WOW! Nice plant. Congrats. :D

I can't help identifying. I do know that there are several of these orange gardenia species and they look very much alike that I can't tell them apart in pictures. Then there could be even more similar species out there that is relatively unknown with information difficult to find.

After analyzing the leaves more and more, I say yours could be Gardenia tubifera.

I think all of them are fragrant, but it could like you said, the flower is old, stress. Or perhaps the scent is only released at dusk, in the middle of the night, dawn, etc.

I saw a single-flored version that looks like Kleim's Hardy or Chuck Hayes at Walmart and did not detect any scent from it. It was a new shipment. But online, I don't think either of them are said to not be fragrant.

I thought I saw somewhere online an orange Gardenia jasminoides cultivar or hybrid that looks more like the gardenias we're use to growing.

Musa, thanks..I'll Google G. tubifera, see what comes up.

I surely hope it's fragrant. Scent 'whites and oranges,' is one reason I love Gardenias.
The seller didn't list the species, nor did he mention whether or not it was fragrant.

Did the Kleim's and Chuck Hayes have white flowers? I don't understand what you mean...

You're lucky your WAlmart sells Gardenias..The stores here pretty much have the same, old, basic plants. Not Gardenias.
Every so often, Mother's or Valentine's Days, some stores have them available..thing is, Gardenia's are in ornate pots or worse, wrapped in colored aluminum foil, decorations, and charge as much as a weeks worth of groceries..they're usually potted in 4-6" containers..29.00 and up..Remove the pot, foil and decorations, and sell the 'denia at a reasonable price. lol.
I found a Gardenia Tree at a seasonal outdoor nursery..poor thing is barely making it.
It's extremely rootbound. I don't know if it should be repotted now or next spring? Any advice?
It really looks sad.

Musa, ,thanks so much..BTW, I assume, by your screen-name you also like banana trees.. Is this the case? :) Toni

There is also Gardenia carinata. Although I doubt it is that because the leaves have the lines (I'm not sure what the term is called) that are more closely spaced together.

If you don't mind me asking, did the seller happen to be from Florida or Hawaii? Or out of country? Maybe it might help narrow down to commonly cultivated species or varieties in those regions.

My friend say's I'm dyslexic and I see why lol. I mentioned Kleim's Hardy or Chuck Hayes (what I thought the variety could be) as an example that shipping stress could be a factor in no scent.

Sorry, you can't ever look to me for advice about gardenias growing. I'm the wrong guy lol. I'm a gardenia murderer. I did get a 'FrostProof' Gardenia recently as I read that is more easier to grow.

Those florists gardenia are so small. We can find bigger gardenias at garden centers not just as Walmart for about 4 to 5 dollars. I guess those hard-to-find decorative foil are worth their weight in gold. :):)

I use to be crazy about bananas, but I my interest them has waned since I have no space to grow them.

Musa, you sure weren't kidding when you said there are several types of orange-flower Gardenias.

When I Googled G. tubifera pictures, several pics popped up. Some flowers looked orange others yellow. Shapes differed too.

As for the carinata, it's hard to tell flower shape since my one bloom is on its way out.
But between the two, I believe it's G. tubifera.

I'm still wondering if it needs the same soil as other Gardenias.

The seller is in Fl, but I think he gets his plants from Saipan, MP. At least, that's what's written under 'Item Location' on Ebay. But he lives in Fl.

Yep, Florist Gardenias and Florist Azaleas are small. And that foil 'gotta' go. lol
I once went to Home Depot to 'browse.' lol. Aside from fragrant plants, I love succulents.
They had E. Crown of Thorns on display..Hundreds. Each wrapped in foil, and overwatered. I lifted one COT's, it's weight unbelieable for such a small plant.. 4" pot.
Sux do not like sitting in water..the water stunk.. It was Yellow and stagnant. They had two color flowers I liked. Before bringing them to the counter, I tilted both plants, so watered poured out..like I said, it stunk.
I should have kept the receipt, because both died less than a wk later..killing a COT's is almost impossible.
I went as far as talking to a manager, like he cared. lol

There's a variegated Banana, truly stripped..two sellers have this musa..around 200.00. As much as I'd like to have one, even a pup, it's 190.00 more than I can afford. lol..

So you don't have Gardenias?? What fragrant plants do you have? Thanks so much...Toni

Tony, when you have a gradenia that "isn't looking too good", my advice would be to check the roots right away. Gardenias are very susceptible to root rot if overwatered, or underwatered then overwatered. Once the roots start to die, the whole plant declines gradually but surely-- it's dying a slow, painful death.

If root disease has begun, there might still be time to save it.

Just pull it out of it's pot and have a look at the roots. If it's tightly rootbound, it may be hard for it to get enough water, repot into a slightly larger clay pot. If the roots are poorly, you may be able to save it by transferring to a small pot, just the size of the existing healthy roots.

Use a clay pot if you possibly can. This helps keep the roots better aerated, and reduces the likelihood of rot.

Hope this helps.

Mehitabel. Do you think my new Gardenia looks sick?? The foliage could be a little greener, but after it gets some 'plant goodies,' it should do better.

It arrived bare-root. I just repotted in the green, plastic pot you see. lol.

I've never potted a Gardenia in clay..what are the advantages vs plastic? Thanks, Toni

No, I don't, Tony. It looks great. A sickly gardenia really does start to look pathetic. Yours looks robust.

Your bare-root: just make sure the pot is not too big. A too big pot stays too wet in the middle and at the bottom. The wet gets wetter and wetter as you use the dryish upper level as a signal to water. Before very long, the roots start to rot. Once they start, the pot is even bigger relative to the diminished root ball, and the whole thing accelerates. The wetness drives out the air in the medium, and all roots need air as well as water to keep from rotting.

This rot is less likely with plants outdoors for the summer. But inside in winter it's common as dirt.

Advantages of clay vs plastic is that the pot dries out faster, so it's harder to overwater. The clay also "breathes", something you can verify by feeling a moist clay pot for the tiny bit of humidity it constantly exudes. All this makes it less likely to get root rot in plants that are susceptible (as gardenias are).

Logee's recommends clay pots, but I've also used them for years. What I find when I de-pot a plant that's been in a clay pot for several months in summer, is beautiful white roots wrapped around the outside of the root ball-- beautiful! Try it with just one plant and you'll be sold.

As I get older, unfortunately, I can't handle the bigger clay pots, way too heavy, so my biggest right now is 12". But when I have to use a plastic pot, I burn extra holes in the bottom with a sauldering iron, lots of them, all over the bottom. Drains better and helps keep the roots aerated-- a trick I learned growing orchids. I would use probably more than a dozen 3/8" holes in the bottom of a 14" plastic pot.

Also, take much more care watering in a plastic pot. Use a moisture meter if you have one, to probe deeper down into the medium.

Good luck with your beautiful new gardenia.

Hey Toni, That is one AWESOME Gardenia...like you I never knew there was an orange flower one...what's next Purple!! Actually that would be very cool too! Congrats! I love it...very nice healthy plant!

Toni,
That is a nice size beautiful gardenia.
I wish you well with it.
They are tropical and I can't grow it inside where I live due to my heat is hot air, but I wish I could have one.
Let us know if it is fragrant, mabey it will bloom again.
It is good to see you posting on this board again.
It's been a while.

I am seeing so much disinformation here it is baffling! i came here because I forgot the name and country of origin of this gardenia, which I acquired from a Foster Botanical gardens plant sale. I have seen "var. kula" but that is incorrect. They grow here (Hawaii) but do not originate here. I have one in my yard, and it is likely my favorite plant. It is about 30 feet across and 20 feet high, blooming profusely 8-10 x/ year. It is *highly* fragrant, so much so that you can smell it from blocks away. I have tried to propagate mine for years with no success. I found a seed pod once years ago, but picked it too soon. Since I have tried rooting it at every stage, using rootone, different mixes (vermiculite, peat, you name it... with no success). I suspect I have you air layer, which I have not done yet (just too much to do around the garden). Whoever said they bloom under stress, :p anything does in a last ditch effort to reproduce. You are growing it wrong! Gardenias like full sun and well drained soil. They get must & fungus quite easily in our humid environment. I would think this is a plant which would take especially poorly to pot culture. It is HUGE, does not like its roots wet for a long time and needs strong sun. It does very well here (Hawaii) which means that indoors in a dry environment it would not fare well. Pot would keep too much water around the roots (unless it is in a very large, well prepared pot with good drainage and watered frequently). Like most things, if you want to grow it in a completely inappropriate climate it will take some work.

Lswope,
Thank you very much for posting that pic.
It is truly gorgeous!
I f I lived in HI, I would definitely have one too!
Great pic!