The flowers have a characteristic sweetish green bright fragrance, slightly sour and resinous, which has been compared to that of tuberose. Sometimes a fruity nuance can be present in the aroma of flowering gardenia, reminiscent of the “apricot” aspect of osmanthus.
For optimal growth of gardenia, a little coniferous soil in an acidic substrate is needed. The illumination should be good, but without direct sunlight. High humidity is one of the main conditions for keeping gardenia.
Which pot to choose for gardenia? Gardenia can be transplanted into both ceramic and plastic pots, but plastic is still preferable - it can be placed in a basin when watering and left there for 15-20 minutes.
Since gardenia is a moisture-loving plant, it is necessary to water it regularly (abundantly during the summer period) and often spray it with soft settled water at room temperature. The soil in the flower pot should always be moderately moist, because waterlogging or drying it out can lead to leaf shedding.
Gardenia is a shrub. Like many shrubs, for her, in some cases, pruning can be useful, but not mandatory. Pruning allows you to form the desired shape, limit the size of the plant. The frequency of pruning is once every two years or less.
Feed gardenia in spring and summer should be once every two weeks. To do this, use water-soluble fertilizers for shrubs and flowers. They should have a minimum amount of nitrogen and chlorine, as well as no calcium. Also in the fertilizer should be potassium, phosphorus, magnesium.