Virginia Tech Dendrology

gardenia Rubiaceae Gardenia jasminoides Ellis symbol: GAJA
Leaf: Opposite, simple, evergreen and somewhat thickened, to 10 inches long, ovate to obovate with an acuminate tip and a wedge-shaped base, margins entire; upper surface waxy/shiny and dark green with prominent venation, lower suface less shiny and may be sparsely pubescent; petioles are mostly lacking or very short.
Flower: Species is monoecious; very fragrant and very showy, initially white and fading to yellow, velvety petals form an open funnel up to 4 inches across (double-flowered varieties are commonly planted); appearing in summer and into the fall.
Fruit: Oval, reddish-brown, and winged husks containing a red pulp, to 3 inches long.
Twig: Green to gray-brown with opposite brown buds.
Bark: Gray-brown and smooth.
Form: A multi-stemmed shrub to 10 feet tall.

Additional Range Information: Gardenia jasminoides is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information