Is Gardenia Seeded or Seedless?
- Common gardenias can have double- or single-form flowers.Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
G. augusta, common gardenia, can grow to a mature height of 6 to 8 feet tall, although there are hybrid cultivars that stay shorter. These gardenias produce white flowers from late spring to early summer. Their seeds are formed in small round fleshy fruit pods that slightly resemble rose hips. The orange or red pod can be anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long and contains numerous seeds. - G. thunbergia, commonly referred to as white gardenia, can grow to between 6 and 15 feet tall but stays smaller when grown in containers. This type of gardenia produces white flowers in the winter. Its seed pods are hard and woody. They are dark green with tiny rough tan dots, eventually maturing to tan. These seed pods can be up to 3 or 4 inches long. One pod can hold as many as 600 gardenia seeds. Gardenia hybrid cultivars are often grafted onto G. thunbergia rootstock.
- Gardenias are generally propagated with cuttings or air-layering. These techniques are generally more reliable than starting them from seed. It can take up to three months for gardenia seeds to germinate, and they do not do so reliably. If they do germinate and result in seedlings, it will be two to three years before the resulting plant blooms.
- Seeds from both species should be soaked in water for 24 hours before planting. The soak water should be hot to the touch when the seeds are first placed into it, then allowed to cool to room temperature. Immediately after soaking, plant the seeds in either flats or small containers with drain holes in the bottom. Use a potting mix that is either 1/2 peat moss and 1/2 perlite or 1/2 peat moss and 1/2 course, washed horticultural sand. Moisten the planting mix and sow the seeds 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. Place the flat or containers into a clear plastic bag and seal the end with a rubber band or twist tie. Make sure the seeds do not dry out. Keep them in a warm bright location that stays between 70 and 75 degrees F. Do not place them in direct sunlight. When the seedlings emerge, remove the containers from the bag and place them in bright, indirect sunlight. Wait until the seedlings have two true leaves to pot them up in their permanent container.
