Cape Gardenia, Cape jasmine
Gardenia jasminoides

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 1-2 m high. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are opposite. They are simple and oval. They are thick and glossy. They are 10 cm long by 5-7 cm wide. The flowers are single and in the axils of leaves. They are 7-8 cm across. They have many petals. These are white. The flowers have a sweet smell. The fruit is oval and fleshy. There are many seeds inside. The fruit are like berries and 1-2 cm long by 10-15 mm wide. They are orange when ripe.

There are about 200 Gardenia species.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. It needs an acid soil with pH 5.0-6.0. It needs a temperature above 10°C. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Europe, Haiti, Hawaii, Fiji, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Laos, Marianas, Marquesas, Mexico, North America, Northeastern India, Myanmar, Pacific, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Slovenia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Tuvalu, USA, Vietnam Virgin Islands, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are used for food colouring. The fruit are eaten raw or pickled. The oil is used to flavour or scent tea. The fruit yield a yellow colouring used as a substitute for saffron. The petals of the flowers are fried with powdered rice and eaten. The flowers have been used for scenting tea.

Edible parts

Flowers - flavouring, fruit - colouring

How it is grown

It is usually grown from cuttings. They are dipped in rooting hormone. It can be grown from seed sown at a temperature of 19-24°C.

Its other names

Local names

Gandharaj, Jempiring cina, Kaca piring cina, Navadna gardenija, Phut-sawn, Togor, Phut son, Zizawa

Synonyms

Gardenia florida Linn. [Illegitimate]; Gardenia radicans Thunb.; Gardenia augusta Merrill [Illegitimate]; Gardenia intermedia; Warneria augusta L. [Invalid]; and several others