Cutflower Nomenclature

Scientific/Botanical Name:

Genus: Gardenia

Specie: G. jasminoides

Variety/Cultivar:

English Name:

 

Common Name:

common gardenia, cape jasmine or cape jessamine

Botanical Family:

Name in Latin: Rubiaceae

Name in English: coffee family, madder family, or bedstraw family

The Plant

Origin: originated in Asia and is most commonly found growing in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan, Japan and India

Growth Habit: fragrant flowering evergreen tropical plant , shrub

Flower:white flowers, highly fragrant

Blooming Period: spring

Leaf: dark green shiny leaves with prominent veins

Usage:

garden/house plant. Blooms for floral design/weddings.

Care and Handling

Soil: acidic soil (it is an acidophile plant). If the soil is not acid enough, many of its nutrients (especially iron compounds) will not be available for the plant, since they won't dilute in water and therefore won't be absorbed via the roots.

Amount of water: advisable not to water Gardenias with very hard water. When having to water with hard water, it is possible to add some vinegar or lemon juice to it before doing so, this will lower the pH of the water.

Nutrition: Feed every two weeks with a water soluble, lime free fertilizer

Special handling: bright indirect sunlight or partial shade, rather than direct sunlight.

Special feature/remarks:

thrives best in warm temperatures in humid environments. Getting those conditions is rather hard when in non tropical latitudes, reason for which gardenias are usually cultivated indoors or in greenhouses.