How To Grow & Care For Jasmine | Horticulture Magazine (2024)

CLIMBERS > JASMINE

By JONATHAN SWEET

Prized for its delicate star-shaped flowers and intoxicating aroma, jasmine is a popular choice for gardeners across Britain.

With summer and winter flowering types available, jasmine has climbing and shrub varieties too.

Most jasmine blooms are pure white in colour, though there are cream and yellow blossoms in some varieties.

Whatever the hue or cultivar, they generally exude a bewitching scent that pleases pollinators as much as it does people.

Shrub forms of jasmine are great for growing as a hedge to bring some vibrancy and vivaciousness into your garden in the winter months.

Meanwhile, climbers can be trained to scale trellises, fences or walls as an ornamental and olfactory delight.

Overview

Hailing from the tropical regions of Eurasia and Oceania, most types of jasmine prefer warmer climes as a general rule.¹Jasminum. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:328128-2

When growing these, it’s best to confine the plants to a conservatory or greenhouse to protect them from the worst ravages of the weather.

However, there are summer and winter flowering species which cope well with the rigours of the British climate, which is why it’s a common sight in homes and gardens around the country.

They look great as climbers adorning an external structure or as hedgerows and bushes, bringing wintry colour.

As well as having hardy varieties available, there are also evergreen and deciduous types available.

Select the cultivar that’s most appropriate for your specific needs.

Common Jasmine Varieties

As mentioned, there are a variety of different types of jasmine, each of which has its own levels of hardiness, growing habits and flowering seasons.

The most widespread species in the UK include:

Jasminum officinale

Better known as common jasmine, this popular plant is a vigorous climber that can be trained up walls, trellises, archways and pergolas.

In the summer months, its vines are awash with clusters of small white flowers which exude a stimulating perfume.

J. nudiflorum

This species is more commonly called winter jasmine, so there are no prizes for guessing when it flowers.

It’s grown as a bush or hedge and carries unscented yellow flowers which burst forth brightly at the turn of the year.

J. polyanthum

Colloquially known as Chinese jasmine, this species doesn’t do well in colder climes.

For that reason, it’s best grown as a houseplant, where its startling pink buds will transform into highly fragrant white blooms in late winter and spring.

Planting Jasmine

All types of jasmine appreciate fertile soil with good drainage, though they aren’t too fussed about the composition or pH levels.

They usually prefer full sun but there are cultivars which will tolerate partial shade, so just check the instructions when buying.

As a general rule, summer-flowering jasmines should be planted in spring or summer in a spot which is sheltered from the elements and receives plenty of sun.

They’ll struggle if positioned in an exposed location that suffers from frost or extreme cold.

By contrast, winter-flowering jasmines should be grown later in the year, in autumn or winter.

Some species are fully hardy and can be grown as standalone bushes and shrubs, while others are extremely delicate and normally cannot deal with external conditions in the UK.

Jasmine Plant Care

Depending on the type of jasmine you opt for, more or less maintenance may be required.

Vigorous climbers can exert quite a lot of force on the trellis, fence or other structure holding them, so make sure you use sturdy twine and supports.

Watering & Feeding

All varieties of jasmine will appreciate regular watering during their first year after planting.

Those which are rooted in the ground don’t require irrigation thereafter, except during prolonged periods of heat or drought.

However, they will benefit from the application of general-purpose fertilisers and high-potassium feeds.

Meanwhile, potted specimens should still be watered regularly during the growing season, but you can ease off as winter sets in.

Feed those in containers once a month with a fertiliser that has a high potassium content, such as that used for tomatoes.

Overwintering

The two most widespread types of jasmine, common jasmine and winter jasmine, are fully hardy and can be left to their own devices during the colder months.

On the other hand, the majority of other jasmine cultivars are not hardy and should be brought indoors once night-time temperatures dip below 13°C.

Be sure to leave them in a spot which doesn’t suffer from excessive cold, even indoors, or they can wilt and die.

Pruning & Training

It’s advisable to prune back all types of climbing jasmine vigorously and annually right after they have flowered.

This will encourage plenty of new growth and stimulate more blossoms lower down on the vine, where their scent can reach your nostrils more readily.

For bushy varieties, it’s also likely that you’ll need to prune them back to keep them in shape.

These specimens can often become straggly, unruly and congested, so paring them back to restrict their spread is advisable when required.

To prune, simply trace a flowering stem back to a side shoot lower down on the vine and make a clean cut.

If stems are becoming overcrowded or damaged, thin them out too to ensure the plant retains its energies for those which will benefit from them most.

“I quite often have to tackle jasmine plants that have got out of hand and become a huge tangle of intertwining stems,” says Colin Skelly, Master Horticulturist.

“To restore order, cut back all stems to 40-60cm from the ground. This will mean that you will lose flowers for 2-3 years but this is a trade-off with regaining the space that was being occupied by the unruly jasmine.

“As it regrows, remove some stems to retain only those that you will train.”

Mulching

Any jasmine grown in the ground will appreciate mulching once per year in autumn.

Use organic matter or garden compost to retain moisture and repel weeds, applying a generous layer around the roots.

Additionally, this will also help less hardy varieties stay insulated during winter.

Just be sure to leave a gap between the stems and the mulch (around 7.5cm) to avoid root rot.

Common Problems

The biggest threat to outdoor plants is the cold and wet if dealing with non-hardy varieties.

In general, jasmine doesn’t suffer from blight or pests, though you might find aphids feasting on new shoots.

Plants grown indoors are more of a target for insects which feed on their sap, such as mealybugs and red spider mites.

Check their leaves regularly for signs of an infestation and take the appropriate steps using organic pesticides to rid them of the issue.

Propagating

Jasmine plants which are grown outdoors should be propagated by taking hardwood cuttings in wintertime.

Conversely, those grown indoors should be propagated from softwood or semi-ripe cuttings, which should be separated from the plant in spring or summer.

All types of cuttings should be around 15cm long and taken directly below a strong leaf node and should be planted immediately.

To do so, prepare their tips by dipping them into a rooting hormone, and then pushing the cutting into a nutrient-rich medium.

They will require frequent misting to keep them moist for the first month or so and you should also insulate the planter in a plastic bag.

After the roots have become established, you should transplant them to potting soil to allow them to establish themselves more fully.

Shortly thereafter, you can relocate them to exterior soil.

FAQs

Is Jasmine Annual Or Perennial?

Jasmine is a perennial plant, which means it will bloom year after year, provided it is given the requisite care and attention.

Different types of jasmine demand different planting conditions and environments, so be sure to read up on the unique needs of your cultivar.

Why Isn’t My Jasmine Plant Blooming?

There are a number of reasons why your jasmine plant might not be blooming.

If the foliage is lush but the flowers are not forthcoming, it could be that the fertiliser you favour is too heavy on nitrogen, as this can prioritise strong leaf growth over blossoms.

If that’s the case, try switching to a low or no-nitrogen fertiliser, or one with high phosphorous content.

Another reason could be that the roots have failed to properly establish.

This can happen when potted varieties are in too small a container, in which case transplanting it to a larger receptacle can do the trick.

In this instance, be patient when waiting for the roots to get accustomed to their new surroundings.

Alternatively, it could be that the growing conditions are just not quite right.

Finally, pruning is essential to keep your jasmine plant happy and healthy.

Follow the pruning tips above to ensure it remains in tip-top condition, stripping back the growth just after flowering to give the new shoots as long as possible to establish themselves before the next blooming season.

Can You Grow Jasmine Indoors?

Yes, there are a variety of jasmine species which thrive indoors, including both dwarfs and climbers.

Just prune them back to keep them in line.

Which Jasmine Cultivar Smells The Strongest?

Since many people plant jasmine specifically for its fragrant qualities, it’s understandable that you want a species which has a powerful aroma.

As long as you avoid unscented varieties, you can’t go far wrong.

Having said that, common jasmine is one of the most perfumed varieties available.

Although it’s not a true jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides is also another popular plant that carries an invigorating odour.

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  Jasminum. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:328128-2