Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
The new Steady As She Goes Gardenia hybrid (Gardenia jasminoides) is bred to handle both heat and cold better than most. That is good news for gardeners who can’t get enough of the long-lasting fragrant flowers atop deep, glossy green leaves. This charmer produces elegant white flowers in spring and summer and its foliage stays on in winter for some deep green interest. As pretty as it smells, deer tend to ignore the shrub.
Steady As She Goes Gardenia blooms--well--steadily from spring through summer, and the continuous blooms need little help or time. All gardeners in zones 7 through 10 have to do is stop and smell the flowers! Place several of the nearly 5-foot high, 6-foot wide shrubs together to form a beautiful and aromatic border. Or add one to a patio container as the pot’s thriller and place it near where you enjoy cool summer evenings and the floral fragrance. It’s also a perfect focal plant, drawing the eye to the contrast of its soft white flowers and deep green foliage.
Steady As She Goes Gardenia Care
This gardenia flowers best when it gets full or partial sun of about 4 to 6 hours a day. It might benefit from some afternoon shade in the warmest of its growing regions, but Steady As She Goes is more heat tolerant than some gardenias. The soil should drain well and be more acidic than alkaline for best results.
This gardenia needs consistent watering and its flower buds will drop as a sign of too little water. Once past spring frost, feed with a balanced, extended-release fertilizer, preferably one intended for acid lovers like azaleas. Avoid fertilizing the shrub in fall. The shrub needs little pruning, but any trimming to remove dead or damaged branches should be done in spring. Avoid over-pruning.
Steady As She Goes Gardenia Spacing
For borders, space several of these gardenias according to their mature size, not their size at purchase. In general, place them at least 48 inches apart (from center to center) and up to 84 inches apart, depending on the effect you want (closer for a tight border or screen and further for a specimen plant.)
Steady As She Goes Gardenia Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 7 to 10 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Part Sun to Full Sun (5+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 3-5 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 4-7 Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Upright
- Water Needs
- Consistently Moist
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , White
- Flower Description
- White
- Bloom Time
- Late Spring to Fall
- Blooms On
-
Old Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Right after flowering
- Foliage Color
- Foliage Description
- Dark Green
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Spring Flowering, Summer Flowering, Fall Interest, Winter Interest, 3 Season Interest, 4 Season Interest
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Steady As She Goes Gardenia
- Botanical Name
- Gardenia jasminoides 'Prince Charles' USPP 29,304
- Brand
- Proven Winners
- Plant Type
- Shrub
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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We want your plants to arrive in great condition! If you notice any issues upon delivery, contact us within 3 days.
Starting January 1, 2026 all bushes, perennials & trees purchased come with an extended 1-year warranty for added confidence. If your plant dies due to a health issue within a year, we’ll make it right.
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!