Pronounciation: Tra-chel-o-SPER-mum jas-min-OYE-deez

Hardiness zones:
Sunset 8-24
USDA 8 (borderline 7)-11

Landscape Use: Widely used in California and Arizona as a small-scale ground cover, raised planter, trellis plant, or wall cover.

Form & Character: Sprawling and climbing vine with ends of branches erect, mesic, a festival for the senses when in bloom.

Growth Habit: Evergreen, semi-woody, perennial vine, twining new growth, spreading to 25 feet, does not attach to surfaces but rather wraps itself around attaching surface.

Foliage/Texture: Opposite, oval leaves with prominent venation patterns on underside of leaves, produces milky latex; medium texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Star shaped, white, VERY FRAGRANT (the knock your socks off kind) axillary flowers to 1.5 inches across in clusters of 3 to 5; fruit inconspicuous and are usually sterile.

Seasonal Color: Heavy bloomer April/May in Arizona (June/July in southern California).

Temperature: Cold and heat tolerant....from a Phoenix point of view.

Light: In Phoenix, partial shade with an eastern exposure is best, do not plant in western exposures or in reflected light situations. It can grow in full shade, but flowering is suppressed.

Soil: Alkaline soils of the desert southwest will induce iron chlorosis.

Watering: Needs regular water.

Pruning: Little to none except to control spread.

Warning: Star jasmine weeps a heavy, sticky, and milky-in-appearance latex exudate from any cut stem. Be careful of this when pruning star jasmine. Milky latex is a skin irritant to some.

Propagation: Stem cuttings

Disease and Pests: None

Additional comments: Star jasmine is less refined and more coarse textured than Trachelospermum asiaticum. But ohh!! What flower fragrance! To use as a landscape ground cover, space one-gallon container transplants at about 2 to 3 feet on center for eventual full cover.