They have a rounded habit with very dense branches with opposite leaves that are lanceolate-oblong, leathery or gathered in groups on the same node and by a dark green, shiny and slightly waxy surface and prominent veins.

With its shiny green leaves and heavily fragrant white summer flowers, it is widely used in gardens in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates.

German-Dutch botanist Georg Rumphius had seen Gardenia jasminoides on the island of Amboina (Ambon), noting in his Herbarium Amboinense around 1700 that it was a "delightful ornament" called catsjopiri or catsjopiring in Malay.

[5][6] Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus recognized the value of Rumphius' work and assigned his student Olaf Stickman to study it.

[8] English naturalist John Ellis described Gardenia jasminoides in 1761,[9] having realised on dissecting the flower that it was not closely related to jasmine and warranted a new genus.

[12] American botanist Elmer D. Merrill followed Stickman with Gardenia augusta in 1917;[7] however, Rumphius' original work was later deemed insufficient to describe the species, so these names are nomina nuda.

[14] London nurseryman Conrad Loddiges described a form he had in cultivation as Gardenia angustifolia in 1821, holding it to be distinct on the basis of its narrow leaves.

There, Daniel Des Marets, Superintendent of the Dutch estates of William III, collected material that ended up in the herbarium of English naturalist Hans Sloane in the 1680s.

[5] Swedish naturalist Daniel Solander reported that the living species was brought to the United Kingdom (UK) from the Cape Colony in 1744 on the British East India Ship Godolphin by Captain William Hutchenson, who gave it to botanist Richard Warner of Woodford Row, Essex.

[11] Warner, however, was unable to propagate it until the botanist John Ellis recommended James Gordon, a gardener at Mile End.

[21][22] Highly regarded for its fragrant summer flowers and attractive foliage, it is used as a specimen feature or as a hedging or screening plant.

[23] Unlike other varieties, G. 'Golden Magic' bears flowers which change to a golden yellow relatively early after opening white.

[31] G. 'Summer Snow' is (Patent number PP22797) a cultivar tolerant to USDA Zone 6 that grows to 1.5 m (5 ft) high with flowers to 11 cm (4.5 in) diameter.

[citation needed] In China, the petals are used in tea for their aroma, while a yellow-red dye used in textiles and sweets has been extracted from the pulp of the fruit.

[5] Gardenia jasminoides fructus (fruit) is used in traditional Chinese medicine to "drain fire" and treat certain febrile conditions.

[33] Shishihakuhito is a Chinese herbal medicine mainly composed of gardenia fruit and is used to treat atopic dermatitis.

[34] In 2020, a case of someone who had developed blue-gray discoloration of the skin as a result of chronic intake of gardenia fruit extract was published.

[38] The fully matured fruit were found to contain crocin in a concentration of 4.5 mg of total crocetin derivatives per gram (dry weight), and can be used as a yellow dye[18] to color clothing and food.

[41] Giving reference to Meitei King Khagemba and the Manipur Kingdom, the beauty and grace of Lei Kabok, also called Kabok Lei (Gardenia jasminoides[42]), is described by Meitei King Charairongba, in his literary work, "Leiron" (Meitei: ꯂꯩꯔꯣꯟ) which is an account on the description of 100 flowers and orchids, endemic as well as exotic species in Kangleipak,[43] as follows: It is a flower that remains ever fresh as not eaten by worms and is fondly sought after in the four corners of the country, eight directions, nay in all quarters.