Native to the subtropical and tropical regions of Australasia, Eurasia and Oceania, Jasmine is a plant which is majorly grown for the fragrance of the flowers. Jasmine has around 200 species, with only one of the 200 species being native to Europe. Jasmine plants can either be evergreen or deciduous with their leaves falling in the autumn season. The plant can be spreading, erect or even climbing and has alternate or opposite leaves. The Jasmine flowers are about 2.5 cm in diameter and are yellow or white in color. In some cases, the flowers can even be reddish. Each flower consists of 4-9 petals and 1-4 ovules. The flowers of the plant are very fragrant and it gives berries which turn into black color when it is ripe.
Jasmine Technical Details
Scientific Name: Jasminum
Common name(s): Jasmine, Night Jasmine, Blooming Jasmine
Family: Oleaceae
Origin: Himalayas, Western China
Height: The jasmine shrubs typically reach a height of around 10 to 15 feet. The plant grows around 12 to 24 inches per year.
Light: Needs bright light to light shade sites, but not direct sunlight.
Soil: Well-Draining and Moderately fertile Soil
Moisture: Moist nut not soggy soil is preferable
Hardness: can survive in zone 7 hardiness and also zone 6 if placed in well sheltered pots.
Temperature: Not less than 41°F/5°C
Pests: Leaf webber, bud worm, mites and blossom midge.
Diseases: Iron deficiency, Root rot and yellowing of leaves.
Propagation: Taking cuttings and seeding.
Uses: Jasmine plant is mainly cultivated because of its fragrant flowers. Its fragrant flowers are also used to prepare Jasmine tea. The Jasmine oil is also very often used in aromatherapy.
Jasmine Care
Taking care of a Jasmine Vine is not a tough task. The plant just needs some vigilance. The Jasmine vines require to be trained when they are young by weaving through the trellis sections or just using the plant ties.
The plant should be fertilized in the spring season just before new growth starts. The tips need to be pinched off in the second year of growth so as to promote branching in the plant. You must be careful to protect the plant against mites, especially spider mites using neem oil.
Jasmine is an excellent houseplant as it requires even moisture with a sunny site. Extra care needs to be taken for the potted plants as they do not get the extra nutrients. So, the potted plants need to be fertilized twice annually.
Jasmine propagation method
As the Jasmine cuttings reach maturity very quickly, the plant flowers fast in comparison to some other plants. It is very worthwhile if you take your Jasmine cuttings to give away for propagation or increase your stock.
The two very common ways of propagating Jasmine is cutting and seeding.
Cuttings- You can easily propagate Jasmine by growing it from the cuttings. It is a very simple method and you just need to begin by taking cuttings from the plant which has no flowers. The process should be done in the late summer or early fall season. You can use scissors to cut off 2-3 inches part of Jasmine and cut if off below a leaf. The cut should be at 30 degrees angle, and make sure that you have more cuttings than you need as not all of the cuttings will grow.
After that dip the end into the rooting powder and then put the section in a sanitized and moist medium but not into garden soil as it may contain bacteria. You need to plant the cutting at a depth of 1 inch and then place the container in a place with good light but not direct sunlight.
Seeding- You can get the Jasmine seeds online or even in physical stores. But, do perform a research before you buy seeds. You need to be sure about the kind of Jasmine you need as there are over 00 different types of plants and all are different from each other. Some climb, few have strong fragrance, some are toxic etc.
Common Problems with Jasmine
Though Jasmine is a plant which is very easy to grow, you may face few issues like below, if you are not careful:
If you propagate Jasmine using seeds, you need to be careful as some of the Jasmine varieties are toxic to human beings and pet animals.
As the plant needs moist soil, you need to water regularly in the summer months. Watering is important for healthy growth of Jasmine.
Leaf spots disease can affect the growth of the plant.
Tips for Healthy Jasmine Plant
Pruning is necessary for the plant, to maintain the size of the plant and prevent it from becoming too bug. Jasmine needs heavy pruning to keep the plant in an orderly shape.
The vining variety of Jasmine needs a good support structure as it can get as high as 15 feet.
To make the plant grow better, it is suggested to add leaf moulds to the soil.
It is necessary to be careful of any disease which might affect the plant to help early treatment and helping save the plant.
Jasmine is known for its exotic fragrance flowers, but there are many uses of this plant apart from just the fragrance it offers. The Jasmine oil is very commonly used as it contains many compounds. Two if the Jasmine plants which are used to produce oil are Jasminum officinale and Jasminum grandiflorum. The dried roots from some of the varieties are even used in medicinal preparations. Jasmine tea made from the flowers of Jasmine is a very popular beverage in China.
Apart from such properties, Jasmine also has cultural importance. In the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, Jasmine flowers are used as offerings to gods in temples and also as hair ornaments. The flowers are also used in the ceremonies of weddings, festivals and other rituals.
Jasmine plant is considered important by many nations of the world. Jasmine is the national flower of Pakistan while in Thailand it is considered as a symbol of motherhood. Damascus, the Syrian city is also known as the City Of Jasmine. Rose is considered as the queen of flowers and people consider Jasmine as the king.
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