Does anyone know of a gardenia that can bloom in zone 6? Even though Dg shows me living in zone 7, there is a thin line coming down the Appalachians that is colder than the rest of the area and best described as zone 6.
gardenias
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/151232/ - Chuck Hayes is supposedly hardy in your area - I'd plant it with well protected...
Frostproof http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/138981/
Shooting Star http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/126036/ I've had this one for a few years now...well mulched in south facing yard
Gardenia jasminoides 'Kleim's Hardy' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/79807/ Seems to be varying opinions on this ones hardiness, though.
can you give it a micro-climate? i just put in a 'crown jewel' against a south wall. i'm in 6b.
Dabney - I'll tell you better when I see how the Shooting Star (who I've had for 3 years - but this late winter weather did a number on her leaves) and Kleim's Hardy (not looking so good) did for me. The Gardenia we thought was a 'Mystery' gardenia (not hardy to zone 7), as with Kleims died back to the ground. I'm going to see if either will come back from roots. All of these are planted in a south-south east facing yard in front of a brick front - so yes, I have my own micro-climate going on there. You might have more luck with a Chuck Hayes (as Becky mentioned) or the Frostproof in your zone. I believe I have notes with vendors names for both that was very reasonable as long as you don't mind a smaller plant - READ 4" pot size probably.
I viewed all of them at the seller's sites and I think Chuck Hayes is the one for me. Will keep you all posted.
Bought my Frostproof from this gentleman - healthy plant - very fair prices, fyi: http://www.gawalternursery.com/hardy_exotics_list.htm
Ooooo just looked up that Crown Jewel (hadn't heard of it before now) - a hardy gardenia with at least double petals????? Be still my heart:
"Gardenia x'Crown Jewel' PPAF
Zone: 7 -10 2'H x 4'S Sun / Semi-Shade
Fragrant, double white flowers; May - June then sparsely thru fall.
Hmmm I believe I now NEED that one....oh Beckkkkyyyyyy!!!???!!!
Oh my gawd - woman, you are incorrigible! Ok, where do we get one? 'Cause if you get one I havta get one as well!
ok, i'm a bit slow getting here tonight....i can call the nursery where i bought mine, BIG healthy plant in a gallon, must have had 30 buds on it..to see where it came from but i think from somewhere in Lousianna...
it would be worth the drive, girls..
Yes if you would peek for me, I'd appreciate it.
but it would be hard for one from that far south to survive winters in Virginia.
I'm going back to bed; hope I get real sleep for awhile.I have a busy day tomorrow.
well, they are shipping them up to here, which is a bit colder than you...(iwent to school in Brevard and lived in Asheville for a number of years) but who knows! hope you had a good sleep!
Wow, Dabney. Did you go to Brevard College? It's a 4-year school now. My spousal unit is from Transylvania County but we met in Wilmington. After marrying, it was clear (well, 2 years later) that he would never get over missing the mountains so we moved here in 1972.
I sometimes miss the ocean, but this is a great place to live.
yep!, although just one semester's worth, then i went to Cullowhee. boy do i miss NC...the mountains AND the ocean! do you jaunt down to Charleston much? THAT'S where i'd Really like to live....we would go down there in summer while at Cullowhee and walk around the old town at night, inhaling the jasmine and gardenia from the courtyard gardens... is a memory that still burns to this day! That made a big impact on me and discerning throughout my life where 'pleasure' for me comes from. Fragrant plants!
I mostly travel to Wrigihtsville Beach, near Wilmington. My mother's family lived there and some of my Dad's and we went there every summer for the whole break when i was a kid. One aunt & uncle owned a huge beach pavilion called the Lumina, circa 1900. Huge barn of a place with restaurant, game area and bathhoues on the first floor. The second was a ballroom with a wonderful (acoustically) bandshell and the 3rd floor were vast bathrooms. We ran wild there, never wearing shoes, swimming 2 or 3 times a day. We moved there, from Atlanta, a little inland during my senior year in high school. I used to go down to the beach and help my aunt open the place. She cooked our breakfast on the grill and we sat at tables overlooking the ocean. A great gal who tolerated kids of all ages.
OMG....I'm sitting here just imagining what you're describing...takes my breath away
Woodspirit, I just caught up with your post about Wrightsville Beach. I lived there one winter with my Marine Corp husband. On the island in a house that in the 1950's rented for $300 a month in the winter and $300 a week in the summer. We moved into Wilmington in the Winter because we had to share the house with another couple in order to afford it in the Winter. We, the women, were living on $50. a month as our money for groceries, etc. Marine Corp did not pay well then.
The hurricane Hazel took many of those houses away years later. Do you remember the Azalea festival they used to have in Wilmington in early Spring? It was beautiful.
I might add, I got pregnant on that island........watch out ladies, it is a wonderful place to live and love. I was a mere 24 years old at that time. Hmmmmm Memories are such fun.
I can only imagine what it is like now. JB
I got so carried away thinking about Wrightsville Beach I forgot the real reason I came to this forum.
My daughter just came home from the Acme with a giagantic Gardenia Tree for me.
It would hardly fit into her car and it had buds all over it and is about 5 ft. tall. Wouldn't you know, it has no ID on it. I know there are several kinds of Gardenia Trees but I will now never know what this one is. I do love it. It was my Mother's Day plant. My kids spoil me
I was doing some research and I was surprised to see that Gardenia Trees do not like full sunlight. I thought that was odd because most gardenias I have love sunshine. I must look it up on DGs list and see what that says. Any info you all may have on these trees, I would appreciate it. JB
It depends on where you live--in areas that have higher humidity they can handle more sun than they can in dry climates. And I suspect places with cooler summers can get away with more sun too. Your summers are probably cooler than many places where gardenias are grown, and you've got humidity so I wouldn't be surprised that they could take quite a bit of sun in your area. What I would worry about with yours is the winters--there are some cultivars that will be OK in 6b but some will not.
ecrane3, thank you so much. The tropicals go in the GH when it gets cold. I just put them on the deck for the summer. And, I can enjoy them more that way without sitting in the GH. LOL
JB - a lot of the stores are carrying those...not sure if they're a Mystery or Aimee....gotta wait till/if she blooms for me. True to form...she immediately started dying IN my house...now that I've put her out she's getting green leaves on her...ugh
I seldom get to the stores and I do not buy my plants there so I have never seen these. I have tried to look them up but no one seems to have much on the Gardenia Tree. Do yo have a link on them, Chantell? thanks. JB
JB - I'm sorry I don't. I've tried to peek at mine to see if it's grafted - I would think that's what they're doing but I've not seen a mark on the trunk to indicate it was...hmmm. If I find a link, though, I'll post here. I would suspect that they're just common gardenias grafted though.
Thanks Chantell, I will continue my search. JB