Gardenia Jasminoides Care

Gardenia Jasminoides are known by many names, like gardenia augusta, cape-jasmine, august beauty or simply gardenia. These are evergreen and flowering shrubs, which are popular around the world. The gardenia has shiny green leaves, with white fragrant flowers which bloom in summer, making the plant even more beautiful. It is one of the favored choice among plants used in flower gardens. One can easily grow and care for these plants.

Gardenia jasminoides grows up to 4-8 feet in height and spreads to around 6 feet in width. It is not native to North America, but can be grown easily, if the basic instructions on how to care for a gardenia plant are followed.

Climatic Condition Requirements: This plant can be planted year around in USDA zone 8-11. It can grow in part shade or part sun. These plants require good amount of light, moisture and warm environment. So maintain these requirements when growing gardenias indoors as houseplants or outdoors.

Planting Instructions: The fragrance of gardenia jasminoides is strong, so it's best if you plant it in a place where its smell can spread easily. It can be planted near a wall, deck or patio, so that its fragrance is carried easily throughout the landscape. When planting these plants, keep a distance of at least 40 inches between each plant.

Soil Requirements: The shrubs and bushes of gardenia can tolerate poor soil conditions, and can be grown in clay, acidic, slightly alkaline or loam soil. However, the preferred soil for gardenia care should be rich, acidic, moisture-retentive and well drained. Use a soil which has 6 or higher pH.

Gardenia Watering Instructions: Gardenia jasminoides requires average watering. However, supply the plant adequate water on a regular basis. But, take care not to over water the plant. In many cases, it can moderately tolerate drought conditions.

Light Requirements: It can be grown in part shade or part sun. During the hottest climate, protect the plant by keeping it in a shade.

Propagation: The propagation can be done by simple layering. For simple layering, just bend a low growing and flexible stem to the ground. Another way to propagate this plant is by softwood cuttings.

Container Requirements: For container gardening, it can be grown in any type of container, but clay pots are preferred. It is also used as a hedge and can be planted in the ground.

Pruning Instructions: You can prune the plant with shears for gardenia care in pots or maintaining a hedge. Make sure you prune this plant after the flowering season, which is after summer. As, one can by mistake trim out the flowering buds during the flowering season.

Fertilizer Requirement: It requires fertilization once in a year, for maintaining dark green leaves. Buy an iron chelate fertilizer and mix with an acidic soil mixture. Take care about the amount of fertilizer you use, because sometimes the flower buds drop due to poor soil conditions and because of using too much of fertilizer.

Pests and Problems: There are no major pest diseases that attack this plant. But, sometimes scale, white-fly or spider mites may attack the plant. Many times sooty mold, which looks dark in color can affect the leaves, to prevent this use a horticultural oil spray and wash the leaves with soap and water. They are susceptible to nematodes, so make sure you buy the plants having nematode resistant rootstock.

Gardenia jasminoides are low-maintenance plants. This doesn't mean that you ignore the gardenia jasminoides care instructions for gardening. So, follow the above guidelines, and enjoy the beauty and fragrance of these plants!