In climates where temperatures don’t drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, gardenias can be grown outdoors. Everywhere else, they are overwintered indoors and brought outside for the summer. Although gardenias are tropical plants, they don’t tolerate too much direct sun and do best in dappled sunlight to partial shade. There are more than 200 gardenia varieties, ranging in size from dwarf and groundcover cultivars to shrubs reaching eight feet in height and spread. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers can be either single or double and range from two to four inches in diameter. Some bloom only once a year, others bloom repeatedly. All gardenia varieties have fragrant flowers. The hardiness of the cultivars also varies, but even the hardiest gardenia varieties cannot be grown outdoors year-round below zone 6. Here are 13 of the most popular gardenia varieties:
USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11Height: 5 to 8 feet height, 3 to 6 feet widthBloom Time: Late spring through early summer
USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11Height: 4 to 6 feet height, 3 to 4 feet widthBloom Time: Mid-spring through fall
USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11Height: 24 to 30 inches height, 24 to 30 inches widthBloom Time: Late spring to early summer
USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 11Height: 2 to 3 feet height, 3 to 5 feet widthBloom Time: Spring through fall
USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11Height: 6 to 8 feet height, 6 to 8 feet widthBloom Time: Mid-spring through mid-summer
USDA Growing Zone: 7 to 11Height: 5 feet height, 4 feet widthBloom Time: Summer
USDA Growing Zone: 7 to 11Height: 2 to 3 feet height, 2 to 3 feet widthBloom Time: Late spring to summer
USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 11Height: 4 to 8 feet height, 3 to 6 feet widthBloom Time: Late spring to early summer
USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11Height: 5 feet tall, 3 feet widthBloom Time: Late spring through early summer
USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11Height: 6 to 12 inches height, 24 to 36 inches spreadBloom Time: Late spring to early summer
USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11Height: 4 feet height, 3 feet widthBloom Time: Spring through summer
USDA Growing Zone: 10 to 11Height: 4 to 6 feet height, 4 to 6 feet widthBloom Time: Spring through fall
Also, you might notice that some of the varieties have a (registered) trademark sign or “PP” and a number after their name; this indicates that the patent for the variety is pending.
