The difference between water gardenia and yellow gardenia

1. Leaf Difference

The leaves of water gardenia are opposite or arranged in whorls of three. The leaves are lanceolate, 7 to 14 cm long, leathery, bright in color, and have membranous stipules.

The leaves of yellow gardenia are opposite or in whorls of 3. The leaves are leathery, oblong-lanceolate or printed-lanceolate. The tip of the leaves gradually becomes pointed or short-acuminate, the base is cuneate, entire, with a short petiole and stipules, which are membranous.

2. Flower Differences

The flowers of water gardenia grow solitarily in the leaf axils. The flowers have short stalks, cylindrical calyx, and 5 to 6 white petals.

The flowers of yellow gardenia grow solitarily on branches, with pedicels 3 to 5 mm long, calyx tubes that are inverted cones or ovates, 5 to 25 mm long, and corollas that are white or creamy yellow and saucer-shaped.