How to Grow and Care for Arabian Jasmine

Arabian jasmine is a quick-growing evergreen shrub known for its fragrant blossoms, which pop against this climbing vine's glossy green leaves. Aromatic flowers bloom in summer, starting out white before fading to pink, and may last all year long in warm regions. Put this beautiful plant in a spot near a doorway, outdoor patio, or porch where you can enjoy its pleasant perfume. Arabian jasmine grows best with full to part sun, regular watering, and moist, well-drained soil. Here's how to grow it in your garden.

Arabian Jasmine Care

• Plant in a site with full to partial sun.
• Choose a spot with moist, well-drained soil.
• Water to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy.
• Fertilize Arabian jasmine monthly throughout the growing season.
• Prune plants after flowering to maintain the size you prefer.

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Warning

Fast-growing Arabian jasmine is considered invasive in some tropical regions outside its native range of Southeast Asia. The plant has escaped cultivation in Southern Florida and is considered a Category 1 invasive species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. Check with your local cooperative extension before planting to ensure that Arabian jasmine is not invasive in your area.

Light

Plant Arabian jasmine in a spot with full sun (six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day) to partial sun (at least four hours of sunlight per day). Plants brought indoors for winter should be kept in a very sunny window or beneath a grow light.

Soil

Use a loose, loamy soil that drains well while holding moisture for Arabian jasmine. Amend planting beds with compost before planting to add nutrients and increase moisture retention.

Ensure that the potting mix used for container plantings contains plenty of perlite for drainage.

Water

Water Arabian jasmine regularly to keep its soil evenly moist but not soggy. Pay special attention to soil moisture during hot, dry spells in summer, but avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot. Water container plantings when the top few inches of soil have dried out. Cut back on watering in winter.

Temperature and Humidity

Arabian jasmine requires a warm, humid climate similar to that of its native range to thrive. The plant is winter hardy in USDA zones 9-11. Because plants are susceptible to frost damage, they must be brought indoors before winter in temperate climates.

Fertilizer

Begin fertilizing Arabian jasmine with a balanced fertilizer in late winter or early spring. Feed the plant monthly through summer, the stop fertilizing in fall.

Types of Arabian Jasmine

• J. sambac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany': A slow-growing variety, this cultivar offers double or semi-double flowers that may resemble roses in shape.
• J. sambac 'Belle of India': Both single and double blooms are produced by this cultivar, which also features longer petals.
• J. sambac 'Maid of Orleans': This cultivar's rounded, single petals give the flowers a softer appearance. It may be easier to propagate than varieties like 'Grand Duke of Tuscany'.

Pruning

Prune Arabian jasmine once per year after flowering to maintain your preferred shape and keep the plant contained. Remove any dead or damaged vines.

Propagating Arabian Jasmine

Arabian jasmine is easy to propagate by taking stem cuttings. Here's how to do it:

1. Use clean, sterilized pruners or scissors to cut a stem tip that's 6 inches long. Make a diagonal cut just below a leaf node. Trim away the leaves on the lower half of the stem.
2. Moisten the soil, then use your finger, stick, or pencil to make a hole a few inches deep.
3. Dip the cut end of the stem in rooting hormone powder and plant it in the hole, patting the soil around it gently to hold it in place.
4. Cover the cutting with a clear plastic bag to help hold in moisture and put the cutting in a warm place out of direct sunlight. Remove the bag once a week or so.
5. The cutting should grow roots within around 6 weeks. You'll know the cutting has rooted when new leaf growth appears. At this point, you can remove the bag and acclimate the cutting to full sun before planting it in a container or in the ground outdoors.

Potting and Repotting Arabian Jasmine

You may choose to grow Arabian jasmine in a pot. This is the best option for gardeners who live outside of the plant's hardiness zone, who will need to bring the plant indoors for winter. Growing Arabian jasmine in containers can also help keep this fast-growing climbing vine more compact, but potted plants still require a trellis or other support to climb.

Use a pot with plenty of drainage holes and a moist, well-drained potting mix. When repotting to a larger container, choose one that's only an inch or two larger in diameter and give the plant a fresh batch of potting mix.

Overwintering

Arabian jasmine grown in the ground in zones 9-11 can benefit from fall mulching to insulate its roots during winter. Use leaves, straw, salt hay, or another insulating organic material around the base of the plant. In zones 8 and below, Arabian jasmine must be brought indoors for the winter before night temperatures go below 55 degrees.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Arabian jasmine is susceptible to infestations of insect pests like spider mites, white fly, and aphids. Watch out for signs of plant diseases like root rot and leaf spot. Annual pruning to thin vines and keeping the leaves dry during watering can help prevent these diseases.

How to Get Arabian Jasmine to Bloom

Bloom Months

Expect Arabian jasmine to flower beginning in late spring until early fall, depending on your hardiness zone. In tropical climates, the plant may bloom multiple times throughout the year.

What Do Arabian Jasmine Flowers Look and Smell Like?

The flowers of Arabian jasmine are about 1 inch in diameter, with waxy, white, oval-shaped petals that may be single or double depending on the variety. Blooms develop a faded pink hue as they mature and grow at the end of vines in clusters of 3 to 12. Their powerful fragrance is fruity and sweet with hints of vanilla.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Giving your plant the proper growing conditions, especially light and water, and fertilizing it regularly during the growing season will help promote blooming.

From: thespruce