JASMINE

JASMINUM POLYANTHUM

This stunning climber has small, dark green leaves and panicles of highly scented, white flowers that start as pink buds. Jasmine’s exceptional blooms will appear in midwinter and last a month or more, providing that feel-good factor when the days are short, dark, and cold.

HEIGHT 10ft (3m)

SPREAD 10ft (3m)

FLOWERS White, scented

FOLIAGE Dark green

LIGHT Filtered sun

TEMPERATURE 50–75°F (10–24°C)

CARE Fairly easy

PLACE OF ORIGIN Southwest China

CARE

Jasmine enjoys low humidity and filtered sunlight, making it ideal for a cool room or conservatory but inappropriate for rooms with central heating, which is too dry. If growing in a room other than a conservatory, give it plenty of space and something to climb up; if growing in a conservatory, train it along galvanized wires attached to the house wall.

Plant jasmine in a generous container, especially if growing it up a wall as repotting will be tricky. It’s much easier to remove tired potting mix from the top of the pot in spring and replace it with fresh mix. An enriched potting mix with a few handfuls of perlite is ideal. Keep the potting mix moist in the spring and summer and reduce a little in winter, but if you see flower buds forming, increase watering slightly again. Applying balanced liquid fertilizer every two weeks between spring and fall will encourage the plant’s much-admired blooms. Jasmine is a vigorous plant—keep it to a manageable size by cutting back after flowering.

A happy jasmine will be covered with scented blooms in winter.

PROBLEM SOLVING Jasmine is rarely affected by pests and diseases. The foliage will start to look shabby and turn yellow if it’s underwatered, not given enough light, or if the plant gets too hot. Dry air from central heating will also affect the health of the foliage. Cool nights, such as those offered by an unheated conservatory, are perfect.

DISPLAY

If growing this plant in a home that you don’t intend to stay in for long, train it up a wire frame that slots into the pot rather than training up a wall. A wall can be covered in foliage fairly quickly, especially if you plant your jasmine with other plants that enjoy low humidity and filtered sunlight, such as grape ivy and devil’s ivy.

Jasmine buds are pink, but the results are pure white blooms.

Houseplants A–Z | JASMINE