Mary deFrancesco, age 13, of Dotham, Ala., for her question:

HOW DID THE GARDENIA GET ITS NAME?

Gardenia is a shrub or small tree that bears very fragrant, waxy, white flowers. The popular plant was named in honor of Alexander Garden, a Scottish naturalist who collected botanical specimens in South Carolina before the Reolutionary War in America.

You'll find the gardenia in many locations.

It is very sensitive to temperature. The flower buds form best when the temperatures are about 62 degrees Fahrenheit. The leaves become yellow and unhealthy at lower temperatures.

A moist atmosphere is also desirable for the gardenia. That is why many of the plants are raised in greenhouses or conservatories where temperatures can be controlled.

The beautiful gardenia blossoms are double. Varieties used for corsages are Belmont, Hadley and McLellans 23. Veitchi, a small flowered form of gardenia, grows as a potted plant.

The gardenia is often called Cape jasmine because it smells like jasmine and was first brought to England form Cape Colony in Africa.