The 13 Cold-Hardiest Gardenias to Try

Gardenia’s signature sweet fragrance exudes from its creamy white blossoms that pop against dark, glossy leaves. The perfume seeps into our sensory knowledge; once the senses experience a gardenia, it’s forever logged. Cultivated for thousands of years in their native China, gardenias made their way to the U.S. in the 1700s and became a mainstay of southern gardens.

Their hallmark perfume intensifies as a bloom ages, calling its moth pollinators with scent and bright white petals. Gardenias contain methyl benzoate, a compound responsible for fragrance in many plants. In addition to delighting the beholder and drawing pollinators, it may also serve the plant by repelling certain pests. Bees and moths pollinate the flowers, while songbirds enjoy its fruits.

Thankfully, you can enjoy all these benefits even in cold climates. Here are thirteen cold-hardy gardenias to try in your garden!

Gardenia Hardiness

Gardenias thrive in warm climates across the American South, often hardy in zones 7 to 11. Some gardenias are more cold-hardy, withstanding temperatures to -5°F (-21°C). If you garden in zone 6, you can enjoy the handsome evergreen foliage and flowers, too. 

Borderline specimens and those in their lowest growing zones do best with added winter protection. Shelter them from winter winds and add a healthy layer of mulch. Some growers report tissue and bud damage in easterly exposures as the early sun results in a quick thaw. Another orientation with a buffer from surrounding plants or a foundation may work best in frosty growing conditions.

In frigid climates or when growing non-cold-hardy varieties, gardenias do well in containers. Bring them indoors to overwinter, trying a spot near a bright window. They’re finicky if conditions aren’t quite right, especially inside, so move them outdoors as soon as temperatures warm.

With their various sizes and flower forms, these lovely plants generally bloom in late spring and early summer (year-round in warm climates). They thrive in acidic, well-drained, consistently moist soils. Plant them where you can enjoy their warm season fragrance. Clip a few blooms to bask in their deliciousness indoors.

‘Frostproof’

	common name Frostproof
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘Frostproof’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-5’
	hardiness zones 7-11

‘Frostproof’ is one of the first hardier cultivars that’s also more sun tolerant. Young flower buds withstand early spring frosts better than some other varieties. Double-petaled milky blooms are numerous and reach two to three inches across. 

Narrow, olive-green leaves are dense on upright stems and create an attractive bushy form. This one is excellent in hedges, foundation plantings, and as screens with a full, tidy, uniform look.  

‘Frostproof’ flowers most heavily in early summer and sporadically throughout the warm season. Plant it in its permanent location, as gardenias don’t do well with root disturbance at transplanting.

‘Swan Queen™’

	common name Swan Queen™
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘4MARIAJ01’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4’
	hardiness zones 7-11

‘Swan Queen™’ reigns with lush, early blooms that are fully double. After the initial buds, there’s an abundant rebloom from summer into fall.

Dense branching and full foliage create a well-rounded habit. ‘Swan Queen™’ has improved pest and disease resistance, especially to root issues like fungal rot. 

Growers report ‘Swan Queen™’ as hardy to zone 6b, withstanding 0°F ( -18°C) without damage. A three-inch mulch layer in an east-facing situation (with the benefit of morning sun) offers the most protection.

‘Pinwheel’

	common name Pinwheel
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘PIIGA-I’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4’
	hardiness zones 6-11

‘Pinwheel’ has narrow, open petals that whirl around a pale greenish-yellow center. Glossy, lance-shaped leaves feature textural venation. The single flowers show most in late spring to early summer, with sporadic reblooming into the autumn.

‘Pinwheel’ is a moderate grower with an upright, bushy habit and reaches an average of six feet tall. Prune it for size if needed, but start with a location where it can reach its full potential at maturity. ‘Pinwheel’ is reportedly hardy to -12°F (-24°C).

‘Kleim’s Hardy’

	common name Kleim’s Hardy
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘Kleim’s Hardy’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 7-11

‘Kleim’s Hardy’ is a classic among more cold-hardy gardenia varieties. Its starry, open-faced flowers flare around creamy yellow stamens. A profusion of ivory blooms cover the shrubs early in the warm season and appear throughout the summer.

The low, mounding habit of ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ makes it well-suited to containers and border edges as a buffer to taller shrubs and specimen trees. Slow-growing and compact, it fits into small spaces.

‘Kleim’s Hardy’ tolerates full sun and benefits from a mulch layer in bright situations. Mulch helps insulate roots, regulate temperatures, and retain moisture. Intense rays, like light reflecting off pavement or structures, can be too strong for the foliage and cause bronzing or burning.

‘Crown Jewel’

	common name Crown Jewel
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘Crown Jewel’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 6-11

‘Crown Jewel’ is small but with a mighty display of three-inch double flowers that unfurl from the bottom up for a crown of central petals. Good bloom coverage shines among the broadleaf backdrop. It blooms later – around early June – with a hefty bud count for more flowers and fragrance all at once. Deadheading spent blooms helps promote recurrent budding.

‘Crown Jewel’ is a cross between reliable ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ and G. jasminoides ‘Chuck Hayes.’ The result is a very resilient dwarf spreader with loads of blooms from ‘Kleim’s Hardy.’ Double blooms and long, elliptical leaves are attractive attributes of these cold-hardy gardenias.

‘Crown Jewel’ is a prostrate grower that spreads four to five feet. It blooms on old and new wood, ensuring lots of buds. In cold climates, buds on old wood may be damaged in winter extremes, but new growth and budding means they’ll still flower. 

‘ScentAmazing™’

	common name ScentAmazing™
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘LEETWO’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 7-10

‘ScentAmazing™’ is long-blooming, with flowers from spring through fall. The fragrance keeps going throughout the season, and foliage is attractive even when not in flower for all-season appeal. Single blooms with rounded petals are cheery in bright white with a starburst of gold at their centers.

Dwarf and compact, ‘ScentAmazing’s™’ tidy habit makes it ideal along a bed edge. Clean, simple, and pretty, ‘ScentAmazing™’ is versatile in small spaces and in a group or low hedge. Extremely cold-hardy and reliable, this gardenia variety withstands temperatures as low as 0°F (-18°C). 

‘Swan Princess™’

	common name Swan Princess™
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘4KIMYMJ01’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2.5’-3′
	hardiness zones 7-11

Like ‘Swan Queen™,’ this princess is early blooming and fully-petaled. Smaller in stature, ‘Swan Princess™’ slowly reaches just over two feet tall. With prolific flowering, she’s lovely in a mass or in a container to enjoy up close.

The petite ‘Swan Princess™’ has elegant, full-sized flowers with crisp, layered petals around sunny yellow centers. The variety shows improved pest and disease resistance, with cold tolerance noted at below 0°F (-18°C).

‘Summer Snow’

	common name Summer Snow
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘BAB1183’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 4′-5’
	hardiness zones 6-10

The moniker ‘Summer Snow’ reflects both the cold-hardy and floriferous nature of this mid-size evergreen gardenia. Its outstanding flowers are large and double, reaching up to four and a half inches across. Imagine their fragrance! 

‘Summer Snow’ is as wide as it is tall with upright, dense branching. Use it as an accent or foundation shrub to enjoy its robust qualities. 

Even cold-hardy gardenias benefit from growing in a sheltered area protected from winter winds and with a mulch layer. Preserve ‘Summer Snow’ with extra protection in zone 6.

‘Heaven Scent®’

	common name Heaven Scent®
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘Heaven Scent®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-4’
	hardiness zones 6-11

‘Heaven Scent®’ is a strong bloomer with prolific single flowers in late spring that recur sporadically all season. In late fall, abundant showy seed pods in red, yellow, and orange continue the visual interest. Songbirds forage on the fruits.

This variety has a tight form with upright branches, making it easy to fit in the bed and grow in containers. Its deep green, broad leaves are dark and rich among the species. Like all gardenias, it makes a lovely cut flower for its snowy white and ivory shades and especially its perfume.

‘Fool Proof™’

	common name Fool Proof™
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘LEESIX’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-4’
	hardiness zones 7-11

Playing off the cold-hardy resilience of ‘Frostproof’ is the easygoing ‘Fool Proof™’ gardenia. Equally (maybe more) hardy and frost tolerant, ‘Fool Proof™’ brings snowy white double blossoms that recur through fall for an extended floral display and sensory delight.

‘Fool Proof’ has a grow-anywhere compact, mounding habit. It boasts exceptional disease resistance, as well as sun and heat tolerance. ‘Fool Proof’ overwinters in 0 to 10°F (-18 to -12°C).

‘Jubilation™’

	common name Jubilation™
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘LEEONE’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-4’
	hardiness zones 7-10

‘Jubilation™’ bears crisp, swirling blossoms on a rounded form with slender foliage. Creamy double flowers cover the pincushions in late spring and continue to dot them all summer long.

The well-shaped evergreen seldom needs pruning. As gardenias do, flowers age from milky white to ivory and antique shades for a variety of hues when in full flower.

‘Jubilation™’ is fitting for a low-maintenance hedge, where the decadent blooms make an impact en masse against the dark foliage. They perform best in partial shade, with morning sun and protection from direct afternoon rays.

‘Chuck Hayes’

	common name Chuck Hayes
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘Chuck Hayes’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-4’
	hardiness zones 7-11

‘Chuck Hayes’ is one of the most cold-hardy among double blooming gardenias, with noted survival in zone 8b. The lush, dark foliage holds to 5°F (-15°C), while stems survive to -5°F (-21°C). The mid-size shrub is also notable for its heat tolerance, making it durable in climates with hot summers and chilly winters.

‘Chuck Hayes’ has layers of ivory petals whose cups reach two to three inches wide. In addition to a heavy bloom in late spring and early summer, there is a flush of flowers in the fall.

‘Daisy’

	common name Daisy
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides ‘Daisy’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-4’
	hardiness zones 7-10

‘Daisy’ is a sweet, compact grower with a spread of four to five feet. As heavy bloomers, masses of white blooms give good coverage early in the warm season. The petite flowers measure two inches wide and appear through fall.

“Daisy’ is true to its name with flat, single white petals around pale, buttery yellow central stamens. Ample foliage completes a bushy form, upright and mounding. Like many of our dwarf, winter-ready gardenias, ‘Daisy’ is a darling cold-hardy gardenia that rewards with high fragrance.