The History of Gardenias

Gardenias are native to China, where the flowers have been cultivated for over 1,000 years. The plants were introduced to the United States from Asia in 1761. They were first cultivated on American soil at the plantation of John Ellis in South Carolina. From there, the flowers traveled to England and spread throughout the rest of the United States as well. Ellis reportedly named the flowers in honor of his friend, a Charleston physician named Dr. Alexander Garden. Originally, gardenias were cultivated for the cut flower industry and used in fragranced corsages, but over time, they became very popular in home gardens. Today, they are grown in backyard gardens and arboretums in many different parts of the world.