Accession Count: 74
Common Name:
star jasmine, confederate jasmine
Family Name:
Apocynaceae
Botanical Name:
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Star jasmine is a monoecious evergreen vining perennial. Stems grow 3-6 ft tall or 10 - 20 ft when supported and excrete a milky sap when broken. Leaves are, simple, opposite elliptic-oblong to oblanceolate. They are tapered at the end and are lustrous dark green above and paler on the underside. They are oval leaves with prominent venation patterns on the underside of leaves (1,2,5). Axillary and terminal clusters of salverform, creamy white flowers appear in late spring with sporadic additional bloom in summer (1).
Compound:
Tra jas
Geographic Origin:
Southeast Asia
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
Star jasmine is native to southeastern Asia.(6) Genus name comes from the Greek word trachelos meaning a neck and sperma meaning a seed (5).
Cultivation Notes:
Star jasmine is oftentimes used as a houseplant and ornamental plants but it also can be planted outside since it is cold hardy down to USDA hardiness zone 8 (5,6) Star jasmine should be planted in full sun but also can do well in shade. Easily propagated by cutting. This plant has showy star shaped blooms that are cream colored and they produce a strong sweet fragrance. Usually grown as a vine low shrub or ground cover. Using low to medium water it is a great option(1,2,6). It grows well in most soils but does best in well-draining soil (5). Alkaline soils typical of the desert southwest will induce iron chlorosis (5). The showy blooms and contrasting dark green leaves give star jasmine great appeal as versatile landscape ornamental as a climbing vine, ground cover or shrub. This plant requires little to no maintenance and pruning is not necessary, unless some shaping is desired (5,6,9).
Ethnobotany:
Star jasmine has many uses and has been used for thousands of years. The flowering stem has the properties of being analgesic, antibacterial, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, depurative, emmenagogue, febrifuge, resolvent, tonic and vasodilator (7). A decoction of the plant is used for a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, sore throats and various boils and abscesses. The seed has properties of being cardiotonic haemostatic (7). The whole plant is used with other foods and plants to treat rheumatism. Also this plant is commonly used for it valuable oil, which is steam distilled to extract from the plant to be used in high end perfumes (8) and in incense (7).
Height:
16 - 20 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Fast Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
White
Function:
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Toxic
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
