Tiaré

The Tahitian gardenia, Tiaré, originated from Melanesia and Western Polynesia. Native to the highland shores of the South Pacific, it has the distinction of being one of the few cultivated plants native to Polynesia. It is the national flower of French Polynesia and the Cook Islands.

Tiaré is an evergreen tropical shrub that grows from 6 to 8 feet tall. The waxy dark green leaves are oppositely arranged along the stem. The 3 to 5 inch flower is fragrant, white and pinwheel-shaped, most often with 7 petals.

Tiaré is drought tolerant and fares well in tropical conditions. It blooms late in the spring and summer.

Traditional Cultural and Medicinal Usages

• The flower has been used to relieve earaches, headaches and different forms of eczema
• Floral perfume