Star Gardenia

Star Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides 'Star') is the gardenia to plant when you want scent along a path rather than one shrub in a far corner. It grows to about 1.8m tall and 1.5m wide, and through the warm months it carries large single white flowers with the heavy sweet perfume gardenias are grown for. Glossy dark green foliage holds all year, so it works as a low hedge as well as a feature.

Why you'll love it

• The perfume carries. Large single white blooms with the classic gardenia scent, strong enough to fill a courtyard on a still evening.
• A long flowering season. Flushes come through spring, summer and into autumn in warm gardens, rather than one short burst.
• The right size for a low hedge. At roughly 1.8m by 1.5m it makes a fragrant hedge along a path or a boundary bed without constant height control.
• It likes heat and humidity. Subtropical and tropical gardens where many flowering shrubs struggle are exactly where it does best.

Where it works best

Low hedging and borders. Plant 1m apart for a dense low hedge, along a path or beneath a window where the scent gets used rather than wasted at the back of a bed.

Pots and containers. One plant to a pot 400mm or wider suits a courtyard, entry or balcony, and puts the flowers at nose height.

Feature planting in dappled light. Under a high open canopy, or against an east facing wall, the foliage stays greener than in harsh afternoon sun.

Growing Star Gardenia in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with shelter from hot afternoon sun is the ideal. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, so Cairns through to Sydney and coastal Western Australia all suit it. It takes light frost only, so cool temperate and frosty inland gardens should grow it in a pot that moves under cover for winter.

Soil. Rich, well drained and acidic, ideally around pH 5.5 to 6.5. Alkaline soil is the most common reason a gardenia yellows between the leaf veins. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Consistent moisture matters more than volume. Deep soak twice a week in summer and never let it dry out while budding, or the buds drop. Feed an azalea and camellia fertiliser in early spring.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after the main flush, twice a year on a hedge. Avoid cutting hard in late autumn or winter, because that removes the wood carrying next season's buds.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten and 200mm in packs of six. Tube stock is young and inexpensive, and the sensible way to plant a long hedge run because gardenias establish quickly in warm soil. The 140mm and 200mm plants are already branched and flower in their first summer.

A few yellow lower leaves after transit is normal for a gardenia, since they are sensitive to any change in light and watering. Settle the plant somewhere sheltered for a week before planting out. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Growing gardenias in an Australian garden
• Compare the full gardenia collection
• Browse other fragrant plants
• Screening plants from 1m to 2m

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row gives a dense low hedge within two seasons. Closer spacing crowds the roots and makes the base thin, which defeats the purpose.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

Almost always soil pH. Gardenias need acidic soil to take up iron, and yellowing between green veins is the classic sign it is locked out. Apply chelated iron and an azalea and camellia fertiliser.

Why are the flower buds dropping before they open?

Inconsistent watering is the usual cause, followed by a sudden change in temperature or position. Keep the soil evenly moist through the budding period, and do not move a potted plant once buds have set.