Pink jasmine

Pink jasmine: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Twining climber with thin green stems; in a pot usually 1–2 m, in a conservatory up to several metres.

Leaves

Opposite and pinnate, with 5–7 narrow, pointed leaflets; dark green and evergreen.

Flowers

Star-shaped, about 2 cm across, in large clusters. The buds and outer side are pink, the open flower white.

Scent

Sweet and strong, classic jasmine; in a warm room sometimes almost too much.

Flowering time

From January to April, after a cool spell in autumn.

Flowering: January–April · Plants: April–May · Pruning: April–May

Why grow it?

• Flowers in midwinter and early spring, when little is in bloom outdoors.
• A strong, sweet scent that fills a whole room.
• Pink buds and white flowers: lovely at every stage.
• Fast-growing: train it around a hoop, up a trellis or across a conservatory window.
• In summer it can stand outside on a sheltered patio.

Pink jasmine: where does it grow best?

• Bright, with some morning or evening sun; no fierce midday sun behind glass.
• In autumn a cool spot below 15 °C, such as a frost-free conservatory or cool bedroom, so that it forms buds.
• Preferably not too warm while flowering: at 15–18 °C the flowers last longer.
• From mid-May to the end of September it can go outside, sheltered from wind and fierce midday sun.
• Potting compost that holds moisture but drains well, in a pot with a drainage hole.

Light

Sunny or bright, out of direct sun

Potting soil

Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Watering

Moderately

Size

2 m tall, 1 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 3 °C

Goes well with

• Cyclamen: Flowers at the same time in winter and also likes a cool, bright spot.
• Indoor azalea: Another winter flowerer that likes it cool, in pink, red or white.
• Hyacinth: Forced bulbs in a pot: even more scent in early spring.
• Ivy: A green climber as a backdrop in the conservatory once the jasmine has finished.

Pink jasmine: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Repot after flowering, in April–May, when the roots fill the pot: a young plant every year, an older one every two or three years.
2. Choose a pot only one size larger, with a drainage hole and a layer of clay pebbles.
3. Use good potting compost, perhaps mixed with a little perlite for better drainage.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as before and firm lightly.
5. Water until it runs out of the bottom of the pot and let it drain well.
6. Put a hoop, trellis or canes in the pot and wind the stems around them straight away.

Care

Watering

Keep the compost lightly moist, especially during growth and flowering. Never let it dry out and do not leave water in the saucer.

Feeding

From April to August, a liquid feed for flowering plants every two weeks. None from September.

Cool spell

In October–November, four to six weeks in a cool, bright spot below 15 °C: that is how it forms flower buds.

Training

In summer, wind new stems around the hoop or trellis, otherwise they head off in all directions.

Humidity

Dry indoor air causes red spider mite and brown buds; do not stand it above a radiator.

Tip: Leave it outside in summer and only bring it in at the end of September to a cool, bright spot: the chilly autumn nights give a rich display.

Pink jasmine: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April–May.

When: After flowering, in April–May. Pruning later costs flowers, as the stems that flower the following winter grow during summer.

How:

• Cut flowered stems back to a few pairs of leaves to keep it compact.
• Remove dead and weak stems completely.
• An overgrown plant can be cut back hard; it regrows quickly.
• Then wind the young stems around the hoop again.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In summer, take 10–15 cm pieces of stem with a few pairs of leaves, strip the lowest leaves and root them in moist compost under plastic. Roots form within a few weeks.

Layering

Lay a long stem into a pot of compost placed alongside and pin it down. After a few months it has rooted and you can cut it free.

Pink jasmine: how does it get through the winter?

• Not a garden plant in Belgium: it cannot take real frost. Keep it above about 3 °C in winter.
• In autumn, keep it cool and bright, below 15 °C, to get flower buds, for example in a frost-free conservatory.
• Once the buds are clearly visible it can come into the living room, but keep it as cool as possible and away from heating.
• Water moderately in winter: lightly moist, never wet.

Diseases and pests

• No flowers: Usually it was too warm in autumn. Next year give it four to six weeks in the cool, or leave it outside until the end of September.
• Red spider mite: Fine yellow speckling on the leaves and sometimes webbing, especially in dry, warm air. Spray the leaves, raise the humidity and move it somewhere cooler.
• Aphids: On young shoots and buds in spring. Rinse them off with water or wipe them away.
• Mealybug: White, woolly tufts in the leaf axils. Dab them off with a cotton bud and rinse the plant; repeat after a week.
• Brown buds and leaf drop: Too warm, too dry or the compost has dried out. Water regularly and move it somewhere cooler.

Through the year

• January: Flowering. Keep cool and bright, water moderately.
• February: Flowering. Snip off faded clusters.
• March: Last flowers. Water more once it starts growing.
• April: Prune and repot after flowering. Start feeding.
• May: Prune if still needed. After mid-May, move outside to a sheltered spot.
• June: Feed every two weeks. Train the stems. Take cuttings.
• July: Water, feed and train the stems.
• August: Last feed. Take cuttings.
• September: Leave outside while the nights are mild; bring in at the end of September.
• October: Cool spell: keep bright and below 15 °C.
• November: Buds are forming. Keep cool, water moderately.
• December: The buds turn pink. It can now go somewhere a little warmer.

Did you know?

• The name polyanthum means ‘many-flowered’.
• Jasmine oil for perfume does not come from this species, but mainly from other jasmines, such as Jasminum grandiflorum and Jasminum sambac.
• In mild regions such as New Zealand it has escaped from gardens and is regarded as a troublesome weed in the wild.