Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 8-10. Best in medium wet, well-drained loams in part shade. In the St. Louis area, it is grown as a container plant that must be overwintered indoors unless simply grown as an annual.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Trachelospermum jasminoides, commonly called star jasmine, is a monoecious, twining, evergreen, woody perennial. In areas where it is winter hardy (e.g., southern California, southwestern and southeastern U.S.) it may be grown as a vine, a sprawling shrub or as a ground cover. Axillary and terminal clusters of salverform, sweetly fragrant, starry, creamy white flowers appear in late spring with sporadic additional bloom in summer. Flowers are attractive to bees. Shiny, oval, opposite, dark green leaves (to 3.5” long) on wiry dark brown stems. Stems exude a milky sap when broken. In the St. Louis area, it is most frequently grown in pots that must be brought indoors in winter. Star jasmine is also commonly called confederate jasmine. Star jasmine is in a different family (Apocynaceae) than the true jasmines in genus Jasminum (Oleaceae).
Genus name comes from the Greek word trachelos meaning a neck and sperma meaning a seed.
Specific epithet means resembling jasmine.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for Japanese beetle. For more information see: Problems Common to Many Indoor Plants
Uses
Container plant either as annual or brought indoors in winter. Houseplant.