Common jasmine

Common jasmine: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Twining climber up to 4–6 m with long, thin twigs; without support it forms a loose, arching shrub.

Leaf

Opposite, pinnate with 5–9 pointed leaflets of 1–6 cm; partly evergreen in mild winters.

Twigs

Green, angular, twining twigs that become woody at the base.

Flower

White flowers (2 cm) with a long tube and 4–5 lobes, in loose clusters, June–September; strongly scented, especially in the evening.

Fruit

Small black berries; rare here.

Difference from star jasmine

Star jasmine is evergreen, with simple, glossy, leathery leaves and milky sap.

Difference from mock orange

Mock orange is a shrub without twining stems, with simple leaves and large white flowers with 4 petals.

Flowering: June–August · Pruning: March and September

Identify by feature: Twining climbers

Looks like it, but isn’t

• Star jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides: evergreen, with simple, glossy, leathery leaves and milky sap. Difference from star jasmine
• Mock orange Philadelphus coronarius: a shrub without twining stems, with simple leaves and large white flowers with 4 petals. Difference from mock orange

Why grow it?

• One of the most fragrant climbers, especially on summer evenings.
• Flowers for a long time, from June to September.
• Fine, pinnate leaves that are graceful even when it is not in flower.
• Also suits a large pot on a patio or balcony.

Common jasmine: where does it grow best?

• Full sun and warmth: against a south- or west-facing wall, sheltered from cold east and north winds.
• Well-drained soil that does not stay wet in winter.
• It twines around its support but has no aerial roots: fix wires or mesh, or put up a trellis or arch, and tie in the long twigs. It does not damage walls or gutters.
• A large pot (at least 40 cm) on a warm patio also works; in winter, move it to a sheltered spot against the wall.

Light

Full sun

Legal basis

Any garden soil

Moisture

Normal

Size

5 m tall, 2 m wide

Hardiness

Throughout Belgium, no protection needed

Goes well with

• Olive tree: Together in large pots on a warm patio: a Mediterranean corner that smells of jasmine in the evening.
• Rosemary: An evergreen, aromatic shrub that wants the same warm, sheltered spot and well-drained soil.
• Star jasmine: Evergreen and fragrant in June–August: together against a warm wall, scent all summer and still green in winter.

Good and bad companions

Goes well with

• Can climb into old, large trees: english oak, scots pine, sycamore, large-leaved lime

Common jasmine: when and how to plant it?

1. Plant in spring (April–May), so that it is well rooted before its first winter.
2. Plant 30–40 cm from the wall and guide the shoots to the wires with a cane.
3. Improve heavy soil with coarse sand and some compost, so that water drains away well.
4. In the first autumn, cover the base with a thick layer of leaves or straw against frost.

Care

Watering

In dry spells during the first year; in a pot, regularly all summer.

Feeding

Some compost in spring; in a pot, an occasional liquid feed for flowering plants in summer.

Tying in

Guide the new twigs over the support and tie them in loosely, or it becomes a tangled mass.

Winter protection

In severe winters, cover the base with leaves or straw, and wrap a pot in hessian or bubble wrap.

Tip: Put it where you sit on summer evenings, next to a bench or by a window that stands open: the scent is strongest in the evening.

Common jasmine: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and September.

When: After flowering (September) or in March.

How:

• Thin out: cut back flowered and overlong stems and remove a few old, bare stems at the base.
• A tangled plant can be cut back hard in March; it reshoots well.
• Keep it within its support: cut twigs that stick out too far back to a side shoot.

Caution: Not fully hardy: choose a sheltered spot. Only cut out frost-damaged branches once you can see where it is reshooting.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In summer, take 10–15 cm cuttings from semi-ripe twigs; they root in a small pot under plastic.

Layering

In spring, lay a long twig on the ground or in a pot of soil; after a year you can cut it free.

Common jasmine: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy throughout Belgium: no protection needed.

• Not fully hardy: in a sheltered spot against a warm wall it survives a normal winter, but in hard frost, around −10 °C and below, it is cut back. It usually reshoots afterwards from the older branches or the base.
• In mild winters some of the leaves stay on.
• A plant in a pot is more vulnerable, as the root ball freezes faster than the open ground: move the pot against the wall under cover and wrap it.

Diseases and pests

• Frost damage: Brown, withered twigs after a severe winter. Wait until the new shoots show in April–May and then cut out the dead wood.
• Aphids: Aphids on the shoot tips in spring. Spray with water; ladybirds and tits do the rest.
• Red spider mite: Finely mottled, dull leaves with webbing, especially on plants in pots in a warm, dry spot. Spray the leaves and water regularly.
• Few flowers: Too much shade or too much fertiliser. Give it a sunny spot and little nitrogen.

Through the year

• March: Pruning: thin out or cut back a tangled plant.
• April: Cut out frost-damaged branches once you can see where it is reshooting; remove winter protection.
• May: Planting; guide new twigs to the support.
• June: Flowering begins: the scent is strongest in the evening.
• July: Full flower; water, especially in pots; take cuttings.
• August: Flowering; tie in twigs.
• September: Last flowers; pruning after flowering.
• November: Cover the base with leaves; move pots to shelter and wrap them.

What can you use it for?

Garden and landscape

Fragrant climber for a warm, sheltered wall, a pergola or a large pot on the patio.

Also used for

A classic perfume plant; the dried flowers also go into scented sachets and potpourri.

Did you know?

• Jasmine tea is usually not made with this species: it is green tea scented with the flowers of Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac).
• A classic perfume plant; the dried flowers also go into scented sachets and potpourri.
• The word jasmine comes from Persian, by way of Arabic.