Gardenia jasminoides /ɡɑɹˈdinjə/
Common name: Cape jasmine · Common gardenia · Danh-danh
Gardenia jasminoides is an evergreen flowering shrub in the coffee family Rubiaceae, native to southern and eastern Asia, including China, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It grows about 0.3–2 m tall with glossy dark green leaves and is prized for its highly fragrant, waxy white flowers that bloom from spring into summer. It is one of the most widely cultivated gardenias, grown both as an ornamental shrub and as a houseplant.
Care summary
Sun
Bright indirect light; morning sun, afternoon shade
Water
Keep soil evenly moist; never let it fully dry out
Soil
Acidic (pH 5.0–6.0), rich, well-drained
Hardiness
Zones 8–11
Mature height
About 60–200 cm (2–6.5 ft)
Pet safe
No — mildly toxic to cats and dogs if ingested
Difficulty
Fussy
Propagation
Propagate by semi-ripe stem cuttings taken in summer. Take a 8-10 cm cutting, remove the lower leaves, dip the end in rooting hormone, and insert it into a moist acidic mix; keep warm and humid until rooted, which can take six to eight weeks.
Fun facts
- Despite the name "cape jasmine", it is not a jasmine at all — the two plants are in entirely different families.
- Its fruits yield a yellow dye (from crocin) traditionally used to color food and textiles in East Asia.
- The fruit, called zhizi in Chinese, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
- The genus Gardenia was named by Linnaeus in honor of Scottish-American naturalist Alexander Garden.