Summer snow gardenia

dukeofdoom · Post by **dukeofdoom** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:59 pm

Looking to replace my Kleims hardy gardenia. I left it outside for the first time this winter, and unfortunately we had the coldest February in a hundred years. Don't think it made it.
Has anyone tried growing the summer snow gardenia? It claims to be more hardy (zone 6) with larger size and complicated flowers.

http://www.summersnowgardenia.com

Don't really know of any other plant that has such great glossy leaves, amazing scented flowers and is hardy in zone 6.
Would make a great flowering hedge plant if the claims are true.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:56 pm

Beautiful!
Sheesh, I'd be happy with one.

But a hedge?
I'm guessing wrong zone.

Barb

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:12 am

I have not tried Summer Snow, but it's on my list to plant this year. I have tried grifs, chuck hayes, daisy, kleims, and radicans, and chuck Hayes is the only one still in the ground. You could call it "alive", but it dies back to almost the ground only to to grow about a foot over our season, just to die again over winter.

Check this thread out http://members6.boardhost.com/spanish2/ ... 28408.html

He gives a good photo essay, and I agree with his findings.

dukeofdoom · Post by **dukeofdoom** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:13 pm

A little disappointed, but thank you, that link was very informative. I'm still a little hopeful my gardenia might comeback from the roots. If not, I think any future gardenia I buy and leave in the ground will need to be heavily protected.

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:29 am

You're welcome. I just think gardenia are a true zone 8 indicator, kind of like oleander. I'm planning on trying the Summer Snow, but don't have a ton of hope. I think there'd be more out there on the 'net if they were very hardy. There's also gardenia 'jubilation', but I havn't tried it either. Good luck with your endeavor!

dukeofdoom · Post by **dukeofdoom** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 5:25 pm

I'm wondering if a cover to protect them from winter wind / sun would allow them survive a zone 6b winter. I noticed a huge difference in my needle palms, just by sheltering them from winter winds.

I have a picture of the Gardenia, I think it's actually the frost proof variety not Kleims. I left it unprotected in winter.
Despite the leaves being fried, I did scratch test and it doesn't seem like the branches are dead.

Even very hardy zone 5 rhododendrons, unprotected have been damaged by this last winter, with leaf and branches dying back.
So I don't expect that the gardenia will recover.

But a zone 7 Camellia, which I just covered with a bucket for the worst two weeks seems to be doing much better, with little leaf damage.
Despite a one night low of -26 C.

Did you try any winter protection for your gardenia's? What zone are you in?

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:13 am

Yikes, that is one dead Gardenia.

What type of camellia is that? I've wanted to play around with some of the tougher ones since it is, unlike most, one plant that I haven't had the opportunity to try and kill... Several times... Yet.

dukeofdoom · Post by **dukeofdoom** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 8:25 pm

Hi Paul,

It's a 'Greensboro Red' Camellia rated for zone 7a, but seems more hardy than other one's I've tried.
This is the third winter I've had it. I planted in full sunshine on the south side of my house, the first year.
It's in a shaded spot now, but I think the sunshine helped it grow the first year.

When I scratch the branches of the Gardenia closer to the ground they're still green on the inside,
so maybe there is still some hope...