Jasmine Plant: How to Grow and Care for the Plants

The jasmine plant is a favorite of many for its sweet-scent and small white flowers. Though it’s mostly planted outdoors, there are some varieties of the fragrant vines that can be grown indoors – even in a container.

How:

Let’s find out in this complete guide to jasmine plant care.

Quick Overview

Scientific NameJasminumLightFull sun to light shade
FamilyOleaceaeWaterModerate
OriginAsiaTemperatureWarm Zone
SoilWell-drainedHumidityHigh

The name ‘Jasmine’ is derived from the Persian word ‘Yasmin.’ It means a ‘Gift from God.’ in most part of the world, the plant is considered very symbolic. The Philippines feature the flowers of jasmine in weddings and religious ceremonies while in Thailand, the plant represents motherhood, love, and respect.

In India, the jasmine is considered the essence of mystery and magic with Indian women using the flower to strength their hair. It is also the national flower of Pakistan and Syria.

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Jasmine Plant Types

There are over 200 varieties of the jasmine flowers. These vary in their fragrance, growing environment, and care needs. Here, let’s take a look at some of the most common jasmine plant types.

Common Jasmine

Common Jasmine

 

Also known as the Poet’s Jasmine, this variety of flowers has one of the heaviest scented. Typically grown in vines, the common jasmine bears white flowers during the early summers. They grow in vine form and you can expect a healthy jasmine to grow 12 to 24 inches each year, eventually reaching a height of 10 to 15 feet.

This plant is relatively the most problem free, pest free, and disease free. Hardy to zone 7, the common jasmine enjoys a landscape with full sun to partial shade. For soil, choose a well-drained organic matter.

Arabian Jasmine

Jasmine Sambac or the Arab Jasmine is native to the Arab Peninsula. It is best suited for warm environments.

This type of jasmine is generally a shrub that grows around 4 to 6 feet in width and height. However, many gardeners are able to train these shrubs to grow vertically and create a beautiful display of multi-layered flowers and glossy, dark green leaves. The blooms of the Arabian jasmine often turn light pink when they reach maturity.

The Arabian jasmine is classified as an exotic invasive in Florida. It is the national flower of Philippines and Indonesia. The fluffy white flowers are very popular in Hawaii for making leis and jasmine tea.

Winter Jasmine

Winter Jasmine

Another popular jasmine plant type is the winter jasmine. The jasmine plant zone for this variety is between 6 and 7 while the growing period is late winter. This variety produces yellow blooms, rather than the traditional white. It is also non-fragrant than other varieties.

The winter jasmine is ideally trained to grow in trellis.

Pink Jasmine

Pink Jasmine

 

Native to the China, pink jasmine produces clusters of long-tubed light pink flowers. Its fragrance is also quiet rich and intense, when compared to other varieties.

Pink Jasmine is typically grown in long trailing vines with each expected to grow up to 20 feet tall. These plants do well in soils with draining capabilities while a sheltered area is necessary. It can bloom all year-round, but are more prominent during the spring season. This type of jasmine requires very minimal care except the regular maintenance.

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Gold Coast Jasmine

Unlike other varieties of jasmine plant that originate from Asian regions, this vine is common in Africa. Here, it produces pink-colored buds that bloom in six-petal white flowers on a backdrop of dark green leaves. These flowers grow year-round in warmer climates.

However, beware as the gold coast jasmine is an invasive plant and spreads rapidly. So if you are planning to experiment with one, make sure to keep extra space for its growth.

Dwarf Jasmine

As the name implies, a dwarf jasmine is a popular variety for growing jasmine plant indoor in a container. It grows about a foot tall with small stems that you can shape in the form of a topiary. It is an evergreen plant and produces lightly scented, five-petal yellow flowers year-round.

False Jasmine

Interestingly, you may find several plants that appear similar to the original jasmine flowers. However, they don’t actually belong to the Oleaceae family and only resemblance they bear is physical.

These include:

Star Jasmine

Commonly found in California, the star jasmine is a twining vine that grows all year round. It is touted as part of the jasmine family by home gardeners for its fragrance, similar to the original variety.

Its growing patterns are also similar to the authentic jasmine plants and thrives well in the USDA zone of 8 to 10. This plant prefers area that gets full sun and well-drained soil.

Gardenia

Gardenia

Another plant that is often mistaken for a jasmine is the gardenia plant. It is a popular plant in areas with a warmer climate and produces white flowers with thick fragrance – just like the jasmine.

However, they are actually part of the Rubiaceae that are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and Madagascar.

Night Blooming Jasmine

The night blooming jasmine has a strong fragrance, which is probably the main reason it shares the name jasmine. It belongs to the potato or the Solanaceae family and produces white-yellow tubular flowers that bloom at night.

Take caution when planting this plant as the heavy fragrance is known to cause asthma and respiratory issues in many. The strong odor can also aggravate nausea, migraines, and hay fever in humans.

Moreover, the night blooming jasmine may belong to the potato family but it is not edible in any way. In fact, the list of adverse effects from eating this flower is extensive and can be toxic to fish, cattle, and even us.

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Planting the Jasmine Plant

Planting the Jasmine Plant

Growing the fragrance flowers in both – indoors and outdoors environment require extra attention to the details. But the effort is definitely worth it in the end.

These plants require a warmer climate with an ideal jasmine plant zone falling between 9 and 11. Some varieties can also do well in a colder environment but you need to be extra careful to protect the plants from frost.

Although you can grow them in any season, I suggest taking advantage of the spring season – anytime during the month of April as the planting season for jasmine. However, the flowers don’t usually start blooming until its second month but you can expect one plant to give you almost 15 – 20 years of scented greenery.

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Where to Plant

As I mentioned before, jasmine thrive well in warmer place. Choose an area that is sheltered but gets a full sun. A south or south-west facing aspect is ideal for these plants. It is also a good idea to keep ample space for the plants growth as some type of jasmine grow vigorously.

If you are going for a jasmine plant indoor, aim to keep it in a warmer area that gets regular sunlight. They also prefer humid environment while the temperature should be kept between 60 and 75 Fahrenheit. You can change their place to a cooler area when the flowers start blooming but make sure to avoid aiming for a place lower than 41 degrees.

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Soil

Traditionally, jasmine flowers do well in soil that is well-drained. However, some varieties prefer a sandier version and I recommend reading up on the specific cultivator you choose before planting.

These plants are also heavy feeders so jasmine plant fertilizer should be on top of your care list. Ensure fertilizer twice a year using a product that is rich in potassium and phosphorus. You can change to a liquid fertilizer every few weeks during the spring and summers when the plants are in their growing stage. Increase fertilizers if you find the leaves turning yellow.

Water

Jasmine plants need a lot of water! So don’t be neglectful like you would for some other indoor plants. But of course, this doesn’t mean that you overwater the plant and allow the plants roots to soak in water.

Instead, keep a check on the soil to see its moisture levels and add water when it feels dry. Allow the planter to drain completely after each watering session and don’t leave it sitting in a tray full of water.

Training and Pruning

Another essential part of jasmine plant care is training. If you are growing a jasmine to climb like a trellis or fence, train the young vines by weaving the stems through the trellis section. You can also loosely tie them onto the fence or support so they grow vertically.

Pruning is also necessary to avoid overgrowth and crowding. You may be surprised to see that these plants are vigorous growers and with an added touch of jasmine plant fertilizers, these foliage will grow at a rapid fast speed.

It is best to prune the jasmines immediately after flowering season – in late summer or early autumn. If you are growing a winter variety, you can begin the pruning in spring. Simply cut back the stems that have flowered to a desired size.

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Propagation of the Jasmine

Propagation of the Jasmine

Propagating a jasmine is the best way to increase your plant collection. This also guarantees that the new plants you grow will be adaptable to your growing conditions and thrive well according to the local weather.

Similar to other plants, the jasmine can be propagated by either taking cuttings or jasmine seeds. Both methods produce healthy plants that can be later transferred to your indoor or outdoor garden.

Propagating via Cuttings

If you are planning to propagate via cutting, start by taking stem tips from a healthy plant. Make the cuttings about 6 inches long and cut each one directly below the leaf. Strip the leaves from the bottom and dip it in a rooting hormone powder.

Place the cutting into a planter filled with damp sand. Keep the planter in a plastic bag and in a room without direct sunlight.

You should start noticing the roots forming within a month, after which you can move the plant to the chosen growing location.

Jasmine Seeds

Some cultivators of jasmine do set seeds but there is no guarantee of their germination. Instead, purchase a packet of seeds according to the variety you want from your local nursery.

The seeds for jasmine should be started indoors before moving on to an outdoor location. Indoor jasmine can be started anytime of the year while 6 weeks before your last hard frost is suggested for outdoor planting.

Once you have obtained your seeds, soak them for about 24 hours before planting. Add them into a starting seed mix and cover with additional soil. You can also use a seed starting tray for proper distribution of heat and moisture.

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Keep the plant in an area that gets indirect sunlight of 8 – 10 hours. Water it daily and find them germinating within a month.

The plant can be moved to a planter once the seedling has reached 3 inches in height. However, many experts suggest keeping the jasmine as houseplant for the first year before moving it outdoors.

Pests and Diseases

Pests and Diseases

Jasmine plants are generally resistant to pests and diseases – especially when given optimal care. However there are some common issues that you may face such as:

Pests

The most common pests for the jasmine plant are mealy bugs, white flies, and root knot nematodes. Out of all, the latter is the most problematic for the flowers as they are hard to remove.

An application of nematodes is usually helpful in eradicating these pesty bugs. You can also spray Neem oil for other pests.

Diseases

Fungus is most widespread in jasmine flowers. If infected, this can even affect the soil and make the plant dormant.

To avoid this issue, make sure that you don’t water from the top. Instead, always add water to the soil so the leaves remain dry. Using a fungicide treatment on a regular basis will also reduce the occurrence of diseases.

You can go for the organic method as well by making a mixture of water and baking soda. To prepare this formula, take:

  • one gallon of water
  • one half teaspoon of liquid soap (mild)
  • one tbsp. of baking soda

Spray the plants susceptible to fungus, including jasmine on a weekly basis. But remember that this is a preventive strategy and may not do much for plants that have already been infected. If you are using the fungicide for the first time, test a little on a plant to ensure that you don’t burn or harm the plants in any way.

Additionally, the homemade fungicide goes bad quickly so only make batches for one time use.

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Jasmine Plant Benefits

Jasmine flowers are often added to condiments for flavoring. The oils extracted from its leaves and flowers can also be included to perfumery and cosmetics.

Due to its unique scent, jasmine flowers are used to make jewelry and hair ornaments. The tradition of wearing jewelry made from jasmine flowers is very prominent in Asian countries, especially by the bride.

Moreover, Butterflies and bees are huge fans of jasmine. They enjoy pollinating the plant which ultimately results in the plants bearing black berries – the fruit of jasmine.

Jasmine Tea

Jasmine Tea

Jasmine plant benefits are vast when it comes to medicinal purposes. In fact, jasmine tea is often used for many health issues including:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Prevention of cancer
  • Increasing immunity
  • Treating constipation
  • Reducing stress
  • Improving sleep
  • Healing injuries
  • Overcoming dengue
  • And enhancing the overall health

To prepare the tea, add fresh jasmine flowers to a jar half-filled with green or black tea leaves. Close the lid and let it sit for at least a day. Prepare the tea as you normally make using the tea leaves.

Keep in mind that even though there are no adverse effects reported from extensive use of jasmine, natural products are not always necessarily safe. Be sure to consult your pharmacist or physician before using the herb and keep in mind your overall health as well as age before using. Do not use if you are pregnant or nursing.

It is also a good idea to start with low doses and increase intake to a moderate level. Always remember that any product containing jasmine is very potent so don’t make more than you need.

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Happy Planting!

And there you have everything you wanted to know about the floral-scented jasmine plant. Good luck with your plants and let me know your experience in the comments section below!

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