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Fragrant PlantsTexas Gardening
ladybug9a

Need suggestions for part shade

7 years ago

As I await the inevitable demise of my 3 gardenia Radicans, I would like to think about alternatives for this area. This is a slightly raised bed, and the plantings are additionally raised. My gardenias were planted late last fall, they did great until two weeks ago and suddenly started declining. We had a lot of rain, no additional water, but the bed is moist. My camellias are doing fine, one succumbed to whiteflies earlier this year, rest do good with hundreds of flowers. I am looking for small, naturally rounded or so evergreen shrubs with fragrant flowers with the longest bloom time I can get away with. While the area drains ok, we do get copious amounts of rainfall and they need to be able to shrug that off...I believe my gardenias are not able to handle this. Area remains bright all day with a few hours of direct sun and is protected on two sides by the house. I would love some alternatives to my beloved soon to be late gardenias...

Featured Answer
  • 7 years ago

    If the leaves are turning yellow it's probably Chlorosis.

    It needs iron or use a fertilizer for high acid loving plants. I would spray it on.

    My old gardenia needed fertilizer after all of the rain we had in the spring.


    Comments (8)

    • 7 years ago

      Memetexas, I gave them some iron, but I am not hopeful. I am starting to see some brown leaves. To make things worse, we have more rain coming...


      I am heartbroken since they were doing so well, but even with my camellias, it took a few tries to get the right variety for the spot, so wondering if either other varieties of smaller gardenias are more tolerant or should I look for something else.

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    • 7 years ago
      last modified: 7 years ago

      Mine is the old standard and is in the shade under a tree outside of my kitchen window. It's about 5' tall and about 40+ years old!.

      Have you tried amending the soil with cow manure and peat moss?


      Our soil is usually gumbo so it needs amending.

      ladybug A 9a Houston area thanked memetexas
    • 7 years ago
      last modified: 7 years ago

      Our bed was amended and we raised it as well. They were doing spectacularly well until about 10 days ago. The change was so sudden, its shocking to me.

      I am upset, but need to move on and think about what I can replace them when they completely die.


      Eta: 40 years old...wow...I seriously envy you! My garden in young, previous owners did not have anything much..

    • 7 years ago
      last modified: 7 years ago

      Meme, I wonder if that old gardenia that every body had years ago was 'August beauty'. They grew tall and some of them went for years even in San Antonio, but that was more on the south side. I'm on the NW side at the beginning of the hill country with all its rocks and limy soil and water and could never get them to last over a year or two. Love that fragrance, but vowed to stop trying to grow them. I think MsRed Byrd Irene grew a single petaled one that did well for her. I've seen singles for sale at Lowes.

      ladybug A 9a Houston area thanked roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    • 7 years ago
      last modified: 7 years ago

      Thank you Roselee, August Beauty is an old Gardenia? Interesting, thanks for that info.

      Rekha, if you want to replace and already have the bed ready for high acid, you might like Azaleas. There is the standard old type called Formosa like I have but they only bloom in the spring. You might like the Encore Azaleas that bloom over and over all year long.

      ladybug A 9a Houston area thanked memetexas
    • 7 years ago

      Yes, August beauty was 'the standard' for a long time. It's still sold.

      ladybug A 9a Houston area thanked roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    • 7 years ago

      Yes, mine was August Beauty... It is not doing well at all. My yard man said he will take it.

      ladybug A 9a Houston area thanked MsRed Byrd
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