Gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
📖 About this plant
Renowned for producing some of the most intoxicatingly fragrant flowers in the plant kingdom, gardenias bear exquisite creamy-white double blooms against glossy, dark evergreen foliage. The sweet, jasmine-like scent can perfume an entire room. A challenging but rewarding houseplant that demands consistent humidity, acidic soil, and careful watering to thrive and bloom.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Bright indirect (4-6 hrs)
Every 2-3 days
High (60-80%)
18-24°C
Acidic, well-draining soil (pH 5.0-6.5) with peat moss, perlite, and organic matter; use ericaceous or azalea potting mix
Acid-loving plant fertilizer (for camellias/azaleas) every 2-3 weeks during spring and summer; supplement with magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) monthly
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- China, Japan, Taiwan — subtropical and tropical forests of East Asia
- 📏 Max height
- 60-180 cm (indoor), up to 200+ cm (outdoor in warm climates)
- 📐 Spread
- 60-120 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring - Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green, Glossy
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA safe); mildly toxic to horses if grazed in large quantities
- 🌱 Propagation
- Semi-hardwood stem cuttings in summer with rooting hormone and bottom heat, or air layering
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA safe); mildly toxic to horses if grazed in large quantities
Common issues
- Bud drop from temperature or humidity changes, Sooty mold from scale insects, Root rot from overwatering, Chlorosis from alkaline soil
💡 Care tips
- One of the most fragrant flowering houseplants,Requires acidic soil with pH 5.0-6.0,Flower buds drop if conditions change suddenly,Mist daily and use a pebble tray for humidity
