Gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
Also called Cape jasmine
Houseplant · FloweringWants acid soil, soft water and steady warmth. Buds drop the moment any one of the three slips.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Very hard
- Water
- Every 4 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Feed
- Every 21 days
- Humidity
- Very high
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 1 m tall · 1 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- Southern China and Japan
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: mild vomiting or diarrhoea, and hives.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Buds yellow at the stalk and fall while still hard, days after the room's temperature or the watering rhythm swung.Bud drop · disorder
- The newest leaves go yellow between still-green veins while the older leaves stay dark — tap water, not feeding, is usually the cause.Lime-induced chlorosis · disorder