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 samll 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. It can grow in full shade, but flowering is suppressed. In Phoenix, do not plant in western exposures or in reflected light situations.

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.