Screaming Gardenia

It’s odd that one of the most talked about gardenias in our garden is one that never flowers, but such is the case for Gardenia jasminoides ‘Screech Owl’. This previously un-named gem was passed around by plant collectors for years, before we put on our hound dog gear and traced it’s origin back to Texas professor, Dr. Dave Creech, who discovered it as a sport at his home base, The Stephen F. Austin State Garden. In honor of Dave, this vibrant foliage plant now has an official name. Although it may be disappointing to some gardenia aficionados who expect the sweetly fragrant flowers, we prize this for its stunning foliage, which looks great all year, but is especially visible during the winter season. Sadly, this will never be a commercial selection due to its slow growth rate. Our 25 year old specimen is only 3′ tall x 3′ wide. Hardiness is Zone 7b-10.