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Planting and Growing Jasmine

Botanical Name
Jasminum spp.
Grown as
Tender Perennial
USDA Zones
8a
8b
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
20+ feet
Spread
6-10 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Pink
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Evergreen
Fragrant
Low Maintenance
Winter Interest
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Pollinators
Deer-resistant
Rabbit-resistant
Resilience
Heat-Tolerant
Plant Type
Vines
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

The sweetly scented jasmine flower can fill a room or a garden with its heady scent. Though jasmine is a vine usually grown outdoors, some varieties can also be grown as houseplants. There is some confusion regarding jasmine and which variety is fragrant. Read more about growing jasmine.

Jasmine can be pruned as a shrub near the house or a walk so that its intense fragrance can be enjoyed by passersby as well as by the hummingbirds and butterflies that are drawn to the flowers. The genus Jasminum contains more than 200 vines and shrubs.

Planting

  • All summer-flowering jasmines prefer full sun or partial shade; winter or early spring bloomers do fine in partial shade. The ideal planting position should be warm, sunny, and sheltered.
  • Jasmines have few soil requirements: They like moderately fertile, loamy, sandy, and moisture-retaining yet well- draining soil with a moderately acidic, alkaline, or neutral pH.
  • Most Jasminum species are semitropical vines, best planted in spring after the danger of frost is passed.
  • Plant in-ground anytime from June to November. Dig only so deep that the plant crown is level with the soil surface. Container plants are best planted in the fall.
  • If grown as a twining vine, jasmine will need to be supported on an arbor or trellis.
  • As a shrub, jasmine can get lanky and semi-vining, so it needs frequent pruning. Common jasmine grows to a height of 10 to 15 feet as a lanky, semi-vining shrub, growing 12 to 24 inches a year. Winter jasmine shrubs grow to 4 feet high and 7 feet wide.
  • If you’re going to grow jasmine as a shrub border, you can set plants at least 8 feet apart.

Planting Jasmine as a Houseplant

  • Place a jasmine plant in a partly sunny spot to encourage robust growth. Indoors, locate it near a window and provide a trellis or support. Place soon-to-bloom jasmine in a partly sunny spot. After it blooms, place it near a south-facing window.
  • Indoors, jasmine needs to stay cool with well-circulated air. Try to keep the temperature between 60 and 75°F.
  • Humidity is important. Set the plant pot on a tray of pebbles or gravel; add water to the top of the stones. Run a humidifier, if possible.
  • Water only when the top inch of potting mix is dry to the touch.
  • Plant jasmine in porous material with bark, peat, and other soil that drains well. Soil needs to be moist but not soggy.

Growing

  • Tie the jasmine vine’s stems to a fairly heavy support.
  • Pinch the tips to stimulate lateral growth and prune after flowering if necessary to restrain growth.
  • If the vine is grown as a groundcover, trim the upward-twining stems. Additional plants can be propagated from stem cuttings.
  • Water once per week, increasing frequency or water volume during dry periods. During the summer, allow the soil to be moist, and let it dry between waterings. Water less in fall. In winter and spring months, keep the plant slightly dry.
  • Prune out thin, old shoots after flowering (in spring) to shape the plant.

Growing Jasmine as a Houseplant

  • Jasmine plants like water. Their soil should always be slightly moist, but not soggy.
  • Fertilize jasmine twice a year with fertilizer that is rich in potassium and phosphorus. During the growing season of spring and summer, liquid fertilizer can be fed to the plant every few weeks.
  • Keep jasmine under control with proper pruning, especially at the beginning of spring. Remember, jasmine is a climbing vine.
  • Repot in springtime. Prune the roots when moving to fresh soil, as needed.

Pests and Problems

  • Common jasmine is relatively problem-free, pest-free, and disease-free.
  • Winter jasmine can be infected by spider mites. If this happens, cut the plant to the ground after blooming and discard the infested plant material. Feed the crowns to stimulate new growth.
  • Yellowish leaves indicate the need for fertilizer, which should be applied in spring.
  • For houseplants, look out for mealybugs (white, cottony masses under leaves and on stems). To remove these, use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.

Types

Common Jasmine

Common jasmine or poet’s jasmine (Jasminum officinale), also called true jasmine, is a deciduous vine with clusters of starry, pure-white flowers that bloom all summer. It’s a twining climber with deep-green leaves that have five to nine leaflets, each up to 2-1/2 inches long. The very fragrant flowers are up to 1 inch in diameter.

Hardy to Zone 7, the vine grows vigorously (1 to 2 feet per year, up to 20 feet) and looks stunning climbing a large pergola, fence, or very large trellis. In the landscape, jasmine can also be pruned as a shrub near the house or near a walk so its intense fragrance can be enjoyed and so you can watch hummingbirds and butterflies come to the flowers. Common jasmine is native to Asia.

white jasmine blooms

Winter Jasmine

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) is an “old-timey” shrub often found around Victorian homes. The beautiful yellow flowers are unscented, 1 inch wide, and they appear in winter or early spring before the leaves unfold. Winter jasmine is a good bank cover that will spread by rooting where the stems touch the soil. It is also very attractive when planted above retaining walls, with the branches cascading over the side. Hummingbirds love this vigorous vine!

Most other Jasminum species are semitropical vines, which are best planted in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.

Not a True Jasmine

Star jasmine, aka Confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), looks similar but is not a true jasmine. Hardy in USDA Zones 7B through 10, this native to China has phlox-like flowers that bloom on twining stems in spring and summer and are highly scented.

star jasmine
Star jasmine. Trachelospermum jasminoides

Wit and Wisdom

  • In Hawaii, jasmine and ginger blossoms are often used in leis to celebrate Lei Day on May 1.
  • Jasmine’s scent is thought to be calming and soothing.
  • The essential oil of Jasminum officinale is known as the ‘King of Oils’ and has been used to enhance quality of sleep, decrease anxiety, and reduce depression.
  • Jasmine oil is also an age-old herbal medicine and healing agent that has been used for antiseptic or anti-inflammatory powers.

Flowers

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 10/17/2017 - 10:46

Hi Beverley,

Depending on where you live, you may need to cover or bring the plant indoors. Are you in a region where you experience constant freezing temperatures during the winter months? If so, bring the plant indoors. If you experience cold but not freezing temperatures, you can leave the plant outdoors, but covering it during cold nights is a good idea.

 <span>Karen</span> Tue, 09/26/2017 - 06:04
I love the Chinese 'molihua cha' - Jasmine tea, which is green (or white) tea, scented with Jasmine blossoms. I am wondering which variety of Jasmine I could plant to make my own :-) ? Are there any varieties of jasmine which are poisonous or dangerous? Are there, like in some plants, a 'medicinal' version? and if so, could it be grown indoors, in a pot? Thank you in advance for your answer... K.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 09/28/2017 - 09:58

Asminum sambac, commonly called Arabian jasmine, is the type of jasmine that is often grown for tea and medicinal purposes. Hope this helps.

 <span>Sharon</span> Fri, 04/07/2017 - 09:09
Received a indoor Jasmine plant as a gift, and have not had it long and it is drying out! I keep it watered.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 04/10/2017 - 20:53

There are a couple of possible reasons. First, when you water, do it properly. Let the soil dry to barely moist before you water and then water deeply.  Don't overwater!

Also, you may have spider mites. Look under the leaves for tiny specks. Either way, it may be healthy to give your plant a "shower." Spray the leaves with water (but not too hard) every few days. Keep checking for mites. If they are a continued problem, you may need more serious measures.

 <span>Moein</span> Sun, 06/15/2014 - 14:41
I planted jasmine in the pots and now is very beautiful