Gardenia's in Zone 7 NJ

Today Jan 13th 2021. Planted 2017
Cultivar ‘Kleims Hardy’ or ‘Frost Proof’, One was killed by FIL in 2018 didn’t label or record.

Resembles Klehm’s Hardy, but I don’t know that I’ve seen ‘Frostproof’.

Thanks, when I planted them I did note one cultivar had rounder leaves and the other was elongated.

actually based on the pictures I think this might be the FrostProof

Image from Gardenia.net (frostproof)

(Klehm’s)

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I had kleims Hardy before. Once it started to bloom it’s very easy to tell apart from kleims to frostftoof. As I recall, the kleims hardy leaves are a bit small. If I could dig up a photo I would post here

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Yes and it’s not “hardy” at 0 F degrees…not for me it wasn’t. Klehm’s does have roundish leaves and they aren’t as shiny as many gardenias. They just don’t work out here in Kentucky.
I lived in North Carolina for a short spell and gardenias are lovely there.

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I have both. I actually have 6 gardenias in ground here also zone 7.
Your first photo does not look like frostproof because frostproof has very narrow leaves. It is very unique.
Only double mint has similar leaves. But your photo is not close up, so I am not 100% sure. The other gardenias all have wider leaves.

I really like frostproof because it grows really well here. And abundance of flowers.

Here is a recent photo of frostproof. See if it matches yours.

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Yes…I’ve not personally grown FrostProof … may be should try it. Especially if Kentucky winters are going to stay above zero. (Which I seriously doubt…some winter we’ll be back to -20 again).

Could it be a mis-labeled plant? It’s growth habit more closely resembles Klehm’s Hardy to my eyes…but the original photo posted for ID doesn’t really match up to either. Klehm’s isn’t one you want to grow if you are zone 7b to 10…there are much nicer options. It’s a bit leggy between leaf nodes and leaves are dullish.

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Snow human or plow broke the tp off but otherwise it came though the 2+ft of snow with out a problem.

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I’m pretty sure in zone 6 every gardenia bit the dust in 2014-2015 when we got near 20 below.
This winter they would have been fine.