Celestial Star Gardenia
Gardenia augusta ‘Celestial Star’ PPAF
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-11 Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub
Height at Maturity: 3-4′
Width at Maturity: 3-4′
Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for solid hedge; 6 feet or more apart for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright
Flower Color: White
Flower Size: 2-3″
Flowering Period: Heavy bloom in Spring & Fall
Flower Type: Double
Fragrant Flowers: Yes – extremely fragrant!
Foliage Color: Dark Green
Fragrant Foliage: No
Berries: No
Berry Color: NA
Sun Needs: Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade or Filtered Sun, All Day Filtered Sun
Water Needs: Average, Lower when established
Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist
Soil pH: 4.5 – 6.0 (Acid)
Maintenance / Care: Low
Attracts: Visual Attention
Resistances: Deer, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect
Description
A charming improvement on a southern favorite, ‘Celestial Star’ is a cold hardy prolific bloomer flowering heavy in spring and heavy again in fall! The striking double white flowers are remarkably fragrant filling the garden with the classic heavenly Gardenia scent. At 4 feet tall and wide it’s a good fit for smaller garden spaces. Make sure to plant it near patios, decks, porches and other outdoor living spaces to enjoy the pleasing aroma. Very deep green foliage is the perfect background for the flowers on compact plants that are sure to please.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, the Celestial Star Gardenia is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings, or as a hedge in partially shaded landscape borders and home foundation plantings. Because they like a break from the mid afternoon sun and cold northwesterly winds, gardenias are best situated on the east side of the home or other structures. Needless to say gardenias are a fine addition to fragrance gardens. Plant them near patios, decks and other outdoor living spaces where the fragrance and flowers can be enjoyed from close up.
Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for solid hedge; 6 feet or more apart for space between plants
Growing Preferences
Gardenia are exceptionally easy to grow in moist but well-drained soils of average fertility and part sun, preferably morning sun with some shade or filtered sun in the mid afternoon hours. The east side of homes or other structures is best as plants will get afternoon shade during summer and shelter for northwest winds during winter. As with so many other ornamental plants, constantly soggy or wet soils can cause root rot or other plant diseases.
Soil pH is important!
To flower their best and maintain deep green foliage color, all Gardenia require an acid to moderately acid soil ranging from 4.5 to 6.0 on the pH scale. If your soil is alkaline foliage will turn pale-green to yellow and flowering will be diminished.
Soil pH is a measurement of the alkalinity or acidity of soil and is measured on a scale of 1-14, with 7 as the neutral mark. Any measurement below 7 indicates acid soil conditions, and anything above 7 indicates alkaline. If you’re unsure about the pH of your soil and whether or not it’s suitable for growing Gardenia it’s a good idea to test the soil pH in the planting area.
You can quickly test soil pH with an inexpensive soil pH tester probe. To raise the pH (make more alkaline) you can add pelletized limestone to the soil. To lower the pH (make more acid) you can apply Soil Sulfur, Aluminum Sulfate, or Chelated Iron. Adding organic compost to the soil or using compost as mulch can also help to increase acidity and maintain acid soil conditions.
Learn More: What is Soil pH & How To Test & Adjust It
Helpful Articles
Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Gardenia plants…
How To Plant & Care For Gardenias
Plant Long & Prosper!
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Plant is already blooming, sweet fragrance and blooms are as shown in photo. (Only smaller on my small plant. It’s in a big pot now so should grow beautifully.) Great addition to my gardenia collection. As always, am very pleased with purchase, packaging & delivery.—————————————————————-Thanks for the awesome review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG



















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