Bitterroot Restoration

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Common name: Gandharaj(Beng.); Cape jasmine(Eng.).
Life cycle: Perennial
Native Range: Gardenia jasminoides originated in Asia and is most commonly found growing in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan, Japan and India.

Gardenia jasminoides is a fragrant flowering evergreen tropical plant, a favorite in gardens worldwide. They are evergreen shrubs and small trees growing to 1–15 metres (3.3–49 ft) tall. Their leaves are opposite or in whorls of three or four, 5–50 centimetres (2.0–20 in) long and 3–25 centimetres (1.2–9.8 in) broad, dark green and glossy with a leathery texture. Their flowers are solitary or in small clusters, white, or pale yellow, with a tubular-based corolla with 5-12 lobes (petals) from 5–12 centimetres (2.0–4.7 in) diameter. The white flowers bloom in spring and summer and are highly fragrant. They are followed by small oval fruit.

It fructus (fruit) is used within Traditional Chinese Medicine to "drain fire" and thereby treat certain febrile conditions.