Gardenia

Gardenia plants have beautifully scented waxy white flowers and glossy green leaves,

But  requires very specific Growing Conditions and Constant Attention.

Good gardenia care will ensure long-lasting blooms and a long-lived flowering house plant. The jasmine fragrance of the flowers has inspired hundreds of perfumes

It makes A Wonderful welcome gifts. buy a gardenia for a loved one

Origin Gardenia Jasminoïdes

Did you know that the Gardenia Jasminoïdes, also known as the Cape Jasmine, actually comes from the south of Asia? This plant was originally the most common in Vietnam, South China, Taiwan, Japan and India. The Gardenia is named after the American born physicist Dr Alexander Garden (1730-1791)

The Gardenia belongs to the Rubiaceae family (the star-leaf family).

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Temperature: Prefers Moderate Temperature . The ideal temperature for this plant is ± 18 degrees Celsius.

Beware of temperature changes, the gardenia is sensitive to this and can therefore lose its buds.

Lighting preference : requires very bright light for at least 6-8 hours a day. But in Shade area in the summer Heat

Electrical lighting: it Prefers Out Door Spots or beside bright light windows

Irrigation of water: Gardenia plants need to be watered very carefully. Only water your plant when the soil is dry below the surface. Water the soil and not the foliage
Do not over-water your plant. Gardenia is allergic to lime.

Humidity : Increase humidity, especially during dry winter months, by placing a humidifier near the plant, putting a gardenia on a pebble tray filled with water (be sure the plant sits on the pebbles not in the water), or grouping several plants together .You can spray the leaves of the plant regularly. Please note that you do not spray the flowers, difficult but better for the flowers of the gardenia.

Misting doesn’t help increase the humidity for a gardenia plant and causes fungal growth on the leaves.

Fertilization and feeding: Fertilize every three weeks when gardenia plant is actively growing in the spring and summer. Feed you gardenia plants monthly in the fall and winter.

Flowering : Gardenia plants will not bloom unless all of their light, water, fertilizer, and soil requirements are met. On top of that, in order for gardenia buds to set, the nighttime temperatures should be around 12.8 °c and the gardenia plant should be in total darkness for as many hours as possible.

Soil : Grows best in a well-drained acidic soil with some peat moss added.
You can increase the acidity level in the soil and make your gardenia plants happy, by watering once a month with left-over tea or very dilute vinegar.

Pot Size : Choose a pot with very good drainage holes. Make sure the pot is big enough for the plant so the roots don’t clog up the drainage holes.

Pruning : Pruning properly is very important if you want a gardenia plant to bloom. old woody stems need to be removed to encourage the new young stems to develop and flower to appear .