🌸 Gardenia (Gandharaj / Cape Jasmine) Tree Description
Scientific Name: Gardenia jasminoides
Common Names: Gardenia, Gandharaj (in Bengali/Hindi), Cape Jasmine
Family: Rubiaceae

🌿 Plant Characteristics:
Type: Evergreen shrub or small tree

Height/Spread: Typically 3–6 feet (1–2 meters) in height when grown as a shrub, but can be trained into a small tree up to 8 feet (2.5 meters)

Leaves: Glossy, dark green, leathery, and oval-shaped; arranged opposite each other

Growth Habit: Dense, bushy form with a rounded canopy

🌼 Flowers:
Appearance: Large (2–5 inches), white or cream-colored, rose-like blooms with multiple petals

Fragrance: Intensely fragrant — known for its rich, sweet, and heady perfume; “Gandharaj” literally means “King of Fragrance” in Sanskrit/Bengali

Blooming Season: Primarily late spring through summer; may bloom intermittently throughout the year in warm climates

Longevity: Flowers are short-lived but profuse during blooming season

🌞 Growing Conditions:
Sunlight: Prefers partial sun to partial shade — bright light but protection from harsh afternoon sun

Soil: Well-draining, acidic soil rich in organic matter; doesn’t tolerate alkaline soil

Watering: Needs consistently moist (but not soggy) soil; sensitive to drought and overwatering

Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 8–11; in cooler areas, it can be grown in pots and brought indoors during winter

🌟 Uses and Benefits:
Ornamental: Widely planted in gardens for its attractive foliage and divine scent

Cultural Significance: Highly valued in Indian, Chinese, and Southeast Asian cultures for use in religious rituals, weddings, and garlands

Medicinal Use (Traditional): Used in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for fever, inflammation, and skin problems

Container Friendly: Grows well in pots and bonsai style when pruned