Gardenia Jasminoides

Description:

The Cape Jasmine is an evergreen flowering shrub with dense branches and opposite leaves, that are oblong, leathery and dark green in appearance.

Other names:

Cape Jasmine, katjiepiering, Gardenia augusta

Other Names

Cape Jasmine, katjiepiering, Gardenia augusta

Plant Summary

Size:

60cm – 90cm

Flowers:

Spring – Summer

Growth Rate:

Medium

Origin:

Asia

Watering Needs

Light Preference

Frost Sensitivity

Light Preference

Maintenance

Gardenia Jasminoides

care guide

When to fertilise

Twice a year during the growing season (between November and February in the Southern Hemisphere)

Do not fertilise in autumn or winter.

How to Fertilise

Apply thick organic mulch around the root zone of the plant that will improve the soil quality and slowly feed the roots.

If your plant doesn’t produce any blooms, but has a thick lushy leaf growth, supplement the soil with a phosphorus water soluble fertiliser. (A fertiliser with a higher middle number).

A slow release fertiliser is also a good option for the busy gardener – scratch the grains of the fertiliser into the top 5 cm’s of the soil around the root zone of the plant and water in.

Deadheading Gardenia Jasminoides

Cut spent (faded) flowers just below the leaf node to encourage continued blooming.

Pruning

Prune your Cape Jasmine when it is dormant (after it has flowered / in the winter) to promote compact growth or branching.

Watch this video to learn how to prune your Cape Jasmine:

The Cape Jasmine can grow in clay, loam, and sandy soil with an acidic or neutral pH.

It is best grown in in moist, acidic, organically rich but well drained soils.

The Cape Jasmine will require an average amount of watering (once a week) with additional watering during dry and hot spells.

Be wary of overwatering as this may result in root rot.

Where to plant to encourage flowering

Select a spot in your garden that receives semi-shade or full morning sun. In very hot regions the Cape Jasmine will prefer some shade in the summer, particularly during the hottest part of the day. In cooler regions, they will flourish in full-sun spots.

Ensure that the selected spot is protected from strong winds and that the soil drains well. Prepare the planting hole well, ensuring that you’ve included ample compost and a dressing of bone meal.

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Gardenia Jasminoides

propagation

Propagate Gardenia Jasminoides from seed or stem cuttings.

Propagating by cuttings

Snip a 15-cm cutting from the stem tips of a healthy plant.
Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and dip the tip in a rooting hormone powder.
Place the dipped end into a container of dampened sterile seed starting mix that drains well.
Place the container in a warm spot (averaging 24ºC) with indirect sunlight and mist the cutting daily to ensure that the soil does not dry out.
The cuttings should take root in about 4 weeks. Test for root growth by (very) gently tugging on the cuttings to feel if there is some resistance.
Transplant the cuttings into individual 15-cm pots that contain professional potting mixture.