Q: My husband’s grandmother passed away and we were given a gardenia. Can I plant the gardenia in winter?

A: Most florists’ gardenias are selections of the common southern gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides. In all likelihood, yours was grown in a greenhouse and would be severely damaged by winter cold. In April, find a sunny spot where you often walk past and plant the gardenia there.

Gardenias in the South

Gardenias in Florida