Matt's 9b field note
“Fragrant white blooms in the shade garden.”
Background
Gardenia jasminoides (cape jasmine) is native to southern East Asia — China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam — where it has been cultivated for over a thousand years (depicted in Song dynasty paintings; its fruit, zhi-zi, is a traditional medicine and dye). It reached Europe via the Cape Colony in 1744 and was named for 18th-century Scottish-American botanist Dr. Alexander Garden. Countless cultivars exist in single and double white forms.
Distinguishing traits
Evergreen shrub, 3-8 ft; glossy dark green leathery leaves; large waxy white flowers, intensely fragrant (jasmine/orange-blossom-like), blooming late spring through summer.
Desert care — zone 9b
- Chill hours
- n/a — ornamental
- Cold hardiness
- Zones 8-11; cold-sensitive — protect from hard freezes and drying winter winds.
- Heat tolerance
- In Phoenix it belongs in the shade garden, with protection from intense afternoon sun.
- Water
- Consistent moisture; about 1 in per week; mulch to keep roots cool. Never let it dry out completely, but avoid waterlogging.
- Soil
- Humus-rich, acidic (pH 5-6), well-drained. Alkaline desert soil causes iron chlorosis — amend with compost or pine bark and feed with acid fertilizer.
- Sun exposure
- Bright light to partial shade; morning sun with afternoon shade in hot climates.