Flower of May: Love for Gardenia is No Secret

We know that deep red roses are for True Love; bright yellow roses are for Friendship.  The symbolism of a flower is often a testament to its character, but not in the case of the elegant and stunning gardenia, which is the floral symbol for Secret Love.

This evergreen flowering shrub has just begun its fragrant show of blossoms this month in North Florida landscape designs.  That being said, gardenia is not salt tolerant so we would not advise you to incorporate it into beach landscaping.

Also sometimes growing in the fashion of a small tree or a hedge, gardenia have very shiny dark green leaves and its flowers are a pure white that eventually fade to yellow as they end their brilliance.  With its heavenly scent and a classic shape, gardenia are often used in weddings.

Botanists know that gardenia will continuously bloom for several months of late spring into mid summer.  Selective about its conditions and placement, gardenia does best with a professional landscaper's guidance in regards to installation and maintenance.

Gardenia is part of the coffee family of plant species, Rubiaceae, and the most common gardenia is Gardenia jasminoides, found growing wild in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar, and India. Gardenia is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and has been in cultivation in China for at least a thousand years.

You may hear gardenia sometimes called "cape jasmine" or "cape jessamine".  The flowers eventually become oval fruits, and these are still used in Chinese medicine.  Gardenia is also used to make yellow dye in Asia.  It is a flower with a rich history and a popularity all over the world, either as a landscape design element or as a houseplant.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚