Gardenija

Gardenia jasminoides, commonly known as gardenia and cape jasmine, is an evergreen flowering plant in the coffee family Rubiaceae. It is native to the subtropical and northern tropical parts of the Far East. The flowers can be quite large, up to 10 cm in diameter, and loosely funnel-shaped. Blooming in summer and autumn, they are among the most strongly fragrant of all flowers.

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Botany and names

The white flowers have a matte texture, in contrast to the glossy leaves. Wild plants range from 30 centimetres to 3 metres in height. Its native habitat is forest and undergrowth along streams, and sloping and hilly terrain up to an altitude of 1,500 metres. The names cape jasmine and cape jessamine derive from the earlier belief that the flower originated in the Cape of Good Hope. In Japan the plant is called kuchinashi.

Chemistry

Linalool, α-terpineol, cis-3-hexenyl tiglate and α-farnesene are the main volatile components of Gardenia jasminoides. In an essential oil distilled from fresh flowers, the main aroma components were linalool at 34.65% and α-farnesene at 10.24%. Among the components above 0.5% of that oil, alcohols accounted for 53.80%, followed by terpenes at 16.01%. As of 2020, at least 162 compounds had been identified in Gardenia jasminoides. The iridoids genipin and geniposidic acid can be found in the fruit.

Other uses

In China, the petals are used in tea for their aroma, while a yellow-red dye used in textiles and sweets has been extracted from the pulp of the fruit. In traditional Chinese medicine the plant, called zhi-zi, was a folk remedy for jaundice, oedema and fevers. Gardenia flowers are commonly used as floral offerings at Buddhist temples in Tropical Asia.