Founding florist
Tulipanna
Bondi NSW · est. 1992
A Bondi Road florist since 1992, with seasonal bouquets, arrangements, roses and potted orchids, and a weekly note on what's at market.
Seasonal cut flowerGardenia jasminoides
Gardenia: when it's in season in Australia
Gardenia is in season in Australia from November to February.Being confirmed
- Right now
- Out of season in September
- Season
- November to February
- Vase life
- 3 to 5 days
Season by state
Gardenias flower from late spring into early autumn in Australia, most heavily over summer, so November to February is the time to find them. Their creamy white flowers have one of the strongest scents of any garden flower, but they bruise if you so much as touch the petals and last only a few days once cut. That fragility is why they turn up more as buttonholes, corsages and single floating blooms than in mixed bouquets. They are grown locally and do not travel well enough to import.
Where to buy gardenia
Usually sold as single blooms or small bunches of short stems, mostly for buttonholes and corsages. Being confirmed
How to choose good gardenia
Gardenias are rarely sold as cut stems, so buy a plant or cut your own. In the garden, cut early in the morning and choose flowers just opening, with ivory petals and no cream edges. Take a short stem with a couple of leaves and hold it only by the stem. From a nursery, buy in spring when plants are budding up. Pick one with glossy, deep green leaves, no yellowing between the veins and plenty of fat buds. Check under the leaves for sooty mould or scale. 'Florida' and 'Magnifica' suit hedges and cutting, while 'Radicans' is a low groundcover with smaller flowers.
Grown here or imported?
Gardenia is not native to Australia, but it's grown here commercially.
Where it's grown
Gardenia comes from southern China and nearby parts of east Asia, so it likes warm, humid summers and acid soil. In Australia it grows best along the east coast from Sydney to Brisbane and further north, and in warm, protected spots in Melbourne and Adelaide. It wants a pH of about 5 to 6.5, steady moisture, and morning sun with afternoon shade. Alkaline soil shows up as yellow leaves with green veins. Most plants are raised from cuttings in wholesale nurseries. Being confirmed Florists get their small supply of blooms from local growers and gardens over summer, as the flowers are too fragile to travel far.
Stems at Australian markets are mostly grown here, so when it is out of season it is hard to find. Being confirmed
Colours, varieties and care
Colours
- white
- cream
Varieties to ask for
- Florida
- Magnifica
- Radicans
- Aimee Yoshiba
Vase life
3 to 5 days Being confirmed
Making it last
- Choose buds just unfurling with a firm centre and no browning
- Never touch the petals, as they bruise and brown
- Float single blooms in a shallow bowl or keep short stems in fresh water
- Mist gently and keep somewhere cool and humid
- Keep away from fruit, as gardenias are very sensitive to ethylene
Using it at home
Use gardenias one or two at a time. A single bloom floating in a small glass bowl will scent a room, and a short stem in a bud vase shows off the glossy leaves. Over summer they share a shallow bowl well with frangipani, or sit beside a hydrangea head or garden roses. In late spring a gardenia next to peonies makes a heavily scented pairing. The flowers open pure white and turn cream, then pale yellow, over two or three days, which is normal ageing rather than bruising. They do not dry well.
Meaning
Traditionally a symbol of secret love and purity.
Where to see it growing
Sydney Flower Market
Flemington
Best: all yearBeing confirmed
Melbourne Market flower market (National Flower Centre)
Epping
Best: all yearBeing confirmed
Questions people ask
When are gardenias in season in Australia?
Gardenias flower from late spring to early autumn, most heavily over summer. November to February is the best time to find them, with some varieties giving a second flush in autumn.
Why do gardenia petals go brown?
Gardenia petals bruise at the slightest touch, and the bruise turns brown. Handle them by the stem or base only, keep them cool and away from fruit bowls.
How long do cut gardenias last?
Only three to five days. Floating single blooms in a shallow bowl of water and misting them gently is the best way to enjoy the scent for as long as possible.
Is gardenia poisonous to dogs and cats?
Mildly. The ASPCA lists gardenia as toxic to dogs and cats. Eating the leaves or flowers can cause mild vomiting, diarrhoea or hives. It is rarely serious, but keep plants and fallen flowers away from pets that chew, and call your vet if symptoms appear.
Why are the buds falling off my gardenia?
Bud drop is usually a sign of stress. Common causes are dry soil or dry air, too little light and very hot weather, with days over about 30°C often to blame. Keep the soil evenly moist under mulch, water deeply in heatwaves, and avoid moving a budding pot to a new spot.
