How to Grow Jasmine: The Complete Jasmine Flower Guide (2024)

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How to Grow Jasmine: The Complete Jasmine Flower Guide (1)

Botanical Name

Jasminum spp.

Plant Type

Trees, Shrubs, and Vine

Sun Exposure

Full Sun

Part Sun

Bloom Time

Summer

Flower Color

Pink

White

Yellow

Hardiness Zone

7

8

9

10

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Planting, Growing, and Caring For Jasmine Flowers

Catherine Boeckmann

How to Grow Jasmine: The Complete Jasmine Flower Guide (2)

The sweetly-scented jasmine flower can filla room or a garden with its heady scent. Though jasmine is a vine usually grown outdoors, some varieties can also begrown as houseplants. There is some confusion regarding jasmine and which variety is fragrant. Read more about growingjasmine.

Jasmine can be pruned as a shrub near the house or a walk so that its intense fragrance can be enjoyed by passersby as well as the hummingbirds and butterflies that are drawn to the flowers. The genus Jasminum contains more than 200 vines andshrubs.

Types ofJasmine

Common jasmine or Poet’s jasmine (Jasminum officinale), also called True Jasmine, is a deciduous vine with clusters of starry, pure-white flowers that bloom all summer.It’s a twining climber with rich green leaves that have five to nine leaflets, each up to 2½ inches long. The very fragrant flowers are up to 1 inch indiameter.

Hardytozone7, the vine grows vigorously ( 1 to 2 feet per year, up to 20 feet) and looks stunning climbing alarge pergola, fence, or very large trellis. In the landscape, jasmine can also be pruned as a shrub near the house or near a walk so its intense fragrance can be enjoyed and so you can watch hummingbirds and butterflies come to the flowers. Common Jasmine is native toAsia.

How to Grow Jasmine: The Complete Jasmine Flower Guide (3)

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) is an “old-timey” shrub often found around Victorian homes. The beautiful yellow flowers are unscented, 1-inch wide, and they appear in winter or early spring before the leaves unfold. Winter jasmine is a good bank cover that will spread by rooting where the stems touch the soil. It is also very attractive when planted above retaining walls, with the branches cascading over the side. Hummingbirds love this vigorousvine!

Most other Jasminum species are semi-tropical vines, which are best planted in the spring after the danger of frost haspassed.

Not a TrueJasmine

Star jasmine or Confederate jasmine look similar but are not true jasmines. It is actually native to China and is known scientifically asTrachelospermum jasminoides. Hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 7B through 10, the phlox-like flowers bloom on twining stems in spring and summer and are highlyscented.

How to Grow Jasmine: The Complete Jasmine Flower Guide (4)

Read Next

  • Having a Vine Time with Perennial Vines

  • How to Grow a Clematis Vine

  • Clematis Varieties: From Climbing Vines to Bush Types

Planting

  • All summer-flowering jasmines prefer full sun to partial shade; winter or early spring bloomers do fine in partial shade. The ideal planting position should be warm, sunny, andsheltered.
  • Jasmines have few soil requirements: They like moderately fertile, loamy, sandy, and moisture-retaining yet well- draining soil with a moderately acidic, alkaline, or neutralpH.
  • Most Jasminum species are semitropical vines, best planted in spring after the danger of frost ispassed.
  • Plant in-ground anytime from June to November. Dig only so deep that the plant crown is level with the soil surface. Container plants are best planted in thefall.
  • If grown as a twiningvine, jasmine will need to be supported on an arbor or trellis.
  • As a shrub, jasmine can get lanky and semi-vining, so it needs frequent pruning.Common jasmine grows to a height of 10 to 15 feet as a lanky, semi-vining shrub, growing 12 to 24 inches a year. Winter jasmine shrubs grow to 4 feet high and 7 feetwide.
  • If you’re going to grow jasmine as a shrub border, you can set them at least 8 feetapart.

Jasmine as aHouseplant

  • Place in a partly sunny spot to encourage robust growth. Indoors, space near a window and provide a trellis or support. Place soon-to-bloom jasmine in a partly sunny spot. After it blooms, place it near a south-facingwindow.
  • Indoors, jasmineneeds to stay cool with well-circulated air. Try to keep the temperature between 60 to 75 degreesFahrenheit.
  • Humidity is important. Set the plant pot on a tray of pebbles or gravel; add water to the top of the stones. Run a humidifier, ifpossible.
  • Water only when the top inch of potting mix is dry to thetouch.
  • Plant jasmine in porous material as well as bark, peat, and other soil that drains well. Soil needs to be moist but notsoggy.

Growing

  • Tie the vine’s stems to a fairly heavysupport.
  • Pinch the tips to stimulate lateral growth and prune after flowering if necessary to restraingrowth.
  • If the vine is grown as a groundcover, trim the upward-twining stems. Additional plants can be propagated from stemcuttings.
  • Water once per week, increasing frequency or volume during dry periods. During the summer, allow the soil to be moist and let it dry between waterings. Water less in fall. In winter and spring months, keep the plant slightlydry.
  • Prune out thin, old shoots after flowering (which is spring) to shape theplant.

Jasmine as aHouseplant

  • Jasmine plants like water.The soil should always be slightly moist, but notsoggy.
  • Fertilize jasmine twice a year with fertilizer that is rich in potassium and phosphorus. During the growing season of spring and summer, liquid fertilizer can be fed to the plant every fewweeks.
  • Keep jasmine under control with proper pruning, especially at the beginning of spring. Remember, jasmine is a climbingvine!
  • Repot in springtime. Prune the roots when moving to fresh soil, asneeded.

Types

  • The Jasmine cultivar ‘Argenteovariegatum’ with cream-white variegation on the leaves, has gained theRoyal Horticultural Society’sAward of Garden Merit. It’s cold-hardy, deer-resistant, and smells heavenly. In June, a massive display of pink buds opens to powerfully fragrant sugar-white flowers. Bloom continues through August. Very pretty multidimensional vine for a large pergola, fence, or very large trellis. The flowers are most fragrant in the evenings and morning. Very stable variegation. Adaptable to full sun to dappled shade. Light summer water in rich to average soil, including clay soil. Regular summer water speeds growth and establishment in the firstsummer.
  • If you’re growing jasmine as a houseplant,Jasminum polyanthum is the variety commonly used when growing jasmine indoors. It has a sweet aroma, especially in theevening.

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Wit and Wisdom

  • In Hawaii, jasmine and ginger blossoms are often used in leis to celebrate Lei Day on May1.
  • Jasmine’s scentis thought to be calming andsoothing.
  • Theessential oilofJasminum officinaleis known as the ‘King of Oils’andhas been used to aide the quality of sleep, reduce anxiety, and reducedepression.
  • It’s also an age-old herbal medicine and healing agent that has been used for antiseptic or anti-inflammatorypowers.

Pests/Diseases

  • Common jasmine is relatively problem free, pest free, and diseasefree.
  • Winter jasmine can be affectedby spider mites. If this happens, cut them to the ground after blooming and discard the infested plant material. Feed the crowns to stimulate newgrowth.
  • Yellowish leaves indicate the need for fertilizer, which should be applied inspring.
  • For houseplants, look out for mealybugs (white, cottony masses under leaves and on stems). To remove, use a cotton swab dipped inalcohol.

Flowers

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

How to Grow Jasmine: The Complete Jasmine Flower Guide (6)

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Comments

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I have a inside jasmine tree i have had it for years we moved a year ago & it has not done well I have in a south west window with lots of sun the leafs are turning yellow & dropping I have feed it.I'm afraid to trim it.Please help I do not want to lose it!!!

  • Reply

HiSue,

Sorry to hear about your jasmine plant. There are a number of reasons why your jasmine has yellow leaves that are dropping. Too much or too little water can be an issue, as can soil that does not drain well. It is best to create a schedule for watering and make sure not to water toooften.

Your plant also may lack key nutrients in the soil. You might want to test the pH of your soil to see what your plant needs. A lack of nitrogen can cause yellowing leaves. If you have not done so recently, you could also repot it to give the roots fresh soil. The best time to repot is in thespring.

Exposing your jasmine to too much sun can also cause leaves to yellow. You want it to be in a location that gets partialsun.

As with most plants, jasmine has a certain lifespan and yellowing of leaves can be part of the natural aging process. But don’t be too alarmed because jasmine can lose its leaves in thefall.

  • Reply

Would you know where I could find common jasmine seeds? I am having a difficult time tracking them down.

  • Reply

Go to Etsy. They have everything

  • Reply

I have a couple of 20W LED corn bulbs that I used to use to QC paint jobs, and I bought a 100 LED grow light to make a grow station. I plan to use it to get my cucumbers big enough before transplant to defeat The Evil Powdery Mildew that's plagued me for the last three years running (bought some resistant-seeds this time, too). I picked up a kalanchoe on a whim, and now I find that I'd like to grow some showy and fragrant flowers after planting time hits. Will jasmine do okay under bright lights with cool conditions? It's in a basem*nt. Thanks!

  • Reply

Hi! I was wondering if anyone knew of any good uses for the jasmine flower or any other parts of the plant as I have a large supply of them dried. I have been putting them in my tea, but I have so many that I would like to know if there any better uses. Also, does anyone know of the benefits of eating this plant? I found some stuff on the internet and not a lot of it is proven, but I would trust a testimonial. Best wishes!

  • Reply

I collect them for my daughter. She makes soaps, balms, essential oils, teas, perfume among other things. Having the plant is good for both of us. Hope this helps.

  • Reply

Hi Emily, To chip in here … Note that only jasmine officinale is edible.If you live in the South do not mistake “Carolina Jasmine” for real Jasmine. It is “false Jasmine” aka Gelsemium Sempervirens andconsidered too poisonous for humanconsumption.

We like making sachets of dried flowers. Here’s how to make sachets.

The edible flowers of jasmine officinale are intensely fragrant and are traditionally used for scenting tea, as you know. In North America, jasmine is rarely used in foods however, you’ll see it in Thai cuisine and especially in seafood dishes. Jasmine flower is also use to make sweet syrups for desserts.See recipes from yummly, a popular recipesite.

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We would like to put a garden container on a second story porch to let the plants spill over and soften the heft of the porch.
Can jasmine vines climb down instead of up? Any vine, as a matter of fact.

  • Reply

I have a 15 year old jasmine hedge that has become overly thick and woody. It is pruned regularly but over time the stems have become thick and the hedge is several feet thick. It's about 8 feet tall, covering a fence. If we prune back to, say, a foot thick hedge almost all leafs will be eliminated. Will the plant resprout? Our climate is mild enough that the plants grow year-round.

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How to Grow Jasmine: The Complete Jasmine Flower Guide (2024)

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