months you will have this beautiful plant in flower. Even when not flowering, Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia is beautiful, with its glossy, rich-green evergreen foliage giving structure and permanence to your shrub arrangements.

Growing Kleim’s Hardy Gardenias

Although sometimes thought difficult, gardenias are actually easy to grow if you create the right conditions and follow a few simple rules. Choose a sheltered spot, away from wind, in a partially shaded location. The ideal spot has morning sun and afternoon shade, especially during the hottest months, so choose the location with care. Gardenias like an acid soil (pH below 6.0), so test you soil and add plenty of lime-free organic material when preparing the planting spot. Well-rotted pine-bark is ideal, but other composts are also suitable. Even if you find your soil is not acidic enough, you can still grow Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia by using a special fertilizer called chelated iron, which you water onto your plant and soil in spring and again in late summer. This will keep the leaves a rich, dark green, and your plant strong, healthy and flowering well.

Alternatively, plant your gardenia in a container, using potting soil for acid-loving plants. Gardenias make great pot plants, and a plant in a container is also easy to move around to get the correct amount of sun exposure. In a pot, it can also be brought inside when the temperatures are too low, even if you only have an unheated porch for shelter.

Care and Maintenance

Mulch Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia in spring with pine bark, compost or peat-moss and keep it well-watered. Gardenias like plenty of water, so never let the soil become dry around your plant. Water whenever the soil begins to dry on the surface, but don’t water your plant so much that it is constantly in wet soil. Use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, applied in early spring and again 6 weeks later, or use a liquid gardenia fertilizer according to the directions. Do not fertilize in late summer or fall, as new growth will be more susceptible to frost.

Once that delicious perfume wafts across your garden from your gardenia bush, this little bit of work will seem like nothing. Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia is a wonderful plant and we regularly receive new stock to ship the best plants to our customers. Because if its unique hardiness, the demand for this wonderful plant is high, so order now or you could easily be disappointed later.

History and Origins of the Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia

Gardenias have been a part of Southern gardens for over 250 years, when plants were brought to Charleston, South Carolina from their natural home in China. Their name is American too, because the botanist John Ellis had the plant named after his friend and fellow naturalist Dr. Alexander Garden, who had a medical practice in Charleston and grew the plant as early as 1761. The gardenia (gardenia jasminoides), is also called the Cape Jasmine, and it grows wild from India into Vietnam and southern China, as well as in Japan. The Chinese people have grown these plants for a thousand years, to enjoy their fragrance and beauty.

However, these plants are usually only hardy to zone 8, so if you live in colder areas you cannot have their delicious fragrance wafting across your garden. Now there is an answer for those who live as far north as Virginia and Delaware, with Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia. This plant was discovered by Don Kleim of the Henderson Experimental Garden in California. He introduced it specifically for colder areas, and it is a real favorite with gardenia lovers in colder parts of the country. Even if your garden is too cold in winter for this variety, you can grow it in a container and bring it into a porch or cold room during the coldest weather, and grow it outdoors for the rest of the year.

Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia is a special selection of the ordinary gardenia, so it must be propagated in the correct way to preserve its hardiness. Our bushes are grown from branch cuttings taken directly from correctly-identified plants. Each one is always identical to the original. These take longer to produce, and cheaper gardenias will only be a disappointment, as they will not be this very special variety.

The flowers on the Radicans are not as large as other gardenias, but it is a prolific bloomer and most importantly it has the same famous gardenia scent, which fills the garden with rich summery perfume. It is also slightly more hardy than taller gardenias, but if you live in a cooler area and want to grow a gardenia outdoors, we recommend the Frostproof Gardenia, which will grow in zone 6.

Growing Dwarf Radicans Gardenias

You can use the Gardenia Radicans as a ground-cover plant, in front of, or beneath taller plants. It will make an attractive barrier to weeds and give a richer look to your garden than mulch or bare soil. Use it in formal garden beds, or in woodland locations – wherever you plant it you will love seeing this plant grow and bloom. It can even be planted in containers, where it will trail and flow around, adding texture and interest to your terrace. Planted near an open door the scent will waft in and fill the house with charm.

Size and Appearance

The Gardenia Radicans is an evergreen plant with small, glossy leaves that looks almost as attractive when not flowering as it does in flower. All through spring and early summer it will be studded with single flowers one inch across, which release a rich fragrance all across the garden. They can be picked and brought indoors too, to perfume whole rooms.

It forms a low plant, between 1 and 2 feet tall, and spreading from 3 to 5 feet wide, so just a few plants will cover a wide area. It can be lightly trimmed to keep it super-neat, or left to grow more casually in less formal parts of the garden. Not only will it add an extra layer of green to your garden, but the scent will greatly enrich your outdoor experience and create a whole-new dimension of smell in your garden.

Planting and Initial Care

When planting your Gardenia Radicans, choose a partially sunny or lightly shaded spot. It will grow best in slightly acidic soil that is moist, but not stagnant and wet. A steady, even water supply is best for all gardenias, and they are not very drought-resistant. Fertilize your plants in spring – this plant is pretty fast-growing and will soon cover the area you have chosen for it. To create a solid ground-cover, place the plants 2 feet apart from each other, or 3 feet apart if you have more patience.

Trimming or pruning is not usually needed, but you can cut back any long branches once flowering has finished, to keep a denser, neater appearance. This plant is usually free of important pests or diseases and will grow well with just a little basic care.

History and Origins of the Dwarf Radicans Gardenia

The Gardenia Radicans is a selected form of the common gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides). This plant was being grown in China 3,000 years ago during the Song Dynasty. It was first grown in America by Dr. James Gordon, a Scotsman who had moved to Charleston in 1752. He was a botanist as well as a gardener and this plant was named after him by the famous botanist Linnaeus. Dr. Gordon had brought gardenias to his Charleston garden around 1762 and many old plants in the south may be descendants of that original plant.

We don’t know for sure, but his plant was probably closer to the Gardenia Radicans than the more modern varieties developed from it, as his plant was probably single-flowered, but still with that delicious scent. In any case, gardenias became a big hit in the south, and spread to Europe too. During the 1920s and 30s they were everywhere, especially in corsages, and come to symbolize the spirit of summer in the South.

Buying Dwarf Radicans Gardenias at The Tree Center

The exact origin of the Gardenia Radicans seems to be lost, and it likely has been grown in gardens for a long time, but you can be sure that our plants are grown from correctly identified parent plants. Additionally, our plants have been taken as stem pieces, not seed, so they will grow into exactly the correct plant. Other cheaper plants may be seedlings, or regular upright gardenias, so the results will be a disappointment. The Gardenia Radicans is a wonderful and different ground-cover plant for warmer states, and deserves a place in every garden where it will grow. Our supplies are limited, so order your plants now.

The August Beauty Gardenia is a classic double-flowered gardenia, with huge flowers a full 3 inches across. There are so many petals of a thick, velvety texture, that the flower resembles a rose. It blooms heavily and continuously from mid-spring to fall and this variety is a great improvement on the common gardenia. Even when not in bloom the August Beauty Gardenia is a lovely plant, with its beautiful, glossy leaves. These are a rich shade of green and are 2 to 4 inches long. The shrub grows to around 5 feet tall if left un-pruned and is upright, spreading no more than 4 feet wide.

Growing August Beauty Gardenias

Although they have a reputation for being difficult, gardenias are easy to grow if you create the right conditions and follow a few simple rules. Choose a sheltered spot, away from wind, in a partially shaded location. The ideal spot has morning sun and afternoon shade, especially during the hottest months, so choose the location with care.

Soil Conditions

Gardenias like an acidic soil (pH below 6.0), so test you soil and add plenty of lime-free organic material when preparing the planting spot. Well-rotted pine-bark is ideal, but other composts are also suitable. Even if you find your soil is not acidic enough you can still grow the August Beauty Gardenia by using a special fertilizer called chelated iron, which you water onto your plant and soil in spring and again in late summer. This will provide the iron your plant needs to keep the leaves a rich, dark green and to keep it strong, healthy and flowering well.

Growing in a Pot or Container

Alternatively, you can choose to plant your gardenia in a container, using potting soil for lime-hating plants. Gardenias make great pot plants, and a plant in a container is also easy to move around to get the correct amount of sun exposure.

Care and Maintenance

Make sure to mulch your August Beauty Gardenia in spring with pine bark, compost or peat-moss and keep it well-watered. Gardenias like plenty of water, so never let the soil become dry around your plant. Water when the soil is beginning to dry on the surface and don’t water your plant so much that it is constantly in wet soil.

Use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, applied in early spring and again 6 weeks later, or use a liquid gardenia fertilizer as directed on the packet. Do not fertilize in late summer or fall, as new growth is more susceptible to frost. For a hedge, plant 2 feet apart and clip in late summer after flowering. By pruning at that time you will make sure your hedge has lots of blooms all summer long.

History and Origins of the August Beauty Gardenia

Gardenias have been a part of American gardens for over 250 years, since plants were first brought to Charleston, South Carolina from China. Indeed, even their name is American, since the botanist John Ellis had the plant named after his friend and fellow naturalist Dr. Alexander Garden, who had a medical practice in Charleston.

The gardenia, or Cape jasmine (Gardenia jasminoides), grows wild from India into Vietnam and southern China to Japan. It has been grown for its fragrance and beauty in China for a thousand years, and was first grown in America in Charleston, South Carolina in 1761. It grew well there and was even grown commercially for corsages. Its popularity meant that it quickly spread across the South and has become a symbol of Southern life.

Adding August Beauty Gardenias to Your Garden

The August Beauty Gardenia is a beautiful and special selection of the ordinary gardenia, so it must be propagated in the correct way to preserve its special characteristics. Our bushes are grown from branch cuttings taken directly from correctly identified plants. That way each one is identical to the original. However, these take longer to produce, so avoid cheaper gardenias that will only be a disappointment.

When you smell the delicious perfume pouring from your gardenia bush that little bit of work will seem like nothing. The August Beauty Gardenia is a wonderful plant and we regularly receive new stock to ensure our customers get the best plants. However the demand is high for such a wonderful plant, so order now to avoid finding that the August Beauty Gardenia is ‘sold out’ when you come back. If you like this plant then make sure to browse other popular varieties that we carry, like the ScentAmazing Gardenia and the Frost Proof Gardenia.