can you identify this blooming shrub

[doctoroe]

I planted seeds a few years ago and the shrubs are just blooming for the first time this year. Anyone know what they might be? The plants are about 6 feet tall. The leaves are oval shiny and green. Flowers are rather fragile looking white and yellow: photo:

[David E. Ross]

and bulblike plants, cactus, grasses, palms), but the leaves (the oval ones) are clearly those of a dicot (herbacious and woody perennials and shrubs).

The flowers and leaves resemble pearl bush (Exochorda) except pearl bush flowers have 5 petals.

[doctoroe]

Thanks it is definitely not a pearl bush. A friend said it might be some type of Gardenia, but these blooms are very puny compared to most domestic gardenias I've seen.

[FarmI]

Actually I thought 'gardenia' too when I first saw it. BUT I don't live in an area where gardenias can grow and I didn't think they got to 6ft from seeds in just a couple of years anyway but since I know nothing about them, I couldn't comment other than to say that I too had gardenia as a first thought. After that I thought perhaps 'magnolia' but I can't grow them either here except for the boring old deciduous ones.

Look forward to finding out what it is.

[Garrapata]

What I thought too

[David Hare-Scott]

My first reaction was gardenia. How does it smell?

David

[mumingxiao]

can see two types of this flower in japan: one that have flowers of double petals and the other that have flowers of single petals. Both have the same frangrance but this latter one has a distinct nature of bearing fruits in Winter. It is so common that we use this fruits as a coloring to make japanese cuisine: 'kuri-kinton' (sweet chestnuts).

[kebunya]

Gardenia taitensis

[doctoroe]

[doctoroe]

Thanks to all who offered suggestions on this plant. I am fairly sure it is some form of Gardenia, but not taitensis since that is more of a tropical and this plant seems to thrive in our zone 7 climate including overnight lows below 20 in NC. I plan to move these trees to better places in the yard this fall. Growing trees from seeds is fun, but make sure you keep good records so you don't forget what they are, like I did!