Gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
Last reviewed: October 2026
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) is a perennial shrub. It blooms in May, June, and July.
Gardenia is toxic to dogs and cats.
Listed as toxic by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) (last reviewed 2026-08-15). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and your veterinarian's emergency line.
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants so you can choose a pet-safe native alternative for your yard.
Light
part sun
Water
high
Size
24"–72" H × 24"–60" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native alternatives to Gardenia
Gardenia is not native to the United States. These natives fill a similar role in a planting, matched on bloom season, bloom color and mature size.
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 460 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaPicture natives in your own yard
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A glossy evergreen shrub with intensely fragrant white flowers in late spring and summer. It demands acid soil, steady moisture, and warmth, and yellows quickly when any of those are off. Not a low maintenance shrub.
Growing Gardenia
Grow Gardenia in part sun and high water. Mature plants reach 24 to 72 inches tall and spread 24 to 60 inches wide. Expect high maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Gardenia takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: front yard, foundation bed, border.
Wildlife value
Grown as an ornamental. Non-native plants support far fewer local insects than a native of similar size, so treat this as garden interest rather than habitat.
Common questions
- How much sun does Gardenia need?
- Gardenia grows best in part sun conditions.
- When does Gardenia bloom?
- Gardenia blooms in May, June, and July.
- Is Gardenia toxic to dogs?
- Yes. Gardenia is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- Is Gardenia toxic to cats?
- Yes. Gardenia is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- Is Gardenia HOA-friendly?
- Gardenia takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants like Gardenia and shows pet-safe natives for your ecoregion instead.