Gardenia: Tropical? SubTropical Evergreen?...

[just.wing.it]

Is Gardenia a true tropical?
The information I've read on gardenia is not very informative...
I picked one up in late February this year. It was in the back corner of an old local garden center, looking really rough...it had several broken branches from other trees overhead, stuck in it, and several broken branches of it's own.
It had been out all winter, snow, ice, wind, all of it...
The leaves looked dull, and pale green.
It was bad...and cheap, so I grabbed it...
Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the mess it was originally....
But I brought it home and cut it back to stumps and sawed off 80% of the roots.
It sat for a while, and played possum....
Finally started growing strong...
I trimmed some of the strong growth back a few weeks ago. Seeing it bounce back well.
I'm wondering how I should over winter this gardenia...???
It seemingly can stay outside, as it did before I acquired it....
But I've read that it's a Tropical Tree...
Did I just get lucky?
Can they take a Maryland winter, every year?
Should I bring it inside like my Ficus and P. Afra?
Keep it in the garage with the deciduous trees?
Here's a picture...or two...
I know it's ugly, I haven't even thought about styling this tree yet.
Though I did think that the unglazed pot would contrast well with the glossy leaves.

 

[aml1014]

As far as I know they are hardy to zone 7 or 8. That's crazy that it lived threw the winter there, we had a bougie at my work that saw several days in the teens and bounced back like mad once moved to the heat.
I like it.
I would treat it as a subtropical, give it some cool weather in fall then move it to a cool well lit location that doesn't drop under 40°.

Aaron

 

[just.wing.it]

As far as I know they are hardy to zone 7 or 8. That's crazy that it lived threw the winter there, we had a bougie at my work that saw several days in the teens and bounced back like mad once moved to the heat.
I like it.
I would treat it as a subtropical, give it some cool weather in fall then move it to a cool well lit location that doesn't drop under 40°.

Aaron

Thanks for the reply!
Much appreciated.

 

[petegreg]

More subtropical than temperate and evergreen. You've got a nice plant to start a shohin. It doesn't like full sun, likes moist slightly acidic soils...you can find more here:
http://www.absolutebonsai.com/gardenia_bonsai

 

[just.wing.it]

More subtropical than temperate and evergreen. You've got a nice plant to start a shohin. It doesn't like full sun, likes post slightly acidic soils...you can find more here:
http://www.absolutebonsai.com/gardenia_bonsai

Thank you very much!

 

[just.wing.it]

More subtropical than temperate and evergreen. You've got a nice plant to start a shohin. It doesn't like full sun, likes moist slightly acidic soils...you can find more here:
http://www.absolutebonsai.com/gardenia_bonsai

In the nursery pot, it was buried above the split of the trunks....I thought it was gonna be a clump...

 

[petegreg]

Thank you very much!

You are welcome. Clump or single trunk, it's up to owner. You can keep clump style or reduce to single trunk. DT or HC?...That is a Q... One more link from my bookmarks:
http://www.chinesebonsaigarden.com/gardenia-bonsai-tree/

 

[just.wing.it]

You are welcome. Clump or single trunk, it's up to owner. You can keep clump style or reduce to single trunk. DT or HC?...That is a Q... One more link from my bookmarks:
http://www.chinesebonsaigarden.com/gardenia-bonsai-tree/

Well when I say clump, I mean it looked like multiple trunks from the soil line...
It has one single trunk though, which splits into "sub-trunks", like a large deciduous tree...
Gonna develop it off of that idea...

 

[petegreg]

Ah, reading back I understand. And this is not an ugly tree at all. Asks for broom or oak style, informal upright is never impossible.

 

[just.wing.it]

Ah, reading back I understand. And this is not an ugly tree at all. Asks for broom or oak style, informal upright is never impossible.

Yes that's what I mean... broomish.
It needs some thinning still, and shortening...imo.

 

[Carol 83]

Looks very nice. I've tried to keep gardenias a couple times, they were my moms favorite. But I've never had any luck with them. I'm surprised they made it through a MD winter OK. Interesting to know. Best of luck, can't wait to see it bloom.

 

[just.wing.it]

I think this one is a survivor...
Here is another pic of the tree, during repotting.
That lowest "sub-trunk" on the right is gonna be removed next....

 

[just.wing.it]

It did throw out one bloom this spring, and I see it appears to be getting ready to bloom some more this year...
The smell of the flower is very nice.

 

[Slow Learner]

The smell of the flower is very nice.

This is what they are known for.
A local landscape architect drew up a landscape plan that included a recent gardenia variety that was supposedly cold hardy to my area, warming influence from the upper, upper Chesapeake Bay. That was back around 2010. I could not afford his overall plan. I do not know if would have survived. Maybe you got one of those. He may have had one in his nursery. Did you buy it at Crows?

 

[just.wing.it]

This is what they are known for.
A local landscape architect drew up a landscape plan that included a recent gardenia variety that was supposedly cold hardy to my area, warming influence from the upper, upper Chesapeake Bay. That was back around 2010. I could not afford his overall plan. I do not know if would have survived. Maybe you got one of those. He may have had one in his nursery. Did you buy it at Crows?

Negative... it came from Grandfather's Garden Center, a small place in the Columbia area.

 

[just.wing.it]

Update pics.... doesn't look all that different, but it actually has put on some good growth.
I also removed the one subtrunk that I mentioned before.
Looking good, can't wait to reduce it again next season.
Oooooh, ooooh, I found the original pics of it, when I obtained it in late Feb, after it amazingly survived a MD winter.

 

[petegreg]

If I can add sth... It's one of the species that require watering with soft water. All the issues can be remedied by using some kanuma in substrate mix, like you'd do with azaleas. Then it can stand watering with tap water...

 

[just.wing.it]

If I can add sth... It's one of the species that require watering with soft water. All the issues can be remedied by using some kanuma in substrate mix, like you'd do with azaleas. Then it can stand watering with tap water...

Interesting.
I have heard that kinda thing before about azaleas. Though some pay it no attention. I think my tap water is relatively lime free.... at least it hasn't hurt my 2 azaleas or this gardenia yet....
Do you think that gardenia is more susceptible to hard water problems than azalea?

 

[petegreg]

Interesting.
I have heard that kinda thing before about azaleas. Though some pay it no attention. I think my tap water is relatively lime free.... at least it hasn't hurt my 2 azaleas or this gardenia yet....
Do you think that gardenia is more susceptible to hard water problems than azalea?

If it works good for you, you should be fine. From my limited experience I've found they are equal in needs somehow. And my tap water is medium hard, so that's the reason for heads up.

 

[just.wing.it]

If it works good for you, you should be fine. From my limited experience I've found they are equal in needs somehow. And my tap water is medium hard, so that's the reason for heads up.

Much appreciated!