Experience the beauty and fragrance of the Gardenia jasminoides, also known as common gardenia, cape jasmine, or cape jessamine. This evergreen flowering plant, native to Asia, boasts shiny green leaves and highly fragrant white flowers that bloom in spring and summer. Widely used in warm temperate and subtropical gardens and as a houseplant in temperate regions, it has been in cultivation in China for at least a thousand years. The fruit is used as a yellow dye and in traditional Chinese medicine to treat certain febrile conditions. Cultivars such as 'Magnifica', 'Radicans', and 'Chuck Hayes' offer a range of sizes and cold-hardiness for gardeners. Discover why the Gardenia jasminoides has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Try growing this shrub for yourself in a warm, humid environment with acidic soil and bright, indirect sunlight.