Pruning a Gardenia

Question

I have an older Gardenia bush that is about 4′ tall. This winter we had a few hard freezes, which is unusual for Benson, AZ. My Gardenia has dropped all its leaves and just has a few very small green branches on a few of the old branches. Do I need to cut the bush back to a few feet to help it recover, or what? I can’t tell if the old branches are still green or alive.

Answer 1

This cold has damaged many plants this year. You can cut it back but be aware that the buds will have been damaged and it is unlikely you will get flowers this year. These articles will help you as well: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/tips-for-saving-cold-damaged-plants.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/gardenia/when-to-prune-a-gardenia.htm