The History of Gardenias
Gardenia (Gardenia augusta or Gardenia jasminoides) is a South African native that is iconic in the American South. It is a 4- to 6-foot shrub with evergreen foliage. The flowers, which are the gardenia's great attraction, are white and waxy. Double forms are among the most popular. Does this Spark an idea?
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Early History
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Gardenia was discovered in 1754 by an English sea captain named Hutcheson, on a stopover in South Africa. According to author Diana Wells, Hutcheson was walking on the shore and caught a whiff of a sweetly scented gardenia in full flower. When he returned to England, the gardenia went with him.
Naming
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Linnaeus, under the misconception that the gardenia was a North American plant, named it after Dr. Alexander Garden, a Charleston, South Carolina, physician and amateur botanist. Dr. Garden, a Loyalist, eventually left America for Britain at the time of the Revolution, but his namesake plant remained. Though tricky to grow, it gained popularity.
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An Icon
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Gardenias are not hardy in cold-weather climates, but became very popular in the American South in the century between their introduction and the Civil War. They are still popular there today. Jazz and blues legend Billie Holiday made the gardenia her trademark, wearing a blossom in her hair during performances.
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References
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