Have you tried growing roses without success? You need not stress as the Gardenia makes for a great alternative. One of the most famous species is Gardenia jasminoides Frostproof, a cold hardy plant that can grow in cold temperatures. So, if you want to brighten your garden, then the Cape Jasmine is what you need.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
This tough Frost Proof gardenia shrub is known for keeping its fragrant blooms even in unexpected freezing weather. If you’re looking for an elegant hedge or foundation plant that won’t lose its flowers even after late spring frosts, this is the perfect plant for you.
The Gardenia flowering shrub features a more upright growing habit that supports shiny, dark green leaves and fragrant white, 2 to 3-inch flower bulbs. This gardenia plant simply smells amazing while in bloom time during the summer months.
The Frost proof gardenia size can be maintained as small as 12-14 inches tall in a pot or container, but grows to about 3 feet tall outdoors. This slow-growing frost proof gardenia plant will eventually grow up to 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide at maturity after several years.
Fragrant white flower buds resist mid-spring frosts without damage and need regular weekly watering during the spring growing season for best results. The surrounding soil must retain moisture to provide these gardenia flowers with the green foliage undersides of this flowering shrub.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Frost Proof gardenia plant thrives best with more direct, full sun compared to other gardenia varieties but can grow in partial sun, or morning sun with afternoon shade if in extreme temperatures with cold snaps. Can also grow in partial shade if you live in a hot area like Florida.
Watering and Fertilizing
Your Frost Proof gardenia needs regular watering to keep the soil moist but never waterlogged, as it can lead to root rot. You may find you need to water often from spring to early summer and fall, depending on the heat and rainfall.
Your Frost Proof gardenia has a high iron deficiency and will need fertilizer to keep it healthy. Use an azalea fertilizer to fertilize your Cape Jasmine after the final frost and give another dose about six weeks later.
We recommend a fertilizer with a ratio of 2-1-1; if you notice the leaves turning yellow, your outdoor plants have an iron deficiency. You can then apply fertilizer again in the summer.
Soil
These plants take lots of energy to produce their white flowers and the more acidic soils the better. Gardenias prefer their soil pH to be between 5.5 and 6.5. You can do this by adding sulfur or other acidifying components to lower the pH. Home gardeners can find these at your local gardening center if you do not have access to it. This is the only special care this plant takes to grow gardenias in the correct growing conditions. Perform a soil test if you are unsure about the acidity.
Propagation
The easiest way to propagate the Cape Jasmine is through stem cuttings. The best time to do this is in early spring or take some during the pruning. The important thing is to allow your plant to accustom outdoors before winter.
- Take a cutting using sterilized shears about five inches long from a stem tip with green wood. Cut below a leaf node and remove the lower leaves leaving the top set.
- Prepare some pots with moist potting media.
- Make a hole in the center, dip the cut end into the rooting hormone, and place it in the hole.
- Backfill and place a plastic bag over the container to keep in indirect sunlight with temperatures around 75°F. Keep it moist until the roots develop in eight weeks.
When temperatures warm up and weather permits, you can transplant them to a spot in the garden. You can also plant seeds, but the process is long and can take up to two years before your Frost Proof Gardenia flowers.
The process collects the dried seed pods that follow the white flowers. Leave the pods to dry out for four weeks in direct sunlight. Next, prepare a mixture of peat moss and perlite and barely cover the seeds.
Keep the seeds moist and away from direct light until they sprout, which takes about six weeks; when the seedlings reach a few inches tall, transplant them to pots filled with a peat-based potting medium to continue growing.
Once the seedlings have three sets of true leaves, you can transplant them to the garden.
Pests and Diseases
Overall the Gardenia jasminoides Frostproof is durable to resist common pests, diseases, drought, mildew, heat, and deer. The most common problem is iron loss resulting in yellow leaves.
Another common diseases are leaf spot that happens from overwatering. Even improper watering can lead to bud drop. Still, your Gardenia jasminoides Frostproof can suffer from powdery mildew, sooty mold, and anthracnose.
The best is to ensure your plants get enough air circulation and water at the base of the plant. Wilted leaves are a sign of underwatering but can also mean it is overwatered and best to check the soil to water accordingly. So do not provide too much water.
Your plants are susceptible to mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and scale.
Maintenance
For the Frost Proof Gardenia, pruning is beneficial and done for shaping the shrub. For example, you can deadhead below a leaf node to encourage blooms. Also, prune your Cape Jasmine Frostproof after the blooming period before the fall to allow the plant to heal.
We recommend avoiding hard pruning as it can lead to stunted growth in the next growing season.
III. Gardenia Jasminoides Varieties
The Cape Jasmine Frostproof is not the only plant to grow in the garden, as there are other Gardenias.
- Aimee
The Aimee grows double bloom with intensely fragrant flowers. Out of all the Gardenias, this cultivar is huge with dark green leaves and is fast-growing. It also blooms large white double flowers. The evergreen shrub can reach up to 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide. You can even train it to grow into a tree.
- Fortuniana
Gardenia jasminoides Fortuniana @flickrGardenia jasminoides Fortuniana @flicker
The Gardenia jasminoides Fortuniana is a corsage Gardenia making some of the best free-blooming varieties. The evergreen shrub has medium-sized glossy green leaves with perfumed white flowers.
- Buttons
The dwarf variety grows up to 30 inches tall and yields two-inch flower buds. The white flowers have a gorgeous button center and are heat tolerant. The evergreen shrub grows well in a landscape to containers.
- Crown Jewel
The Cape Jasmine Crown Jewel is a woody evergreen shrub with compact mound growth. The shrub reaches three feet tall, and the flowers measure three inches in diameter. The plant is hardy in the hardiness zones as far north as Zone 6.
IV. Uses and Benefits
Gardenia jasminoides Frostproof is perfect as a specimen plant and useful as hedges or in containers. It is great cut flowers.
