Star Jasmine – Dramatic Climber Or Low Ground Cover

With its glossy green leaves and profusion of white star shaped flowers this is a real stunner. The star jasmine is both easy to maintain and can be used in so many ways. As a climber it can reach a height of thirty feet, but can be kept to just two feet if used for ground cover. You can learn more about this beautiful plant in an article which I found on the Hometalk website.

Star Jasmine is a versatile plant indeed. It can be trained to grow on a trellis, over an arbor, as an espalier against a wall or fence, as a border plant or hedge, to spill over a wall and it?s also suited to containers. ?The sweetly scented star-like flowers along with the gorgeous glossy foliage are its big draw. This is all about how to care for and grow Star Jasmine.

I?m standing under a Star Jasmine arch in the kitchen garden at the Westward Look Resort here in Tucson.

This twining, vining plant isn?t a true jasmine, like?Pink Jasmine?which is, although the flowers would make you think otherwise. The botanic name is Tracelospermum jasminoides and it?s in the same family with a few plants you might be familiar with: oleander, plumeria, adenium and vinca. By the way, Confederate Jasmine is another common name for Star Jasmine.

How to care for & grow Star Jasmine:

Size

Star Jasmine can reach 25-30? tall. It needs support to reach that height otherwise it just flops back on itself. ?It?s a twining vine so you?ll need to train & attach it at the start. It?ll do its thing after that & needs just a little guiding as it grows. Not hard at all to do. ?As a ground cover, it can easily be kept at 2?.

This Star Jasmine climbs to 25? with the help of wires in a corner of this building.?

Hardiness

It?s hardy to zone 8 & can take temperatures down to 10-15 degrees F. This plant adapts well to both heat & cold.

When to Plant

Star Jasmine is best planted in spring or fall (with enough time to settle in before the?below freezing?temps. hit). The plants have an easier time settling in while the days are warm & the evenings are cool. You can plant in the summer but will have to water more as it?s establishing.