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Planting and Growing Jasmine

Botanical Name
Jasminum spp.
Plant Type
Sun Exposure
Soil pH
Bloom Time
Flower Color
USDA Zones
Subhead

Planting, Growing, and Caring For Jasmine Flowers

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener
Almanac Guide to Herbs

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.

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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.

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.

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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