Florida Gardenia

Florida Gardenia (Gardenia augusta 'Florida') is the classic perfumed gardenia, the one most Australians picture when they think of the plant. It forms a rounded evergreen shrub about 1.2m tall and wide, covered in thick glossy leaves, and from late spring into autumn it carries heavy white double flowers that scent a whole courtyard.

Why you'll love it

• The perfume is the point. One open flower carries across a courtyard, and a mature plant beside a doorway scents the area on a warm evening.
• A long flowering run. Not a single burst. It flushes repeatedly from late spring through to autumn, heaviest in early summer.
• Naturally neat. It grows into a rounded shape on its own, so it holds form between trims rather than sprawling.
• Glossy foliage all year. Deep green and thick, so the shrub still looks deliberate through winter.
• Right sized for real gardens. At 1.2m by 1.2m it fits a courtyard bed, a large pot or a low hedge.

Where it works best

Low fragrant hedging. Plant 60cm apart in a single row for a solid band around a metre high, along a path, a driveway edge or a courtyard boundary.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A pot lets you control the acidic, free draining mix gardenias want. Use at least a 400mm container and expect to water and feed more often than in the ground.

Borders and mass planting. Position it where people walk past, not at the back of a bed where the scent is wasted.

Growing Florida Gardenia in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with afternoon shade suits it best. Full sun works in cooler and coastal gardens, while in hot inland areas the leaves bleach without afternoon protection. It tolerates light frost only, so in Canberra, the tablelands and Tasmania grow it in a pot that can move to shelter for winter.

Soil. This is where gardenias are won or lost. They need acidic, free draining soil rich in organic matter. On alkaline ground the leaves yellow between the veins and the plant stalls. Work compost through the bed first, and use an azalea and camellia mix in pots.

Water and feed. Even, consistent moisture. Deep soak two or three times a week through summer, and never let a potted plant wilt, because bud drop follows within days. Feed with a gardenia, azalea and camellia fertiliser in early spring and after the first flush.

Pruning and safety. Trim back by about a third once the main flush finishes in late summer, which builds the growth carrying next season's buds. Gardenias are considered mildly toxic to cats and dogs, so site them out of reach of an animal that chews foliage.

What to expect when it arrives

Grown in tubes, 140mm, 200mm and 250mm packs, and 300mm and 400mm pots. Tubes and 140mm plants are the economical way to fill a long hedge line, since you need one every 60cm. The 250mm and 300mm sizes suit a pot, and 400mm plants often arrive already carrying buds.

Do not panic if a few buds drop in the fortnight after planting. Gardenias react that way to any change in light, water or temperature. New growth appears within four to six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full gardenia range
• Browse other fragrant plants for Australian gardens
• Pots suited to courtyard shrubs

Common questions

Why are my gardenia leaves turning yellow?

Almost always a nutrient issue tied to soil pH. Gardenias need acidic soil to take up iron and magnesium, so feed with an acid loving plant food and apply iron chelate.

Why did the buds drop before opening?

Bud drop is a stress response, usually to drying out, a cold snap or a move. Keep moisture even and it will set buds again on the next flush.

Will it grow indoors?

Not well for long. It needs more light and air movement than a room provides. Treat it as a courtyard, balcony or garden plant.