With delicate, dainty, and small flowers, star Jasmine is popular throughout the world for its tropical unique smell and pretty blossoms.
Also named Confederate jasmine, these plants are the popular flowering vines that are doing very well in the southern United States and California and are native to Asia, China, and Japan.
It is scientifically named Trachelospermum jasminoides which strives to climb with vertical support.
These plants are not jasmine plants, but somehow they look and smell similar to Jasmine and attract bees.
The star jasmine flowers are generally white, although some species also have yellow and cream colors that bloom throughout the year. Click To TweetThe star jasmine flowers are generally white, although some species also have yellow and cream colors that bloom throughout the year.
Star Jasmine flowers are versatile liana plants. planted into the ground and grow therein bushes or covering the ground. It also can be grown in hanging baskets or pots. It can also grow over an Arbor, on a trellis, against a wall or fence, and spillover a plant.
Planting the star jasmine near your seating area in the garden can give you the enjoyment of colorful starry flowers and mesmerizing hardy scents.
Types of star jasmine
Classic star jasmine
Scientifically known as Trachelospermum jasminoides, this plant is woody, evergreen, with rich and dark green leaves. It starts flowering from mid to late summer.
Chinese Jasmine
Scientifically known as Trachelospermum asiaticum, this species is not reliably hard. So it needs winter protection and needs to grow indoors. The flowers are cream-white in color, scented like jasmine blooms in late to mid-summer bearing dark green leaves.
variegated Confederate jasmine
This plant is scientifically known as Trachelospermum jasminoides ‘Variegatum’.
It is evergreen foliage with pale green vegetation at the margin of the leaves.
Striking Star Jasmine
This plant is Scientifically known as Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Ogon Nishiki’.
With good autumn coloring, this plant is an Asian variety that possesses variegated leaves, and golden, yellow, and white contrast. It often grows as a climber and needs support. Besides, it can grow as a ground cover. This plant is not fully hardy and possesses milky sap that can irritate the skin.
Growing star jasmine
Star jasmine thrives in warm climates. It is very slow to grow at first and takes some time to get established.
It can reach a height of 3-6 feet after maturity. To maintain a height, a gardener must prune upward reaching shoots. It needs some support to grow and reach that height, otherwise, it can flop back on itself.
In cold areas, this plant should be planted in a pot so that it can be brought back inside or treated as an annual during colder days.
These blossoms are pure white, beautifully perfumed, and pinwheel-shaped that are grown in spring.
You can grow this plant in well-drained soil in a sheltered place with protects it from dry winds and cold. Water regularly with feeding once a week. Tie a young shoot or other support for its growth until its establishment.
Star jasmine can be planted at any time, however, spring and falls are the best time to plant these plants. The plants have a good time settling that is while the warm days and cool evenings. Click To TweetWhen and how to plan
Care of star jasmine is very minimal. they can grow best in all types of souls. Although they can grow best in full sun, they can also thrive well in partial and heavy shade.
Before planting star jasmine, a gardener must space the plant in five feet or 1.5m.
Star jasmine can be planted at any time, however, spring and falls are the best time to plant these plants. The plants have a good time settling that is while the warm days and cool evenings. This plant also can be planted in summer but it will require a lot of water to grow as it is established.
Care of star jasmine
Star jasmine is a plant that is short in stature. It is very easy to take care of this plant. It is a type of carefree plant and it requires only pruning for its growth or its care.
Water
The star jasmine plant requires watering regularly for growth. Most star jasmine plants, especially in cold or humid regions, require very less watering, but in a hot or dry region, somebody needs to increase its cadence.
A good rule to water this plant is to water your plant when the top inch of soil is dry while allowing the soil in between watering.
This plant is neither a water-greedy plant nor a drought-tolerant plant. If the sun is on high that means it gets high heat, then it requires more water.
Soil
Star jasmine plant is not picky on its soil. It thrives well in every kind of soil. It requires loamy soil with good drainage. However, it grows well in a mixture of soil that is moderately moist and well-draining.
It is beneficial for the plant to amend the soil when planting with a proportionate amount of local soil.
Use a good quantity of organic potting soil, if you are planting it in a container.
Light
Star jasmine grows well in full shade or half shade, but during the flowering season, it requires a lot of sunlight. If the vines get eight hours of sunlight per day if it produces the most bloom. If you grow star jasmine as ground covering, then don’t leave it in a high shade. Leave it in high sunlight otherwise, you’ll notice the reduction in the bloom of the vine.
Temperature
Star Jasmine is considered a fairly cold-hardy plant and thrives best in a temperature of lower than 10 Fahrenheit generally, but not for longer days. On average, star jasmine can tolerate a temperature of 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Besides star jasmines grows well in humid conditions and love a moderately moist environment.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is not a basic requirement for the growth of the plant, it can grow well with a good dose of organic compost in early spring and late winter.
Using some organic compost in the plant not only nourishes it but also holds some moisture which is much required during the intensive summer days.
If you want to add fertilizer, it will be fine to add it after the plant starts flowering. But Before you started fertilizing, you should wait until the plant became established.
Once your roots get well established, the plant can be fed with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer generally once in early springs, and again in the middle of the summer formulating the shrubs and trees.
Repotting
Repotting the star jasmine plant in spring and early fall will be effective so that it can be established before winter. However, planting the plant in summer will be also effective if it was provided with a lot of water and more care.
For repotting, choose a container that is bigger than the previous one. If you want to grow your vine as a climber then insert a trellis in the soil before planting.
As star jasmine is a large plant, take out this plant from the old container sideways while the plant laying on the ground.
If the plants are packed together, then gently loosen them with your finger. Fill the new container with the soil as we discussed earlier. Then plant the star jasmine in its new container. If you are using a trellis for the growth of the plant, then gently wind up the vine in the trellis.
Plant propagation
Star jasmine can be propagated by taking cuttings from a strong and established parent plant. You can start by taking cuttings below the node of the parent plant which should be at least 6 inches long. Dip the cut end of the plant in the rooting hormone for proper growth. Then plant the cutting in the planter which is filled with sandy, well-moistened potting soil.
In order to hold the moisture, cover the plant with a plastic dome or a plastic bag and place it at the top of the heating mat or in a room whose temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
By keeping the soil of the area where the plant will be planted moist, you can see the roots are growing within 3-4 weeks.
Pests and diseases
Although Star Jasmine plants are not prone to insects, it is very susceptible to scale insect that drop honeydew on the vine which can lead to the development of sooty mold. This problem of this plant can be treated by applying a horticultural oil like neem milk.
Japanese beetles also be a serious problem that can be seen in this plant. This also can be treated in the same way that is applying the neem oil.
Mealybugs, whitefly, and red spider mites also can attack the plant. As the plant grows densely make sure to check the inner foliage and stems regularly.
Another problem that is often seen in the case of star jasmine is if there is some big plant near it, it winds itself around the trunk of the tree. To avoid this problem, one can trim the plant on a regular basis before it envelops the trunk of the tree.
It also can show the problem of root rot if it grows in heavy soils or damp conditions. You can take the necessary steps to get rid of this by taking the necessary steps.
One thought on “How to grow and care for star jasmine- A step by step guide”
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