Gardenia taitensis
DC.
Rubiaceae
Gardenia weissichii H.St.John
Common Name:
Close-up of the flower
Photograph by: Viriditas
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Close-up of the flower
Photograph by: Viriditas
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Flowers and leaves
Photograph by: troy mckaskle
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
Cultivated and trimmed, flowering plants
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
General Information
Gardenia taitensis is an evergreen shrub or small, gnarled tree that can grow up to 6 metres tall[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild as a medicine and source of wood. It is a widely grown ornamental in the tropics that is also used as a hedge and is cultivated in the Pacific for its aromatic flowers, which are used to scent coconut oil and as garlands and leis[
,
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Southwest Pacific - Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga, Niue and Wallis-Futuna Island
Habitat
Woodlands and thickets, often near the coast[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
]. Sea cliffs and rocky islets, almost always on limestone[
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Plants are relatively salt-tolerant[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
].
The flowers are strongly perfumed[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
].
The plant is the national flower of the Cook Islands and Tahiti[
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
An infusion of the flowers is used to treat certain kinds of headaches[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant is sometimes grown as a hedge[
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
].
Other Uses
The aromatic flowers are used to give a pleasant scent to coconut oil when used for giving massages[
].
The flowers are also used for making leis, necklaces and as an ornament in the hair[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
].
The wood is carved into bows, cricket balls, netting needles and gauges[
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
