The vegetative propagation in vitro of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, an ornamental shrub producing secondary metabolites useful in perfumery and pharmacy, has been investigated. In the presence of benzylaminopurine (0.3 to 1 mg l(-1)) and indoleacetic acid (1 mg l(-1)), axillary shoots arose from nodes of greenhause plants, but a decrease of morphogenic activity was noticed in subcultures. Mother plants have been developed in vitro from which shoots may be taken with the most effective system being a monthly subculture of nodal explants. As many as one million shoots per year could, theoretically, be produced from one shoot grown in vitro. Rooting occurred easily in three weeks in vitro in the presence of indoleacetic acid (1 mg l(-1)) and charcoal (2 g l(-1)) or in vivo by soaking the base of the shoot in the same auxin for two hours. After acclimatization, the rooted plants developed and flowered normally. The successive stages have been sufficiently well monitored to be used as an effective means of vegetative propagation.