Trachelospermum jasminoides, usually known as the Star jasmine, is the type of flowering plant that catches the eye and chances are you will remember it for a very long time.
Its masses of somewhat curly, pinwheel-shaped, white flowers blend perfectly with the evergreen foliage that makes this plant truly spectacular. And the best thing about this glamorous vine is that it comes along with a pleasantly sweet fragrance, enchanting your walks in the garden from spring throughout the summer.
There is much more to know about the spectacular Star jasmine, especially when it comes to their low-demanding nature and general importance worldwide. Keep reading and you will find out everything you need to know about Trachelospermum Jasminoides, also known as Star jasmine!
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About Star Jasmine
- Member of the Apocynaceae family, the Star jasmine is a popular ornamental plant around the world. This plant is native to some regions of eastern and southeastern Asia, such as southern China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
- Besides its most common name “Star jasmine”, the T. jasminoides species has various other names. These include Southern jasmine, Chinese star jasmine, Confederate jasmine, and Chinese ivy.
- The Star jasmine species and the T. jasminoides ‘Variegatum’ cultivar have gained the Award of Garden Merit, one of the most prestigious awards in the gardening world.
- Many people mistake this plant for its very close relative T. asiaticum (Asiatic jasmine). However, the Star jasmine features bigger leaves in paler green shades and larger, white flowers. Plus, the Star jasmine is less hardy than the Asiatic jasmine.
- The Star jasmine can make for a gorgeous addition to different landscape uses. Some of these are banks, slopes, patios, wall-side borders, walls, fences, city gardens, courtyard gardens, coastal gardens, cottage gardens, informal gardens, and pots.
- Being a vine, this plant looks the most fabulous when it uses other plants or objects to climb on them. It has a tendency to cover neighbouring objects and structures, creating a natural look for garden objects or spots that seem a bit dull.
- The sweet fragrance of the Star jasmine blossoms cannot be overlooked. People extract a valuable perfume oil to use it in high-end perfumery. Its stems are also valuable, as they are used to produce natural cellulosic fibre with textile and composite uses.
- Some parts of the Star jasmine play a big part in medicine. While the leaves are tonic and restorative, its flowering stems have analgesic, anti-rheumatic, antibacterial, tonic, vasodilator, depurative, febrifuge, and antispasmodic properties.
- The Star jasmine is particularly attractive to bees and birds. According to the ASPCA, the Trachelospermum jasminoides vine is non-toxic so it is completely safe for growing around curious kids and pets. However, the milky latex sap secreted by the plant can be somewhat irritating, so make sure you handle the plant with care and use protective gloves to avoid skin irriations.
- The unpleasant sap makes the plant ressistant to Australian possums, so if you don’t want to keep Australian possums away from your garden, filling it with Star jasmine is a great option.
Star Jasmine Features: An Overview
- The Star jasmine belongs to the Trachelospermum genus which contains exactly 11 species of stunning flowering plants. The species from this genus look very similar to the Star jasmine. This plant, along with the T. asiaticum one, is the representative species of the Trachelospermum genus.
- The Star jasmine is an evergreen flowering liana, a woody shrub or vine that has its roots emerging in the soil at the ground level. The plant usually makes use of other trees or plants as a natural support.
- In good growing conditions, the Star jasmine can reach about 3 to 10 feet (0.9-3 m) in height or length. It spreads and roots laterally, growing as wide as 6 feet (1.8 m). When this plant grows on a structure, it can even reach up to 20 feet (6 m) in height.
- The Star jasmine is a vigorous grower. Its foliage consists of numerous small, glossy, oval, and dark green leaves that show up on wiry, twining stems. The leaves measure up to 3 inches (8 cm) in length.
- The dark green tone of its foliage typically occurs throughout the summer months. The foliage can exhibit bronze-purple shades. In cold weather, the leaves of the Star jasmine often turn bronze-red.
- From late spring through early summer, the Star jasmine blooms sporadically. The plant produces many abundant clusters of sweetly fragrant, star-shaped, white flowers that get a bit creamy with time.
- Once the blooming period of the Star jasmine has come to an end, its blossoms may turn into fruits. They are slender follicles that feature plenty of seeds.
Growing Star Jasmine
The overall presence of Star jasmine might seem intimidating at first. However, you have absolutely no reason to worry about the possible picky nature of this superb vine. The Star jasmine is one of the easiest companion plants to have around and has all it takes to consider it among the friendliest in your plant family.
Besides regular pruning, a little attention every now and then will make your Star jasmine have the time of its life. All it takes for you to become a great Star jasmine grower is to learn how to mimic this plant’s native habitat. Which, by the way, is more simple and enjoyable than it sounds!
In terms of lighting conditions, the Star jasmine will not come with very high demands. This vine can thrive in full sunlight but it will not suffer tremendously if it also receives some partial shade once in a while. In general, the Star jasmine does best with at least eight hours of bright, direct light each day and its blooming potential will reach its peak in this particular type of exposure. But if you are ok with it exhibiting fewer flowers than usual, a partially shaded spot will be more than fine for your Star jasmine.
Temperature-wise, the Star jasmine is as hardy as it can be in the USDA zones 8 to 11, so this plant is quite common in California and also particularly in the Southeastern United States. It can withstand cold winter temperatures that drop as low as 10 °F (-12 °C) in these areas without you doing anything more to help it.
Still, the ideal temperatures for your Star jasmine to grow and bloom nicely would range from 60 to 70 °F (15-21 °C). Make sure it also experiences a moderately moist environment, as this is a vine that loves humidity.
In regions that are somewhat colder than its hardiness zones, you have two options. First, you can grow your Star jasmine as an annual plant, meaning that you will have to plant it anew yearly each spring. Second, you can plant this vine in a container to bring it indoors for the winter, allowing you to save a bit of time for yourself.
If the Star jasmine already seems very easy-going, wait to see how resistant it is to fungal diseases and pest infestations! Star jasmine is usually a disease-free plant, but some pests might appear every once in a while. the most common intruders that might visit this vine occasionally are scale insects, mealybugs, cushion scale, and red spider mites.
Some of these pests drop honeydew on the foliage of Star jasmine, which can lead to the development of sooty mould with time. In case you notice signs of their presence, do not panic! You can treat your Star jasmine with neem oil and your plant will be as good as new.
- 🌱 live Confederate Jasmine is a beautifully-fragrant, Jasmine vine incredibly easy to grow and maintain
- 💚 This plant features cascading lime-green foliage with pale, pinwheel flowers that release a heavy spring aroma
- 🌞 Jasmine plants love the sun and would enjoy a spot in the landscape that receives full sun and partial shade throughout the day
- 🌳 mature Height: 10-12ft | mature width: 4Ft, Confederate Jasmine is easy to manipulate with garden steaks, garden wire, or plant clips
- 💪 This hardy vine is easy to shape along fence-lines, Trellises, mailboxes, benches, walls, decks, gazebos, and hand-rails
- All 12 of these Star Jasmine are thriving inside 2.5" nursery containers. The pictures accurately show the plants you will receive.
- They are all ready to be potted up or put into the ground.
- Star Jasmine is an attractive low maintenance vine known for its wonderful white flowers and highly aromatic scent.
- When shipping, we individually wrap each plant in its own protective casing to ensure it arrives to you healthy and strong.
- 🌟 Star-Shaped White Flowers: Adds elegance with its beautiful blooms and sweet fragrance.
- 🍃 Versatile Climbing Plant: Perfect for adorning trellises, arbors, and fences.
- 🌞 Adaptable to Light Conditions: Thrives in both full sun and partial shade.
- 🌱 Low Maintenance and Hardy: Easy to care for, making it ideal for various gardeners.
- 🌼 Year-Round Evergreen Foliage: Provides a lush, green backdrop throughout all seasons.
Last update on 2024-10-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Planting Star Jasmine
Choosing a nice spot to plant your Star jasmine is probably one of the most important parts of its growing and caring routine. If you plant this vine near trees, it will tend to wind itself around one of their trunks.
When this happens, the Star jasmine can envelop the trunk as much as it may compromise the overall health of that particular tree. Likewise, you might want to avoid planting Star jasmine too close to garden structures, unless you want them covered by this attractive plant.
If you want to plant more Star jasmine specimens in your garden, it would be wise to provide them with enough space to grow according to their way. We warmly suggest you plant each Star jasmine at a distance of at least 5 feet (1.5 m) one from another. This golden rule is viable if you also want to plant your Star jasmine near other types of plants.
Although the Star jasmine is not as picky as other blooming ornamentals about its growing medium, it still comes along with a few on-point preferences. In general, the Star jasmine will perform best in moderately damp soils that have very sharp drainage. You can pick any type of soil for your vine as long as it is well-draining and features a pH level between 6.0 and 7.0.
With Star jasmine, you will not have to worry about fertilizers during its young times, typically its first year of growth. But once established, this plant will benefit from a bit of help from its beloved owner. When the Star jasmine has settled in its new home, you can feed it twice a year with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer designed for shrubs and trees. The first application of fertilizer would be somewhere in early spring, while the last one should take place around mid-summer.
Since the Star jasmine grows like crazy, a potted specimen plant will need regular repotting to keep its health in check. When this vine seems to outgrow its current pot, this is a common indicator that it needs one that is slightly bigger to ensure enough room for development. Most gardeners repot their Star jasmine once every year in autumn or very early spring. And if the plant seems a bit leggy, you can provide it with support to help it grow and look tidier.
As with most species of vines, pruning is a mandatory process to keep your Star jasmine in shape all year round. When this plant begins to grow way beyond your expectations, you can go on and trim as much as you want off it with good old pruning shears. Pruning is also a great way to get rid of parts of your Star jasmine that have become diseased, damaged, or dead. You can even remove the spent flowers from your vine to give it a fresh, healthy general appearance.
Watering Star Jasmine
If you want your Star jasmine to show the best growth and thrive, you will have to water it regularly. The frequency of watering will vary depending on your location and the environmental conditions this plant experiences.
The best way to ensure this plant receives enough water is to always check its growing medium. When the first inch (2.5 cm) of the substrate feels dry to the touch, this is your moment – a nice, generous drink for your Star jasmine.
Propagating Star Jasmine
The Star jasmine will reward you with its abundance of long, attractive stems that come along with adorable, fragrant flowers and luxurious foliage. Thus, what better way to propagate a vine than through its gifting stems? Taking cuttings from your Star jasmine will help you make more young specimens in a short time and, trust us, you can do it with minimal effort.
You can use the newborn Star jasmine plants for your garden and you can even save some money for the next birthday present for one of your vine-loving friends or family members. Now let’s go over the main steps of propagating Star jasmine from stem cuttings.
First things first, you will need to wait for your Star jasmine to get strong and become established in its new environment. Once this happens, you can take as many stem cuttings as you want about six to eight weeks before the last frost in your area.
Make sure you take cuttings just below a node, which is a tiny nub where a flower bud or leaf would normally show up. The cuttings should measure at least 6 inches (15 cm) in length for optimal results. And before you plant them, we recommend you dip the cut end of each Star jasmine cutting in a rooting hormone powder.
Next, you can fill a planter with sandy, moistened potting mix for each Star jasmine cutting you want to use. Plant the cuttings in their individual container, then cover them with a plastic bag to improve moisture-retaining and also maintain the humidity levels at ideal levels.
The cuttings will need lots of warmth to develop roots, so it is best to place the planters above a heating mat or in a room where temperatures are around 75 °F (24 °C).
If you want your Star jasmine cuttings to root fast, you will have to keep their growing medium constantly damp. You can do this by removing the plastic bag weekly to check the overall soil moisture. If it seems dry to the touch, this is a nice time to water the cuttings again.
With proper care, the roots should develop in three to four weeks after planting the Star jasmine cuttings. At this point, you can transplant each cutting in a pot that is one size larger than the current planter or let them be until it warms outside and you can move them into the garden.
In Conclusion
It is safe to say that Trachelospermum Jasminoides, commonly known in the gardening world as Star jasmine has all it takes to become your next favourite ornamental and it definitely deserves a place in your plant collection. Its alluring appearance, blended with its low-maintenance nature, makes this vine a must-have for you, especially when spring is just around the corner. If you feel that your garden is a bit dull, you can fill it with Star jasmine plants and it will soon become an attractive relaxation area.
Are you growing Star jasmine? Share your experience in the comment section!
