Hardy Gardenia is Almost Dead
Forum Archives
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Mar-21-2005 at 3:55pm
Has anyone had luck growing Klem's hardy gardenia? I need some help. I planted my second one last June but I could not keep it moist enough so it dropped most of its leaves so I repotted it back in a container. It got new leaves and looked happy. I planted it in the yard this fall in full sun in good soil. It was doing fine till about 6 weeks ago when it got down to the twenties at night, the coldest 18º, and sunny during the day, for about 6 days. Now almost all the leaves are dead except about 10 small, sickly green ones with little turgo pressure. The bark is still pale green when scraped. It didn't dry out. I woundn't pull it out till it's totally dead, but I would like to see one grow! Do you think it is only hardy to 20º?
Fern
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Mar-21-2005 at 7:56pm
This is the info I found. I am wondering if the top is going to die back but you will get new growth from the lower stem? I would put it in a protected area for now, make sure you keep it as moist as it needs to be but get a fertilizer for tender plants.
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/GAKHP.html
~BakingBarb
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Mar-21-2005 at 9:43pm
Thanks for the link for the info on the gardenia. I hope its hardy to 0º because otherwise its a lost cause, we often get down to 15º most winters. I hope I get new growth. I will give it a light fertilizing.
Fern
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Mar-25-2005 at 7:39pm
Does this mean no one has sucessfully grown one in the Northwest? I heard a rumor that a good gardener in Lynnwood grew one in full sun. If this one dies I'm giving up on gardenias.
Fern
AmyPNW
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Mar-26-2005 at 12:29pm
I have three Klem's Hardy that I have had outside for the last 5 years or so. Two are looking great, the other may not be sited as well. They are planted along my front walkway, growing and blooming every year, even through some serious cold last year. They maintained their leaves through some deep freezes but they were mulched with a little snow at the time. I don't consider them finicky at all.
I also have a fortunei that I bought at Cistus Design. It looked pretty good until last year when it froze to the ground, but it is growing back from the bottom. It has a wonderful double blossom with permeating fragrance.
I killed a Chuck Hayes gardenia but it never really took off for me. I planted it in an area with full force east wind a couple of winters ago when we had some heavy freezes. It wasn't looking good when I planted it and I should have babied it a little more.
All three of these gardenias are supposed to be hardy in the PNW.
Amy
Carolyn
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Mar-27-2005 at 9:37am
Maybe Wanda can respond with her success with the hardy gardenia I gave her last year (was it? Or did I just yank and toss it?).
Anyway, I had poor luck with mine also. It had a bloom in its second year and then the next year hardly any leaves and definitely no blooms. I love the smell of gardenias. It was because of Amy's success that I thought I would try one.
Carolyn
Wanda
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Mar-27-2005 at 10:40am
Yep, I killed it. I think this was the third hardy gardenia that I've had die. But my yard is hostile and I don't baby them as much as I should. Sorry, Carolyn!
-Wanda
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Mar-29-2005 at 10:04am
So maybe I can recommend it as a challenging plant to get established, likes sun and a place with even moisture but not overly wet. I know plants are more cold hardy when established and it was new, I think I should have mulched it more too. I will let you know if it recovers.
Fern
Carolyn
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Mar-29-2005 at 6:49pm
Wanda, better your killing it than me! I just couldn't bear to toss it and better it go to someone who just might have a greener thumb than I.
Carolyn
Wanda
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Mar-30-2005 at 11:32am
Are you kidding!! I'd be happy if my thumb was 1/10th as green as yours, Carolyn! I just have lots of space and not a lot of money to spend on plants and I happily take anything you guys are throwing out! If nothing else I end up with a pot full of good soil! But mostly I have memories attached to the plant of getting it from a certain person - I love that. And Fern, don't give up on Gardenias yet - the smell is worth the effort, don't you think?
-Wanda
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Mar-30-2005 at 5:22pm
I do love the fragrance of gardenias. I think the only one better than it is Daphne odora, and that plant is big and healthy. I am a sucker for fragance, that is also why I also grow roses, ugly plants that they are with the rose slugs and blackspots, but all is forgiven when they bloom. I'm not giving up yet on the gardenia. The few leaves it has left are looking healthier.
Fern
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton