Star jasmine is an evergreen vine that bursts into bloom in spring with intoxicatingly fragrant white flowers. It’s a manageable vine that can also be grown as a ground cover or in a container. Here’s everything you need to know about growing this lovely Asian native in this complete care guide.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a medium-size evergreen vine with glossy, dark green leaves. In spring, it explodes with clusters of ultra-fragrant, snow-white flowers that are shaped like dainty stars.
Unlike some flowering vines that grow rampantly, star jasmine stays a manageable size and rarely needs pruning.
It’s a versatile plant that is usually grown as a climbing vine but it can be left to sprawl as a ground cover. It can be trained to grow as a shrub, hedge, or espalier. It can also be grown in a container where it can either grow up support or cascade over the sides.
Star jasmine looks delicate, and it isn’t as suited to harsh desert conditions as some more robust vines. It isn’t hard to grow, provided you take into account its preferences. But many gardeners fall in love with its fragrant flowers and feel a little extra care is worth it!
Why I Like This Plant
- Sweetly fragrant white flowers
- Glossy foliage looks good all year
- Manageable, rarely needs pruning
- No thorns, low-litter
Things to Watch Out For
The flowers only last for a few weeks, so don’t expect your vine to be covered with flowers all year long. However, it’s still an attractive vine even when not in bloom.
Some people find the fragrance overwhelming, so you might want to plant it a few feet away from your outdoor seating areas.
Star jasmine is a moderate, rather than low, water use plant, and needs more water than many desert vines.
Even thought it’s considered evergreen, plants can lose some leaves when stressed.
While it’s not considered toxic to pets or people, cut stems exude sticky white sap that many people find irritating.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a star jasmine to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep it healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Star jasmine should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 11. This evergreen vine is root hardy to 10°F. You can expect to see some bronzing on the leaves when temperature dips below freezing.
Sun Exposure
Star jasmine prefers part shade, especially in very hot areas. As a semi-tropical plant, it does not appreciate full desert sun. Avoid planting in a hot, sunny western exposure, which will stress this plant.
It can grow in full shade, but will have fewer flowers.
Size and Growth Rate
Star jasmine is a fast-growing vine that, when supported, typically reaches a size of 15 to 20 feet tall by 5 feet wide.
Soil
In its native habitat, star jasmine grows in acidic soil. So as you can imagine, our alkaline desert soil is not ideal. Plants will tolerate most well-draining desert soil types, include sandy and clay, but may develop iron chlorosis.
Other Location Considerations
This twining vine readily grows up any nearby support structure such as a trellis, lattice, or fence. It forms a dense screen that makes an attractive wall of green even when it’s not in bloom. When used as a ground cover, it’s a good choice to cover slopes.
Since it’s a moderate size vine, it can be grown in large containers. Growing it in a container lets you move your plant around as the seasons change to keep it out of full sun. Growing star jasmine in a pot also lets you provide the acidic soil it prefers.
Star Jasmine:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Star jasmine |
| Scientific Name | Trachelospermum jasminoides |
| Origin | Southeast Asia |
| Plant Type | Evergreen vine |
| USDA Zones | Zones 8 – 11 |
| Cold Hardiness | 10℉ |
| Flower Color | White |
| Flower Season | Spring |
| Mature Size | 15′ high x 5′ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Part, full shade |
| Water Needs | Moderate |
| Pests & Diseases | Iron chlorosis |
| Caution | Irritating sap |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees, butterflies |
How to Plant
The rule of thumb when planting any vine in the desert is to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Since it prefers acidic soil, consider amending your hole with compost or a commercial soil mix.
Top with organic mulch rather than gravel, which helps to retain moisture, increase soil fertility, and reduce alkalinity.
When to Plant
You’ll usually see star jasmine in garden centers in the spring when its sweet fragrance beckons. However, the best time to plant one is in the fall. This gives your vine three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
How to Care for Star Jasmine
Whether you’ve recently planted a star jasmine or have an existing plant in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water New Plants
Once you’ve got your star jasmine in the ground, watering is your most immediate concern. Here is a recommended watering schedule for new vines planted in the spring or fall.
| Weeks 1 & 2 | Every 3 – 4 days |
| Weeks 3 & 4 | Every 6 – 7 days |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Weeks 7 & 8 | Every 10 – 14 days |
After week 8, gradually revise your watering schedule, depending on the season.
How to Water Established Plants
Star jasmine is considered a moderate water use plant and therefore, will need more frequent watering than your native or desert-adapted plants. Here’s a suggested watering schedule.
| Spring & Fall | Every 10 days |
| Summer | Every 7 days |
| Winter | Every 14 days |
Should You Fertilize?
Since star jasmine is not a desert native and is a prolific bloomer, it benefits from an application of fertilizer in the spring.
How to Prune
Star jasmine is not a rampant grower and does not need regular pruning provided your plant is the right size for its space.
Of course, if you are training it to grow as a shrub or espalier, you’ll need to prune more often. Try to do most of your pruning in the spring after it’s done flowering. Pruning before then will remove its future flowers.
Plant Lover Facts
Star jasmine also goes by the common name confederate jasmine. This could lead you to assume it’s native to the southern US, but that is not the case. It’s native to Southeast Asia, Korea, Japan, and parts of China.
Even though true jasmines are native to Asia and known for their fragrant flowers, star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is not botanically related to true jasmines, which belong to the Jasminum genus.
Star jasmine has many medicinal properties and is used as an ingredient in perfumes.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for over 15 years.
Photo Credit
David J. Stang, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A. Berra, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons