The Gardenia is a shrub 2-3 metres tall, bearing large white fragrant flowers throughout the year. The flower may be single or double, and has a rich 'tropical' scent. It soon turns black in the centre and the petals become yellow. Its dried corollas are used to flavour tea.
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| The everflowering Gardenia (CNB 2012) |
Common name: Chinese gardenia; Cape jasmine
Malay name: Bunga Cina
Scientific name: Gardenia jasminoides/G. augusta/G. florida
Family: Rubiaceae/Coffee family
Origin: China, Japan
I have the common garden form, the double variety, in my garden, grown on the ground. They may also be grown in containers. This plant likes full or partial sun and are easily propagated by cuttings. The plants I have now, have been grown from cuttings taken from plants I had grown in Pulau Pinang.
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| Gardenia grown in a container (CNB 2009) |
Other Gardenias are the Gardenia carinata or Kedah gardenia, and Gardenia tubifera or Trumpet gardenia which have yellow flowers and their origin is Malaysia and Indonesia. Another is the Gardenia sp. with white six-petalled flowers, possibly the original single-flowered form of Gardenia jasminoides.
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| The gardenia shrub growing in full sun (CNB 2012) |
With the daily rains, the neighbourhood cats have taken to pooping in the garden containers wherever there are soil spaces to do so. As recommended, I tried putting chili flakes/used tea leaves/orange rind in the containers, but to no avail. They still come. Maybe I should buy some tiger/lion poop pellets as also recommended, because the cats are supposed to be afraid of any other bigger cat in their area.
On a happier note, this morning as I was driving out to the city centre, I saw a huge crane flying circles up in the sky. I guess the birds escaping the northern hemisphere winter are now arriving on our shores. Welcome!
Ref: 1. Tropical horticulture & gardening/Ng 2. Plants and flowers of Malaysia/Polunin
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