Star jasmine is a popular flowering vine in California and the southern United States, where it's grown both vertically (like up a trellis) and as a spreading ground cover. It's very fragrant and is known to attract bees—the fragrance is similar to that of a jasmine shrub, though this is a different group of plants.
Native to Asia, star jasmine is a liana plant—one that strives to climb vertical supports or other plants in order to reach sunlight. It is considered to be a member of the Apocynaceae family, which also includes natal plum, frangipani, and oleander. Star jasmine is best planted in the spring and will grow quickly, often adding between 3 and 6 feet a year. However, the first year the plant is getting established, it expends much of its energy establishing a strong root system and may not appear to grow much (if at all) above ground.
|Botanical Name||Trachelospermum jasminoides|
|Common Name||Star jasmine, confederate jasmine|
|Mature Size||3–6 ft. tall, 3–6 ft. wide|
|Sun Exposure||Full sun, partial shade|
|Soil Type||Moist but well-drained, loamy|
|Soil pH||Neutral to acidic|
|Bloom Time||Late spring, early summer|
|Hardiness Zones||8–10 (USDA)|
Star Jasmine Care
Although a vine, star jasmine is relatively short in stature. It is a woody evergreen plant that is winter-hardy in USDA hardiness zones eight through 10. Further north, it is sometimes grown in pots and brought indoors for the winter, or grown as an annual and planted anew each spring.
Star jasmine is easy to care for and can pretty much be forgotten about once established. It will produce creamy white flowers in late spring that are pinwheel-shaped and about 1 inch across. They're typically very fragrant and can be bothersome to certain people, especially those with allergies or sensitivities to perfumes. Star jasmine is a fairly carefree plant, and only requires pruning to control its growth (like if it's infringing on a nearby house or structure) or if it has become dead, diseased, or damaged.
Star jasmine will thrive in full sun or part shade, but for maximum flowering potential, choose a spot that gets lots of light. The vine will produce the most blooms if it gets at least eight hours of sunlight per day. If you choose to grow your star jasmine as a ground covering and it spends a lot of time shaded by larger plants or trees, you may see a reduction in the number of blooms the plant produces.
While star jasmine isn't super picky about its soil, it will grow best in a mixture that is moderately moist and well-draining. If you're planting multiple star jasmine plants as ground cover, space them out at least 5 feet apart in order to avoid crowding the plants. Additionally, star jasmine can thrive in a variety of different pH conditions, ranging from 6.0 to 7.0.
In order for your star jasmine to grow successfully, it should be watered regularly. For most plants and locations this means once a week, but you may need to increase your cadence if your environment is especially hot or dry, or if you've planted your jasmine in a container. A good rule of thumb is to water your star jasmine when the top inch of soil is dry and allow the soil to dry out in between waterings.
Temperature and Humidity
Star jasmine is a fairly cold-hardy plant and can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit (though generally, not for a prolonged period of time). On average your jasmine will grow and bloom best in temperatures ranging from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, star jasmine loves humid conditions and will thrive best in a moderately moist environment.
It's important to wait until your star jasmine is established before you begin fertilizing it. Once the roots are well-established, you can feed your star jasmine in early spring and then again in mid-summer with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for shrubs and trees.
Propagating Star Jasmine
You can propagate star jasmine by taking cuttings from a strong and established parent plant. Begin by taking cuttings from the parent plant just below a node (a small nub where a leaf or bud will emerge) that are at least 6 inches long. Dip the cut-end of the piece in a rooting hormone powder, then place each one in a planter that has been filled with sandy, well-moistened potting mix.
Cover your planter with a plastic dome or plastic bag to help hold in moisture and place it atop a heating mat or in a room that is around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the soil moist—you should see roots develop with three to four weeks, at which point the plant can be planted up into a slightly larger container before eventually being moved into the garden a few weeks after.
Star jasmine vine doesn't attract too many pests or diseases. It is susceptible to scale insects, which drop honeydew on the vines and can subsequently lead to the development of sooty mold. If you notice signs of scale on your plants, treat your star jasmine with a horticultural oil like neem oil. Additionally, Japanese beetles may also be a problem in some areas and can be treated the same way.
If you have trees in your yard, star jasmine may wind itself around the trunk. Trim the plant away before it envelopes the trunk of the tree, as it can compromise the tree's health. It can also invade nearby garden plots or structures, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on its growth.