Curious about gardenias

[Leafmite]

You might want to try one of the ones that can bloom at anytime during the year. They are not quite as demanding on temperature variations and lighting. That is why I picked the 'Fortuniana' (Gardenia jasminoides). It is outside for the summer but will be coming inside for the rest of the year. Mine bloomed early this summer and is now budding up again. I've been keeping it in full shade (though outside, so it is pretty bright).

[estación seca]

The temperatures you describe just aren't conducive for thriving gardenias. However, outdoors in the midwest during the summer is excellent weather for them. They love warmth and humidity. If your parents live someplace where it's warm, could you put it outside? Don't let it sunburn, and it will probably need watering at least daily.

In your original post you mentioned letting it go almost dry between waterings. I wouldn't do that. If gardenias dry out they usually die. They prefer staying constantly moist.

Gardenias are in the plant family Rubiaceae, which has a lot of white-flowered, exceptionally fragrant genera and species. One such is coffee, Coffea arabica. It looks so much like a Gardenia plant most people could not tell the difference. Coffee grows well in cooler temperatures. It makes a better house plant than Gardenia for people who don't have warm conditions. The flowers are smaller than most gardenias but smell great. Under the conditions you describe in your original post, coffee will be very happy and grow much faster than a Gardenia. It will also tolerate 70F days just fine.

I wouldn't buy a plant - they don't ship very well. Very fresh seed sprouts easily and grows rapidly with plenty of fertilizer. It is very easy to grow. The coffee species look and behave almost the same as house plants.

[DeaC]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

I've had a no-name hybrid for about 45 years now. yes the same plant. The buds appears all over it and then when it gets warmer/sunnier in the spring, they swell rapidly and open. I suspect that your little plant is just preparing to bloom.

I water mine when it is dry and feed it when I think about it. My biggest problem is mealiebugs which I treat with a systemic, Bonide, and an alcohol/soap spray.

45YEARS??????????????

[Tindomul]

Wow, this thread has me thinking about growing Gardenia and Coffee. I'm hopeless.

cbuchman,
45 years, wow. How big is this plant? I saw two this past weekend at the New York Botanical Gardens. The trunk must have been thicker than my fist and the plant was at least 7 feet tall, and 6 feed wide, grown as a spherical bush. I often see flowers on it, but never in profusion. Still, its intoxicating.

[Leafmite]

You can keep them both small (unlike a Theobroma cacao). Many use both in bonsai. Just plant them in a small pot and keep them watered. When they aren't putting out new buds, prune them to the size you want. I have both the coffee and gardenias now and they are both doing very well in the home under lights. The gardenias have been putting out a bloom now and then since I brought them inside but seem to be getting a bunch of new buds, now. I really like the 'Fortuniana' (Gardenia jasminoides) for that reason.

Is coffee really easier? I haven't gotten mine to bloom, yet. Still, it grows well so I cannot complain...too much.

[cbuchman]

I've seen the tree at the NYBG and I can assure you mine is MUCH smaller. It's under 5 feet and I prune it every year so it doesn't get wide, but I do allow some height. My biggest problem is mealies which are easily taken care of using my alcohol/409 orchid bug formula as well as a system.

[estación seca]

Gardenias are for hot temperatures and coffee is for cool temperatures. Most people will be able to grow only one of them well. Coffee is a cloud forest understory plant. Commercial coffee is usually grown under other trees unless the environs are cloudforestlike. Gardenias thrive in blazing Arizona sun, low humidity and 110+ F / 43+C heat if well watered and fertilized in acid soil.