gardenia
Gardenia J.Ellis
A genus overview; characteristics vary between its species.
Gardenia extends far beyond the familiar cultivated gardenia. The genus includes shrubs and trees, some with short shoots that can become spine-like. Many have resinous buds or young shoot tips. Their flowers are often conspicuous and strongly fragrant, and some open at night, but these features occur across a varied group of species. Flora of China: Gardenia
Botanical name
Kew accepts Gardenia J.Ellis in Rubiaceae. Ellis in the database is the abbreviated author attribution for this same genus. Plants of the World Online: Gardenia
Recognizing the plant
Leaves usually stand in opposite pairs, occasionally in threes. Between their stalks, small appendages called stipules may form a short sheath or a cap that splits as the shoot develops. Flowers can be solitary or clustered near branch tips. White or pale yellow corollas form a tube opening into spreading lobes, with the stamens attached near the throat. The calyx often persists and enlarges around the developing fruit. Fruits may be fleshy or leathery, enclosing numerous flattened seeds within a firmer inner wall. Flora of China: GardeniaFlora of Pakistan: Gardenia
Native range
The genus is native across tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar and much of tropical Asia, continuing through northern Australia into the Pacific. Each species occupies a portion of that extensive collective range. Plants of the World Online: Gardenia
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.