Gardenia Bonsai Care [Gardenia Jasminoides]

The Gardenia Bonsai ( Gardenia Jasminoides )is a lovely low-growing evergreen plant with glossy and deep green leaves that bear fragrant white flowers from the late spring to summer months.

If you are planning to grow this dwarf variety of the Gardenia jasminoides, there are several essential things you need to know about it first. 

Scientific nameGardenia Jasminoides
Average height152 to 182cm
Average spread152 to 182cm
Origin countryChina, Taiwan, Japan
FamilyRubiaceae
LeafBroadleaf evergreen
Flower Bloom ColorWhite
WaterModerate
SunlightPart shade
MaintenanceHigh

Gardenia bonsai tree height

Gardenia Bonsai tree can reach a height of 8 to 12 inches and a width of 6 to 10 inches.

How to take care of gardenia bonsai

Bonsai Gardenia Care

It is not really that easy to care for a Gardenia Bonsai but the beautiful results will definitely be worth your time and effort. With its abundant sweet-smelling blooms and pretty foliage that lasts all year round, you can be sure that with sensitivity and proper care, your Gardenia Bonsai will be a guaranteed show-stopping and eye-catching sensation for a long time.

Gardenia bonsai fertilizing

An acid-type fertilizer like an azalea or camellia food should be applied at half strength once every month from the months of spring to fall. Apply some iron chelate fertilizer that you can buy at the local nursery if you notice yellowish new leaves with green veins.

Gardenia bonsai wiring and pruning

The Gardenia Bonsai plant is trained and shaped by growing it along wires. Every new and soft shoot is snipped off or tied to the wires to shape the plant. There is no wrong or right way for shaping a Gardenia Bonsai. Unleash your creativity but don’t forget to be gentle with your plant.

Avoid wiring or pruning the stems if there are flowers and buds. Wait until it is dormant instead. Moving around the stems while they have buds or flowers can make them drop, leaving you with no hard-won blossoms, which is the best thing about growing a Gardenia Bonsai in the first place.

Cut back un-branched and long growth during early spring for your plant to stay bushy. The pruning cut must be made right on top of a leaf joint.

Pinch some of the branches’ ends during the growing season to create a fuller plant. Let some branches grow out un-pinched because Gardenias set their flower buds at the branch tips. You can then prune the branches after flowering to shape the plant.

Growing gardenia bonsai

Gardenia Bonsai are easy to grow from cuttings. Although many bonsai Gardenias propagate it by rooting cuttings in the soil, this can be rooted in a glass of water as well.

To do it, cut off a tiny 6-inch piece of stem from a vigorous plant.

You should dip this in some rooting hormone. Put this in a water jar and roots will appear after a few days. When roots appear, repot this in rich soil meant for plants that love acid.

Watering gardenia bonsai

The soil for your Gardenia Bonsai must never be soggy and just evenly moist instead. If the weather is warmer, you will have to water the plant every other day or even more.

Check the feel and color of the surface of the soil to know if the plant already needs water. The color of the soil lightens once it dries up and the surface will feel dry to the touch if it needs watering. Once watered and the surface turns moist, the color of the soil will turn deep chocolate brown.

When watering, put the plant in a pan with 2 inches of water then soak for 20 minutes or more until the soil feels and looks moist. Don’t let the soil completely dry out. If it does, just immerse the whole put in the water for 5 minutes or up until the soil becomes completely wet. Avoid using water treated with a water softener.

Repotting gardenia bonsai

Gardenia Bonsai should be reported every other year or every 3 years at the very least during spring. The roots should be gently pruned, removing not over 1/3, and transplant the Gardenia Bonsai to a container with soil meant for plants that love acid.

Gardenia bonsai pests and diseases

Only a few diseases and pests are known to pester Gardenia Bonsai trees including aphids, mealy bugs, and scale that are all common on regular houseplants.

You can prevent such pests by putting your Gardenia Bonsai in a spot with proper air circulation. Limit overfertilizing and overwatering as well.

Keep an eye out for diseases such as sooty mold that thrives on the honeydew that the insects above produce.

Bud-drop is also common in Gardenia Bonsai. It often occurs prior to blooming as a result of several factors like under or overwatering, insufficient light, and improper temperatures.

Soil for gardenia bonsai

Gardenia Bonsai requires soil with even moistness. Make sure that your plant doesn’t dry out and water frequently. Remember that the soil should only be moist without being soggy.

How to take care of a gardenia bonsai tree in winter

Growing Gardenia Bonsai Trees from Cuttings. Tropical Bonsai Tree Winter Repotting and Pruning.

Cut down watering during winter since there is a lower evaporation rate and your Gardenia plant will remain in an almost inactive state. Moss can also be added around the primary stem to reduce the loss of moisture.

The frequency of fertilization should be cut down to once every 1 to 2 months as the winter season approaches. Since the level of humidity drops down during winter, occasionally mist the leaves using warm water to increase humidity and maintain the proper health of your Gardenia Bonsai.

How do i make a gardenia bonsai bloom

How to make your indoor Gardenia bloom ..

Gardenia Bonsai’s blooming period lasts for 3 to 4 months although the actual time for flowering depends on your chosen cultivar and the conditions for growing. It will be great on your part if you choose a hardy variety.

When buying the plant, make sure you inquire about pest resistance as well as its overall hardiness to ensure its full and healthy bloom.

Why gardenia bonsai dropping leaves

Letting the soil dry out completely or lack of enough light can make the older leaves of a Gardenia plant become yellowish then drop off later on. The flower buds of Gardenia are also prone to dropping off right before blooming.

Among the most common causes of a premature bud, drop include insufficient light, night temperatures of more than 70° F, sudden changes in temperature, and under or overwatering.

What is a blossoming abundance gardenia bonsai

Blossoming Abundance Gardenia Bonsai is a plant that is guaranteed to usher in sweet fragrance and beauty thanks to its graceful and pretty blooms. It is an exceptional type of bonsai that boasts of snowy white flowers and lush foliage that is often given away as gifts that express unending happiness and joy.

How to tell if bonsai gardenia is overwatered

You can easily tell if you have gone overboard with watering your Gardenia Bonsai if the tips of its leaves have turned soft and brown or black.

This is also often associated with the plant getting wobbly or looser inside the pot. Just so you know, overwatering isn’t something that occurs quickly. This is a slow degenerative problem that gradually makes the roots rot.

The plant can also show symptoms of wilty leaves. It is because the roots are already weak and no longer function properly. Avoid overwatering your bonsai. Just because they like humid conditions doesn’t mean they thrive well in swamps. 

How long does a gardenia bonsai live

You can expect your Gardenia Bonsai to live for many years as long as you take care of it properly. Remember that the lifespan of your bonsai plants will always depend on the quality of care that they receive from you.  

Why gardenia leaves turning yellow with brown spots

Q&A – Why do my gardenia leaves have yellow spots?

Brown spots and yellow leaves on Gardenias are actually symptoms of different bacterial and fungal diseases that can pose a threat to the entire plant’s vitality. Early control, prevention, and identification of specific pathogens are crucial to treat these diseases.

Bacterial leaf spot is a type of foliage disease brought about by a bacterium called Xanthomonas campestris. This disease can affect foliage vitality that can cause tiny brown spots on blossoms and foliage, yellowish leaves, and eventual dropping of leaves.

Rhizotocnia root rot is another fungal disease in Gardenias that can cause extensive symptoms above ground. Symptoms of this disease include browning of leaves, leaf yellowing, leaf wilt, as well as plant death.

Cercospora leaf spot is also a common foliage disease observed in most ornamentals such as Gardenia that is the result of Cercospora fungi. Symptoms of this disease include leaf drop, a yellow halo around the leaf spots, black or dark brown spots on the leaf surfaces, and leaf yellowing.

How to save a bonsai gardenia

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a magical cure for your Gardenia Bonsai to recover. However, the best thing that you can do is to just stick to the specific care guidelines for your tree.

Avoid overwatering or neglecting your bonsai and make sure that you put this in the right location. Hopefully, your Gardenia Bonsai will be saved and will live a healthy and long life if you continue looking after it properly.

Always remember that Gardenias also tend to be very sensitive to being touched or moved since they don’t like being disturbed.

This means that changing the location of your tree may make its buds fall off. It is best to just let your Gardenia Bonsai stay in an ideal location with enough sun exposure. Move it a bit as much as possible and never be tempted to touch those waxy flowers since this will make the petals turn brown.

Finally, just like humans and animals, Gardenia Bonsais are sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke so they will be healthier in an environment free from smoke.

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