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Gardenia is a genus and common name of a popular garden and house plant.
Gardenia plants are prized for the strong sweet scent of their flowers, which resemble white roses. They bloom from about mid-spring through mid-summer. The plant's leaves are dark green and glossy with a leathery texture. The shrub may attain heights of about 6 feet, although many varieties are shorter.
Gardenias have a reputation for being difficult to grow. Because they originated in warm humid areas of Southern China and Japan, they demand high humidity to thrive. They flourish in acidic soils with good drainage. Potting soils developed especially for gardenias are available.
In Japan and China, Gardenia jasminoides is called Kuchinashi (梔子); the bloom is used as a yellow dye, which is used for food and clothes.
