Asiatic Jasmine

OK, so you have some barren areas in your garden that badly need some green. Maybe it’s out in the sun, or deep in the shade beneath trees. Could be flat earth, a slope, or even a vertical surface of trellis or fencing. Right, got it. If you live in warmer parts of the country, including those places with hot, humid summers, we have the answer – Asiatic Jasmine. You might have already seen it around, but trust us, this is the answer when you want green but you don’t want fuss. Very similar to the Confederate Jasmine, you can most-easily tell them apart when your Asiatic Jasmine flowers – they will be creamy white with lots of yellow in the center, not pure white. Grow this no-fuss plant in the dry areas beneath your trees, or on a boring, ugly fence. It takes the work and worry out of gardening, and brings in easy living. Relax, let the plants do the work.

Growing Asiatic Jasmine

Size and Appearance

Asiatic Jasmine is an evergreen vine that is just as happy on the ground as it is growing up a trellis or tree. It will grow to about 20 feet – up or across, so it just takes a few plants to cover a large fence. It is fast growing, and soon gets the job done. The slender stems race across the ground or twine up a trellis, and they are covered in leathery leaves that are glossy and oval, with a smooth edge. They are bright green and always attractive, all year round. When grown with some direct sun, this plant will flower in summer. In July and August clusters of flowers sprout along the upper parts of the stems, giving out a wonderful fragrance of jasmine, although this plant is not the true jasmine at all. The flowers are like stars or windmills, with 5 spreading petals, a bit less than an inch across. The flowers are creamy-white, with a pronounced central heart of bright yellow. The perfume is wonderful and will magically spread through your garden, especially in the evenings. The seed heads that often develop are not really noticeable, but birds love to eat the seeds in them.

Using Asiatic Jasmine in Your Garden

Asiatic Jasmine is definitely the go-to choice when you have difficult areas of ground to cover, or a dull or ugly fence to deal with. Put trellis panels between your windows and grow it over a boring wall. Train it up a tree – it’s a great way to camouflage a dead one. It is especially useful for areas of dry soil in shade, which it will transform. Notice that it doesn’t like to be walked on, so don’t use it in areas with foot traffic. It tolerates salt too, so you can plant it at the beach. Even if you don’t even have a garden, use it spilling out of a planter box, or for a simple, effective window box in the shade. It can even be grown in pots in a dark room indoors, or in a porch.

Hardiness

Asiatic jasmine is hardy in warmer parts of zone 7, and thrives through all the warmer zones, including Florida, the Gulf and places with hot, humid summers.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Asiatic Jasmine will grow in full sun, but there may be some yellowing of the leaves. It prefers partial shade, perhaps in the afternoon, or light full shade, such as beneath tall trees. Although you will see the best growth in moist, fertile soil, don’t worry if you don’t have that – it will grow in almost all conditions, even poor and dry soil. Established plants are drought tolerant, and also tolerate some salt spray.

Maintenance and Pruning

This plant is untroubled by pests or diseases, and deer normally leave it alone. Water new plants regularly, especially in poor soil, and some fertilizer in spring is helpful too, until your plants become established, which takes a year or two. After that it will take off and need nothing more from you. If you need to cover a large area, spacing plants 3 feet apart is ideal, as it will cover in a couple of years. Along a fence, 5-foot spacing will be fine.

History and Origin of Asiatic Jasmine

The Asiatic Jasmine, Trachelospermum asiaticum, was first described in Western terms in 1825 by Philipp Franz von Siebold. He was a German naturalist and a doctor, who was able to study the plants of Japan at a time when the country was almost completely closed to outsiders. It can be found wild all the way from India to Korea, and south into Malaysia. It is unlikely that von Siebold actually send any plants back to Europe, but there were many introductions later in the 19th century, so it probably was first grown in America during those years. Closely related to the Confederate Jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides, the two plants are often confused.

Buying the Asiatic Jasmine at the Tree Center

For reliable cover on the ground and on fences, look no further than the Asiatic Jasmine. You’ll love that gorgeous summer perfume, and the carpet of glossy green it creates. Don’t hesitate to order, our stock won’t last long, and this is one plant that never disappoints.