Kleims Hardy Gardenia

Is anyone else growing this? I put one in last year and it's just looking... rough. I have it on the east side of the house where it gets sun 'til 1pm or so. It looked okay last year but didn't have much bloom. It seemed to come through winter fine, just a couple of dead branch tips, but the leaves looked rough and yellowed. They haven't improved this spring and it hasn't put on any new growth. It has a few flower buds-- not many but some.

I don't know what to do with it. Move it to more shade? Wait and see if it improves? Does anyone else have experience growing this shrub?

I have had three 'Kleim's Hardy' gardenias for four years; they need sun practically all day long--don't move it to more shade. They are heavy feeders, needing a light application of HollyTone in April, May, June and July. After you move them to a sunnier location, wait a year to see if the leaves are still yellow, they could need some iron.

Didn't thrive last year - Bluestone sent out a replacement - I've been loading it up with fish emulsion when watering. Bless it's heart -already had 5 blooms...going IN the ground next weekend.

I bought one last year, and it did great and looked beautiful. I decided it was too new to overwinter outside, so I brought it inside for extra TLC. As my Mom always said, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I didn't bother to water it (sigh) and it died. Now I've ordered a new one!

hi, we have Gardenia jasminoiodes “Chuck Hayes” (which is also a hardy gardenia but has double blooms) and I planted two of them last year; one on the South side and one on the West side. I just had to dig up the one on our West side as it was dying and looking "rough" also. It is so bad, it may not make a transplant though, but I'm going to try it. The one on our South side is much happier, although it did get a few yellow leaves. I didn't realize they are heavy feeders, I'll try giving it more TLC.

Kubileya, I would try moving yours to a southern exposure with more sun if you can :)

a bloom from last year

I should also mention that I did realize you said yours was on the East side, but I'm thinking either the East or the West side get sun exposure is less than a Southern exposure would give :)

Yes Wind that would be another the cold hardy ones. I have the Kleims, Chuck Hayes and Shooting Star. When my leaves get yellow, I follow shoe's advice...and water with fish emulsion or MG....seems to make them happy again.

Thanks, guys.

I didn't realize this gardenia could take full sun-- silly me! Luckily I have plenty of room on the south side of the house. Unfortunately the soil there is awful, all fill dirt and construction sand from where they built up the back side of the little hill our house sits on. I'll definitely need to amend it.

'Chuck Hayes' is so pretty! I haven't seen one around here yet. Lowe's has been carrying 'August Beauty,' but everything I've seen rates that for zone 8. They may have a bunch of unhappy customers come next spring.

I've never found the cold hardy ones at the big box stores - mine have come from nurseries and mail order nurseries - Bluestone carries the Kleims - might still have their 1/2 price sale going on.

I have it - but mine is always covered in aphids - it survives but is not pretty. Any tips?

Chantell, they have the supposedly cold hardy ones at the Lowes here. Don't know why they're selling plants hardy to zone 7 in zone 6. They would be a lot larger than the ones from Bluestone.

Amy, spray yours down with horticultural soap or just soapy water. That will get rid of the aphids.

Can't speak specifically for the Gardenias but on my other plants either a Neem/Dishsoap mix sprayed and/or water w/Bats...I'd go with the neem to start with though...I don't like using the chemical stuff unless it's a must.

Diane - not sure which ones your Lowes is selling but most the ones ours sells don't seem to "really" be hardy here in zone 7A. When you check plant files and other resources you end up w/some variance as which zone they're really hardy to. It's so frustrating. Maybe others in our area can chime in. The ones that I've seen at Lowes are: August Beauty, Dwarf, and Daisy. None of which survived for me last year...I was very sad, too!!

I've seen those same three in the Lowe's up here, too, Chantell. And one of the Dwarfs *may* have followed me home two weeks ago... The tag on that one does say zone 7, so I'm crossing my fingers and mulching it deep come winter.

Chantell, don't go by plant files for plant hardiness. A good percentage of the plant files hardiness information is wrong. You could also seeing variance because some sellers are more cautious or less cautious than others. I've seen that on a number of plants.

Plant Delights is a good place to check for your zone because if he says zone 7 it's because he knows it has survived in his zone 7 garden. I've noticed, though, in checking for my zone he often says 7 for the lower end when I know it's hardy here, so he's often listing only what he knows.

Well that's good to know....thank you Diane!!

I am on the border of 6b and 7a, and plants that are hardy only to 7 never make it here for me. So much has to do with local pockets of weather and growing conditions (for example, because my yard is shady it tends to be very wet, which is death to many plants).

Ahhh Devon - I should've brought YOU some EE's too...they LOVE the water - you can pick some up at Walmart or the big box stores....then either leave em....or dig em up (tubers) and throw in a bag w/shredded paper (after letting it dry) over winter.

Kub--I have two Kleim's Hardy gardenia shrubs that I got from a NC nursery 4 years ago..... the first winter was a real freezer and it burned one of them back almost to the ground. I had to cut away the dead branches and leaves. But they surprised me by bouncing back the next year and have doubled in growth size since.

They are located on the east side of the house, which is the back yard. They get full morning sun, and some afternoon overhead, but not a full South exposure. They have buds on them now that are getting ready to open any second.

They like more acidic soils, so if your soil pH is too alkaline, they will turn yellow and sickly. This can happen if they are planted close to a concrete walkway or foundation. You can improve this by adding peat moss or manure or rich leaf compost to your soil, or a little sulfur. That feed mentioned above, "Holly-tone," should work, too, or any other feed especially for acid-loving shrubs, such as azaleas and rhododendrons.

Looks like we have a lot of Mid-Atlanticans who love gardenias and are trying to stretch the zone limits. LOL! Happy, the road to hell is well paved.....

Chantell: My yard isn't wet in a healthy way, just kind-of dank especially in teh winter. In the summer it gets dry and the moisture loving plants die.

You know what is weird? I had a LOT Of EEs last fall, and I brought them inside to overwinter dormant. I can't find any of the pots! Who should I blame? Probably my faulty memory. But I think I'll blame my husband instead!

Ohhh I'm sorry...not good!!!
Don't feel bad - the only reason I know where mine are is b/c both corners of living room by windows are filled with pots - Plumies to the left - EE's to the right. It's a sickness, what can I say??? ^_^

I ended up moving this guy out in front of the house in full all day sun. Gave him lots of compost and a dose of Plant Tone (must remember to buy Holly Tone next time I'm at Southern States). He has three gorgeous, smelly blooms open and about 15-20 more buds. The foliage still looks blah, but I hope that perks up soon.

Buds are always a good sign!! Yipee!! Mine's getting more buds too since being put in the ground - whew! Good to know he's acclimating

Both of mine have broken out in a white haze--they smell really strong in the morning. Kib--I hope your bush recovers soon, but if it gets full sun now, you'll need to check the moisture more often. They do like moist soil.