Common Name: star jasmine
Type: Vine
Family: Apocynaceae
Native Range: China, Japan
Zone: 8 to 10
Height: 3.00 to 20.00 feet
Spread: 3.00 to 6.00 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Creamy white
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Annual, Ground Cover
Flower: Showy, Fragrant
Leaf: Evergreen
Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 8-10. Best in evenly moist, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of more shade, but tend to grow thinly and will not flower as well. Grow as an annual or overwinter containerized plants indoors in colder climates.
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. Vines can reach up to 20' tall. 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. 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.
Uses
Large climbing vine for arbors, trellises, frences or other structures. Twining stems require support. Can be be trained and clipped as a hedge or ground cover. Container plant either as annual or brought indoors for winter in colder climates. Houseplant.