Gardenia Varieties: August Beauty, Frost Proof and More

Most gardenias sold in the US are cultivars of one species, Gardenia jasminoides, the cape jasmine. They share glossy evergreen leaves, creamy white flowers and that heavy sweet scent, but they differ a lot in mature size, cold hardiness, flower form and how long they bloom. Choosing the right one is mostly about two questions: how cold your winters get and how much space you have. If you garden in zone 7, pick a hardy type such as ‘Frost Proof’, ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ or ‘Crown Jewel’. If you are in zones 8 to 10 and want the longest bloom season, ‘August Beauty’ and ‘Veitchii’ are hard to beat. For a big, classic hedge with dinner-plate flowers, choose ‘Mystery’. Here is how the popular varieties compare.

In this guide

1. How Gardenia Varieties Differ
2. August Beauty Gardenia
3. Frost Proof Gardenia
4. Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia
5. Crown Jewel Gardenia
6. Mystery Gardenia
7. Veitchii (Everblooming) Gardenia
8. Radicans: The Dwarf Creeping Gardenia
9. Other Gardenias Worth Knowing
10. Choosing the Right Gardenia for Your Garden
11. Care Basics That Apply to Every Variety
12. Common Problems by Variety Type
13. Frequently Asked Questions

How Gardenia Varieties Differ

Before the variety-by-variety rundown, here are the traits that matter most when you compare plant tags.

• Hardiness: standard gardenias are reliable in USDA zones 8 to 11. A handful of cultivars are sold as hardy to zone 7, and a few are marketed for protected spots in zone 6b. Hardiness ratings vary between growers, so treat them as guidelines and plant hardy types against a south- or east-facing wall if you are at the cold edge.
• Size: from 1-foot creeping dwarfs to 8-foot shrubs. Size determines whether a gardenia is a hedge, a foundation shrub, a container plant or a groundcover.
• Flower form: double, rose-like flowers are the classic look. Single flowers have six or so flat petals around a yellow center and look more like a jasmine or a wild rose.
• Bloom season: most gardenias flower heavily in late spring to early summer. Reblooming types keep producing scattered flowers through summer and sometimes into fall.

Variety	Typical size (H x W)	Zones (typical rating)	Flower	Bloom time
August Beauty	4–6 ft x 3–5 ft	8–11	Double, about 3 in	Late spring to late summer, reblooms
Frost Proof	3–5 ft x 3–5 ft	7–10	Double, 2–3 in	Late spring to early summer
Kleim’s Hardy	2–3 ft x 3–4 ft	7–10	Single, yellow stamens	Early summer
Crown Jewel	2–3 ft x 3–4 ft	7–10 (some say 6b)	Double	Early summer, some rebloom
Mystery	5–8 ft x 4–6 ft	8–11	Large double, 4–5 in	Late spring to midsummer
Veitchii (Everblooming)	3–5 ft x 2–3 ft	8–11	Small double, 1.5–2 in	Spring through fall in warm climates
Radicans	1–2 ft x 2–4 ft	8–11	Small, 1–2 in	Late spring to summer
First Love (Aimee)	4–5 ft x 3–4 ft	8–11	Very large double	Late spring, light rebloom
Jubilation	3–4 ft x 3–4 ft	7–10	Double	Late spring, reblooms summer
Chuck Hayes	3–5 ft x 3–5 ft	7–10	Semi-double	Early summer and again in fall

Sizes and zones in this table are typical nursery ratings; your plants will vary with climate, soil and pruning.

August Beauty Gardenia

‘August Beauty’ is probably the most widely planted gardenia in the South, and for good reason. It is a dense, upright shrub that reaches about 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, with dark green leaves and fragrant double flowers about 3 inches across. Its signature trait is a long season: it flowers heavily in late spring and keeps producing blooms through summer, often into August and beyond, which is where the name comes from.

Use it as a foundation shrub, an informal hedge spaced 3 to 4 feet apart, or a specimen near a patio where you can enjoy the scent in the evening. It is typically rated for zones 8 to 11; in zone 7 it may survive mild winters in a sheltered spot but can die back or lose its flower buds in a hard freeze. Give it morning sun and afternoon shade in hot climates, and acidic, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.

Frost Proof Gardenia

‘Frost Proof’ is the best-known option for gardeners at the cold edge of gardenia country. It forms a compact, rounded shrub around 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, with double flowers 2 to 3 inches across in late spring and early summer. The name refers to its buds, which tolerate late spring frosts better than many cultivars, so a cold snap in April is less likely to wipe out the season’s flowers. It does not mean the plant is immune to cold: it is generally rated for zones 7 to 10, and a severe winter can still burn the foliage.

Its compact size makes it a good choice for foundation beds under windows, low hedges and large containers. It blooms mainly once, with less summer rebloom than ‘August Beauty’, so think of it as the reliable hardy choice rather than the longest-flowering one.

Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia

‘Kleim’s Hardy’ looks different from the classic gardenia. Its flowers are single, with about six white petals arranged like a pinwheel around bright yellow stamens, and they carry the full gardenia fragrance. The plant is low and spreading, around 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, which makes it useful for mass planting, slopes and the front of borders. It is one of the more cold-tolerant gardenias, typically rated for zone 7, and it has been used as a parent of newer hardy hybrids.

Crown Jewel Gardenia

‘Crown Jewel’ combines the hardiness of ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ with double flowers on a low, spreading plant about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It is often marketed for zones 7 to 10, with some nurseries listing 6b for sheltered sites. Its main flush is in early summer, with some scattered rebloom. Because it stays low, it works well as a groundcover-style planting, in front of taller shrubs, or spilling over a low wall.

Mystery Gardenia

‘Mystery’ is the big classic. It grows 5 to 8 feet tall and has the largest flowers of the common varieties, up to about 4 to 5 inches across, produced from late spring into midsummer. It is ideal for a tall hedge or privacy screen in zones 8 to 11 and for anyone who wants corsage-sized blooms. Plant it 4 to 5 feet apart for a hedge and give it room to grow; frequent shearing to keep a large gardenia small removes flower buds.

Veitchii (Everblooming) Gardenia

‘Veitchii’, sometimes sold as everblooming gardenia, has smaller double flowers, about 1.5 to 2 inches, but makes up for size with sheer number and a long season. In warm climates it can flower from spring into fall. It stays fairly upright and compact, typically 3 to 5 feet tall, and it is a common choice for growing in pots, including indoors in bright light, because it blooms young and readily. It is not cold hardy; grow it in zones 8 to 11 or in containers you move inside.

Radicans: The Dwarf Creeping Gardenia

‘Radicans’ is a dwarf, creeping gardenia that grows just 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads 2 to 4 feet, with small leaves and small fragrant flowers about 1 to 2 inches across. It is the gardenia for edging paths, filling the front of a border, cascading from containers or covering a small bank in mild climates. Plant it 2 to 3 feet apart for groundcover. It is generally rated for zones 8 to 11 and dislikes poorly drained soil.

Other Gardenias Worth Knowing

• ‘First Love’ (‘Aimee’): very large double flowers early in the season on a 4- to 5-foot shrub, with light rebloom. Zones 8 to 11.
• ‘Jubilation’: a compact reblooming type around 3 to 4 feet, typically rated for zone 7, that flowers in late spring and again through summer.
• ‘Chuck Hayes’: a hardy semi-double variety that often blooms in early summer and again in fall. Zones 7 to 10.
• ‘Daisy’: single, daisy-like flowers on a medium shrub; a good alternative to ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ where you want more height.
• ‘Golden Magic’: flowers open white and age to deep yellow, so the shrub carries two colors at once.
• Tahitian gardenia (Gardenia taitensis): a different species with pinwheel-shaped single flowers, grown only in frost-free climates, zones 10 to 12, or in containers.

Choosing the Right Gardenia for Your Garden

By climate

• Zone 7 or colder edge of 8: ‘Frost Proof’, ‘Kleim’s Hardy’, ‘Crown Jewel’, ‘Jubilation’, ‘Chuck Hayes’. Plant in spring so roots establish before winter, mulch 2 to 3 inches deep, and choose a site protected from winter wind.
• Zones 8 to 9: almost any variety, with ‘August Beauty’ and ‘Mystery’ the most popular. In the Deep South, afternoon shade keeps flowers from browning.
• Zones 10 to 11: all G. jasminoides types plus Tahitian gardenia. Watch for nematodes in sandy soils; grafted plants are sometimes sold in Florida for that reason.
• Zone 6 and colder: grow ‘Veitchii’ or another compact type in a container and bring it indoors before the first frost.

By use

• Tall hedge or screen: ‘Mystery’, ‘August Beauty’.
• Foundation planting under windows: ‘Frost Proof’, ‘Jubilation’.
• Groundcover, slopes and edging: ‘Radicans’, ‘Kleim’s Hardy’, ‘Crown Jewel’.
• Containers: ‘Veitchii’, ‘Radicans’, ‘Frost Proof’.
• Longest bloom season: ‘August Beauty’, ‘Veitchii’, ‘Jubilation’.

For more fragrant shrubs and flowering perennials to pair with gardenias, browse our flowers and perennials guide.

Care Basics That Apply to Every Variety

Whatever you choose, gardenias want the same things: acidic soil with a pH around 5.0 to 6.5, steady moisture without waterlogging, a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch, and morning sun with some afternoon shade in hot regions. Feed lightly in spring and early summer with a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, and stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before cold weather. Prune right after the main flush of flowers fades, because most varieties set next year’s buds on the current season’s growth in late summer and fall; pruning in fall or winter removes them.

Our full gardenia care guide covers planting, watering and pruning in detail. If leaves start to pale between the veins, that is usually high soil pH limiting iron; see why gardenia leaves turn yellow. And if buds fall before they open, the usual causes are drought, sudden temperature swings or moving the plant, covered in why gardenias drop buds.

Common Problems by Variety Type

Large-flowered types such as ‘Mystery’ and ‘First Love’ show brown edges on flowers fastest in hot sun and humidity, so they appreciate afternoon shade. Compact rebloomers like ‘Veitchii’ are more prone to bud drop when grown indoors, where light is lower and air is dry. Dwarf ‘Radicans’ suffers in heavy, wet soil and is the first to show root rot. All gardenias attract whiteflies, aphids, mealybugs and scale, which leave sticky honeydew and sooty mold; check leaf undersides regularly and treat early with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap according to the label.