I gave Kleim's Hardy a try a couple years back -- it was in a container in z7, in a protected location, and I think it was not cold temps alone that killed it, but drainage: wet soil and the early spring freezing-and-thawing cycle is what's hardest on gardenias, IMHO.

There are a lot of "hardy" cultivars out there, most just mean they're cuttings of a plant that has survived a certain number of winters in a certain location -- it's not that I don't think there are gardenias capable of surviving in z6, it's just I think location and care have a whole lot to do with the equation. So I think it's worth a try, but make sure you take extra care with 'em in terms of siting and the first couple of years in the ground!

JIm

Hi Jim. I have heard of Kleim's Hardy, Grif's Select and others for several years now, and they have never been sold as being hardy in zone 6 (unless some dishonest vendors have tried to push it). But the two newer kinds that I mentioned are listed as hardy in zone 6. They are definitely not just cuttings of another kind, since the foliage and flowers are distinctly different. Since they are recent introductions, I don't think anyone will have much experience to share for now. Maybe next year.

My poor 'Frost Proof' gardenia. Started out almost 2' around. Will probably die this winter. Of course one possibility is that it was not true to name and was another variety.

http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20090055982

why would 'frost proof' not overwinter in tennessee while 'mystery' is an 8'-shrub? i lost one of my 'mystery' shrubs many years ago during an extended cold spell and i am in zone 8. figured it would be more tender than a cold-hardy variety.

I could not tell you. I do know I went through several different varieties of gardenias before I found Mystery. I planted 'Frost Proof' several feet away and to the east of 'Mystery' making sure they both had the same southerly exposure.

My 'Frostproof' has smaller leaves than yours; perhaps it's not true to name as you suspect.

My 'August Beauty,' listed as hardy to 8A, is fine here in 7B, while my 'Klein's Hardy' has been hit hard by our cold temps lately. Who can tell with gardenias? =)

I planted a Frostproof gardenia last summer (from Logees) and it seems to have survived a couple of snowstorms fully intact.

If it blooms will be another matter.....

My frostproof survived but I wasn't sure how well; it's now looking like it's going to branch out pretty vigorously!

I also planted frostproof gardenias last summer. Both have survived without any protection. Only damage they have is a couple broken branches from the heavy snow this winter. They are both growing out like crazy. Cant wait for them to bloom.

My Kleim's Hardy is alive for two years here but it looks like carp and has never bloomed as well as I know they can. Have it against southern facing concrete stoop but with late afternoon shade. It is barely hanging on.

I planted Kleim's "Hardy" a few different times, none of them survived the winters here in zone 7.

I have Frost Proofs planted that I planted last summer, looked fine until late winter when they all have a brown tinge to them, haven't dropped leaves but look like they're all in the process of dying. We had temps hit 8 degrees here this winter though, perhaps too much for them.

I planted one Frost Proof last year in late spring, it was not too late that the plant have enough time to show a few flowers in summer late.

Then is the winter. And this spring I am glad to see the plant is still health. Its leaves are almost not damaged at all. Now, there are a lot buds on it.

Though last winter is long it is not very cold, the plant servives one year does not mean it can alway do well on my 6a/6b zone. Let's what happen next year.

I live in Zone 6 in NJ. I recently purchased a Gardenia bush in a pot. I have it on my patio and it gets full sun and then the afternoon shade from the house. Does it need full sun? Should I put it under my canopy (gazebo)?

2013 winter and 2014 winter both were very cold, much colder than we expected. The lowest tmperature I recorded is below zero, and one digit night temp. lasted at lest a month. The Gardennia forst proof was weeken after 2013 winter and then died.

It seems that the frost proof is not realy hardy to Zone 6.

ermazi, did you protect it during the winter? Thank you for updating those of us looking for gardenias for zone 6.

akrrm：

I did not protect. All parts above ground of the Frost Proof were died, but the root and lower parts were alive. So in the summer, they come back, and grow up. If coming winter is not too cold, I think, they will flower next summer.

Thank you, ermazi.

I have a newly planted ' Chuck Hayes' and the flowers are beautiful. It's labelled as a Zone 6.

At my knowlege, the Chuck Hayes is no more cold hardy than Frost Proof.