Crescent Moon Dwarf Gardenia – 1 Gallon Pot

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Flowering Period:  Mid- to Late-Spring, Early Summer

Flower Type:  Double

Fragrant Flowers:  Yes – extremely fragrant!

Foliage Color:  Dark Green with White streaks

Fragrant Foliage:  No

Berries:  No

Berry Color:  NA

Attracts:  Visual Attention

Resistances:  Deer, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect

Gardenia are exceptionally easy to grow in moist but well-drained soils of average fertility and part sun, preferably morning sun with some shade or filtered sun in the mid afternoon hours. The east side of homes or other structures is best as plants will get afternoon shade during summer and shelter for northwest winds during winter. As with so many other ornamental plants, constantly soggy or wet soils can cause root rot or other plant diseases. USDA Zones: 8a-11 Find Your Zone

To flower their best and maintain deep green foliage color, all Gardenia require an acid to moderately acid soil ranging from 4.5 to 6.0 on the pH scale. If your soil is alkaline foliage will turn pale-green to yellow and flowering will be diminished.

Soil pH is a measurement of the alkalinity or acidity of soil and is measured on a scale of 1-14, with 7 as the neutral mark. Any measurement below 7 indicates acid soil conditions, and anything above 7 indicates alkaline. If you’re unsure about the pH of your soil and whether or not it’s suitable for growing Gardenia it’s a good idea to test the soil pH in the planting area. You can quickly test soil pH with an inexpensive soil pH tester probe. To raise the pH (make more alkaline) you can add pelletized limestone to the soil. To lower the pH (make more acid) you can apply Soil Sulfur, Aluminum Sulfate, or Chelated Iron. Adding organic compost to the soil or using compost as mulch can also help to increase acidity and maintain acid soil conditions.

Learn More:  What is Soil pH & How To Test & Adjust It