[oron peri]

First flower of Gardenia thunbergia opend today,

It is a fantastic small tree [large shrub] from S. Africa and Mozambique that doesnt need acid soil like other Gardenia.
Mine is 15 years old [3m high]and grows in a medium size pot, the large flowers, 7-9cm in diameter are highly scented.  It blooms for few weeks.
With me it is decidiuos but recovers in early spring.

[Alisdair]

It does look a fine plant. Presumably coming from the east coast it needs summer watering - how much?
And when you say medium size pot, what sort of size??

[oron peri]

Alisdair
The pot is 65cm X 45cm wide,
it does need to be watered regularly, but i supose if it is planted in the ground, once a week/10 days would be sufficient.

[Umbrian]

Beautiful flower Oron and I suppose, being that size, the perfume is well distributed in the surrounding air?

[Alevin]

I find that the perfume is somewhat elusive - it comes out when you do not expect it, at a distance. However as a small tree for the watered areas of the garden  it is very interesting, I think it could become a favourite. Strikes easily from cuttings: an over-enthusiastic gardener planted a little forest here, a few years ago, as all the cuttings he had made had set roots and developed into nice plants!. 

[Charithea]

Oron what a lovely flower.  We have two gardenias grafted on wild stock, so the nursery man told me when I bought them, and we had an abundance of flowers. Beautiful perfume, and we are still having the occasional bloom. It is in semi shade and I water it with cold tea, dirty washing up water etc. I would be happy to have a cutting from your gardenia to complement my Clerodendrum chinense which were given to me by Mike Hardman.  Thank you Again Mike. Regards Charithea.

[oron peri]

Thanks Charithea,

I see you are gardening in Cyprus, try with Yiannos Orphanos, he might grow it, if not you can contact me.

Down here we graft Gardenia jasminoides and G. jasminoides 'Radicans' on G. thunbergia, this way they are much easier to grow.

[Charithea]

Hi Oron, thank you for replying so promptly. By the way I am John J's wife.  John normally puts up pictures and asks and answers questions.  I only contribute if I need specific information. Yiannos O  is my Cypriot  knight in shining armour when it comes to plants.  He is accustomed to being asked by me for 'old plants' that my mother's generation grew in Cyprus.  Clerodendrum chinense was one of them.  They seem to have disappeared from Cypriot gardens the last 25 years when by chance Mike Hardman mentioned them on the forum. I requested a cutting and he supplied me with three.  They are all flourishing and in fact I showed them off to Yiannos a few weeks ago. I know Yiannos does not have any Gardenia thunburgia as we were at his nursery 3 weeks ago. however, I shall ring him tomorrow and see if he can do his magic again.

[Trevor Australis]

  This is a wonderful plant for Med gardens. There are many very old shrubs of it in the older suburbs of Adelaide and in nearby early-settled towns and farms. These well-established plants are entirely self-sufficient and drought hardy here, and the soils on the Adelaide Plains are generally alkaline. Plants here are semi-deciduous. The perfume seems evanescent to me; when I look for it it isn't there, and when I'm not seeking it it is unexpectedly noticeable. It also sets fruit - a hard grey pear-like object.

[Joanna Savage]

This gardenia sounds wonderful. I don't think anyone has yet reported on the min. winter temp which it will survive. Could it take a few days of snow? Any suggestions welcome.

[Patrick in La Marsa, Tunisia]

I live in La Marsa, Tunisia and am only about a kilometer from the beach. I would like to grow the Gardenias that DO take an acid soil but have never seen one in landscaping here. Do you think I could get one to grow? When I lived in the USA I had a bush in an old wash tub and every winter brought it into a dark, unheated garage. I pulled it out the next spring and it sprouted again and had flowers so I know they are a hardy plant.

[Charithea]

Hello Oron, my Gardenia thumbergia has finally flowered this morning. Three lovely blooms. I took your advice and contacted Yiannos. He  tracked down two for me 2 years ago and it took until now to flower. The flowers are 7 cms across and they smell beautifully. Sorry no photo. John tried but couldn't quite get them in focus. As soon as some more present themselves he will try again.

[Luna Azul]

That looks splendid.  Love the twisted form of the flower.  I have just joined the forum and wanted to contribute.  I am in the UK but I am interested in Mediterranean gardening.  I have planed a Gardenia that is supposed to be hardy.  It is still small but has come through the winter.