Jasminum sambac

Is this Pikake (Jasminum sambac) growing in your yard?

This plant is extremely popular in Hawai'i and California. I was actually surprised to see large shrubs growing out in Palms Spring.

I have it in a pot next to my bedroom so I can smell it. From what I'm told, it's a common plant here....they have a funny name for it. ;o)

I will take a cutting for my garden.

This plant as a large shrub.....oh the smell!!!!!!!!

The common name is Arabian Jasmine. In Hawai'i it's called Pikake, which means peacock. The reason why: "The name 'pikake' is derived from the Hawaiian word for "Peacock", because the Hawaiian Princess Kaʻiulani was fond of both the flowers and the bird"

I used to have a large Pikake shrub, unfortunately, it got too large for the spot (when I lived in the S. F. Bay Area). I moved to another spot and it died. It obviously didn't like to be moved.

Oh, that is lovely. Hawaii....ah...my dream place to visit!!!

I can smell this plant right now....it's coming in from the balcony doors.....wow, what a scent!!!

I bought Gardenia Cornuta about a week ago. It's in the garden...wow, that plant has thorns.

Yes, the fragrance of Arabian Jasmine is heavenly!

I don't see Gardenia cornuta here very often. Most of the time people grow the Gardenia jasminoides varieties and Gardenia thunbergia which can become quite large and has extremely fragrant flowers.

I have a G. thunbergia which has never flower over the 4 or so years that I've had it. I think it needs a much larger pot.

Do you guys plant your Gardenia's in semi shade?

Yes, they do best in morning sun or semi-shade. I have seen large shrubs in full sun, though. G. thunbegia seems to grow best in hot, full sun.

Same here, one of the reasons I have trouble with my Gardenia's. Very hard finding a good semi shaded spot. I only have one left that's doing good and full of flowers.

Full sun!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm going to buy myself a Gardenia Thunbergia!!!! A few of them!

Gardenia jasminoides varieties can sometimes be very difficult to grow here. They need and love very acidic soil (which we don't have here). Many years ago I used to have several growing in a huge planter in pure redwood compost...they loved it and bloomed very well!

G. thunbergia is typically much easier to grow than G. jasminoides. It can grow pretty large, like a tree.

There was a lady in NY that had seven 6' Gardenia jasminoides in large pots on her balcony with a shade structure. I can't remember if the balcony closed off to keep the cold out. I couldn't believe it when I saw them...... I sat in a chair and just stared at them!!!

That's nothing! lol! I've seen G. jasminoides 'Mystery' in the San Francisco Bay Area in the ground 10ft/3.2m tall with almost the same spread. I've never seen one here in San Diego this large (not to say there's isn't any).

Wow.....the smell of a 3.2m Gardenia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, G. jasmnioides 'Mystery' is the largest of the varieties. It grows the tallest with the largest leaves and flowers. The flowers are so, so fragrant and remind me of Hawaii...my aunt had huge ones, and I mean huge ones (15ft/4.6m tall) in front of her house in Ewa Beach, HI., with many hundreds of flowers.

I absolutely LOVE Gardenia taitensis - Tahitian Gardenia; however, it's not too common here in San Diego....it's very, very tropical! Another very tropical but spectacular one is G. carinata - Golden Gardenia. I saw some in Hilo, Hawaii...and I wanted to eat the tree...it smelled sooo sweet! It grows to more than 30ft/10m tall in Hawaii and in it's native Malaysia can grow to 80ft/24m tall.