How to Grow Asiatic Jasmine: Trachelospermum asiaticum

Hey there, I’m back with another beautiful Asian flowering plant- The Asiatic Jasmine. No, let me clear it first, this plant is not a jasmine variety. It looks and smells like one that’s why it’s called Asiatic Jasmine. This beautiful white flower plant is a sprawling vine. A fast-growing plant that’s best for every terrain. If you want to fill out any bald backyard or garden area then this plant can be very helpful. You can grow Asiatic Jasmine in USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9 as a perennial flowering ground cover.  Although it can grow in cooler zones as an annual flowering plant.

You can not treat them as ground cover in cold areas. There is no point in growing a ground cover if they die back in winter. The best part of this plant growth is that it can cover terrain in no time without much care.  The only problem with these plants is that you can’t walk over them. A little stomping can snap off the stems. Although You can grow these fragrant flowers with stakes or support along the fence line.

The Botanical Name of Asiatic Jasmin is “Trachelospermum asiaticum”. 

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Asiatic Jasmine Plant Info

• Common Name: Asiatic Jasmine, Asian Jasmine, Minima Jasmine, or Dwarf Jasmine
• Botanical Name: Trachelospermum asiaticum
• Origin: Japan, Korea
• Hardiness: Asiatic Jasmine can grow in USDA hardiness zone 7 through 9. It can survive in shady backyards especially in Zone 10.
• Plant Type: Perennial Vine in Zone 7b and above.
• Plant Size: A single vine of Asiatic Jasmine can grow longer than 6 feet though it can’t get taller than 1 foot on its own.
• Leaves/Foliage: The variegated leaves are dark green and purple. The foliage is also very attractive.
• Flowers: Small white fragrant flowers look similar to Original Jasmine flowers. This resemblance gives the plant its name Asiatic Jasmine.
• Season: Spring through Summer.
• Soil Condition: This plant can survive in a variety of soil types including rough sandy soil. It should have good drainage, water-logged soggy soil is good for nothing.
• Soil Ph: The soil must remain slightly acidic. It should have an ideal ph ranging from 5.5 to 6.8.
• Sunlight: Asiatic Jasmine can sustain in part shade to full sun. Though you may not get blooms in the full sun especially in Zone 10.
• Watering: Low to moderate watering is sufficient for Asian Jasmine.
• Tolerance: This plant can fairly tolerate drought and high soil salinity. It is good for salty soil conditions around Florida.
• Propagation Methods: You can grow Asiatic Jasmine from seeds, cuttings, and stem runners.
• Use: Ground Cover, Fence or Wall Decor, and Hanging Baskets.

Is it easy to grow Asiatic Jasmine?

It is very easy to grow these flowering vines. Asiatic Jasmine is among those few plants that can grow anywhere without traditional gardening support. It can grow along walls, fences, with cracks on the tree trunk and also through rocks.

Asiatic or Asian Jasmine do whatever they can to get as much nutrition as possible. The plant will develop extra roots along its extending vines to absorb nutrients from distant places.

The versatile nature its agility to adapt to the surroundings can make it an invasive species unless you keep it in control. You have to keep pruning these vines once they are established in any location. Otherwise, They will occupy the entire available space in no time.

 

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Are Asiatic Jasmine and Asian Jasmine Same?

Indeed Astic Jasmine and Asian Jasmine are the same plants. These are just two different names to represent the same plant species- ” Trachelospermum Asiaticum”. This fragrant flowering plant also has a few other names like Minima Jasmine popular in Florida and the Dwarf Jasmine.

It is not a true jasmine plant. T. Asiaticum is entirely different from Jasmine Officinale i.e, the original Jasmine native from Iran and the Middle East. It is named Jasmine due to its similar fragrant white flowers that resemble true Jasmine.  Their origin country is also different. The Original Jasmine is a native of Iran and other Middle East countries while Asiatic Jasmin is native to Japan and Korea.

Where to Grow Asiatic Jasmine?

Asiatic Jasmine can grow anywhere except in low land or damp soil. It is a spring bloomer so sunlight and temperature do maters. Otherwise, soil quality does not affect it much once the plant is established successfully to a location.

Asiatic Jasmine is a native to Japan, Korea, and surrounding Asian countries. So Tropical coastal warm and humid climate is ideal for this plant. It cannot survive heavy cold or frost-like conditions. In the United States, you can grow these in Hardiness Zone 7 especially in 7b through 10. Be careful while growing then zone 9 or 10 during summer as too much heat or sunlight can lead to less or no blooms at all. Similar results can happen in zone 6 or low due to insufficient temperature.

Keep in mind these vines can grow very fast and they will occupy as much space as they can within a couple of months. So you must not plant these in flower beds with other flowering plants or vegetables. Instead, they do great for isolated hanging baskets or as a fence or ground cover away from other plants.

Asiatic Jasmine can also fit great for ark gate decor. The beautiful white flower and their sweet fragrance can make your pathway attractive for every visitor. It can be a treat for all five senses.

When to Grow Asiatic Jasmine?

The Plantation time of Asiatic Jasmine may vary depending on your hardiness zone as well as climatic conditions. If you receive light or no frost during winter then Fall is the right season for you to plant and grow Asiatic Jasmine. Otherwise, the Spring season from March till June is the Right time to grow Asian/ Asiatic Jasmine.

Plant Asiatic Jasmine in Mid-April through June in Zone 7 and 8. In Zone 9 grow these fragrant flowers in late February through May. You can also plant Asiatic Jasmine in August till Mid October in Zone 9, 10, and some parts of zone 11.

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Spring or Fall which is the Right season to plant Asiatic Jasmine?

The Answer to this question sends on where you live. Although spring is the right time to plant Asiatic Jasmine, still you can plant them in late summer and fall in hatter regions. Zone 9,10 and parts of 11 are likely to get mild winter compared to zone 8 and below. Here we can plant this vine in the fall and they will survive the winter without dying.

You must prefer the spring season as the gradual growth in temperature will help in faster root and stem growth. This will lead to a stronger plant structure bu the fall and winter seasons. The plant will easily survive winter with extended growth which is not possible in a new plantation with bae minimum root structure.

Altogether this is perfectly your choice whether you wanna grow them in fall or spring. Only make sure the new plant gets enough time to develop a good root structure before facing the frost condition. Keep in mind Asiatic Jasmin can’t survive moderate to heavy frost.

Soil Preparation for Asiatic Jasmine Plants?

First of all, decide where you wanna grow these vines. If you want to grow them in the backyard or garden then very little or no soil amendment is necessary. A little bit of compost would be sufficient although not necessary.

Only for container gardening amend the soil with half part compost and half part sand. It will grow and thrive as a groundcover with beautiful purple and dark green leaves tangled in long vines. There is no need for extra fertilizer or anything. Although if you want through blooming then amend the soil with mustard cake powder, DAP, and potash fertilizers. You can also use all-purpose NPK 10:10:10 or NPK 20:20:20 for nourishing the soil.

Compost can help in loosening the texture of the soil along with lowering its ph to an optimum 6.0. You can use a soil ph tester or a simple litmus paper strip to determine the soil ph level. If it is below 5.5 then add lime or wood ash to balance the ph value. Otherwise, if it is higher than 7.0 then amend the soil with compost and sulfur-based fertilizers. Sometimes mulching and dressing the soil with organic matter can also lower the soil ph level.

I recommend using 1 part regular garden soil, 1 part compost, 1 part sand with an equal amount of cocopeat to grow Asiatic Jasmine. This soil mix works well for gardens as well as hanging baskets. If you don’t have that much time then use any all-purpose potting soil, it will work perfectly.

Sunlight and Temperature Requirements

4 to 6 hours of partial sunlight at 50-65 degrees Fahrenheit is essential for Asiatic Jasmine. 

Proper sunlight and temperature both of these factors are very important for plant growth. Asiatic Jasmine is not an exception. It also requires a little bit of sunlight every day. Although you can easily grow these in part shade. But full sun for too long can reduce blooming. Excess of heat and sunlight can lead to enormous foliage growth instead of blooming. That’s why some of you never get blooms in your Asiatic Jasmine plants. Adjust the lighting with temperature, this is not that difficult for container gardeners.

How to Propagate Asiatic Jasmine Plants?

There are three main ways to propagate Asiatic Jasmine Plants. These are-

1. Seeds
2. Cuttings
3. Stem runners or node growths. 

Asiatic Jasmine seeds are quite difficult to find in local garden stores. Gardeners generally prefer cuttings and plantlets over seeds. Though possibly you can find some viable Asiatic Jasmine seeds on Amazon. You can give it a try although chances of good blooming s very low with open-pollinated Jasmine seeds. Asiatic Jasmine has a low seed germination rate and this can be a problem with this approach of propagation.

Growing New Asiatic Jasmine plant from cuttings is possible though not so easy for beginners. It will require patience and a little bit of expertise. The most important part is that you will need a parent plant to get healthy cutting for new growth. These cutting may require rooting hormone for additional support with root formation.

Interestingly if you have a parent Asiatic Jasmine plant then the third option is the easiest and the fast propagation method for you. You can grow new plants from the runners or vines that already have some supporting root growth. It is very common with Asiatic Jasmine vines. Whenever a leaf node comes in contact with soil or any nutritional source along with moisture, it develops roots to absorb this resource. These roots help the plant to survive even in poor rocky sandy soil. It also helps the vine to wrap around and climb along with tree barks.

You can cut these vines 2 -3 inches below the root node and grow them individually. If you don’t find any rot node in the vines simply cove a few leaf nodes of any vine with moist soil. ..it will sprout within a week or two. Just cut and regrow them in the new location. This method has a higher success rate as you don’t have to wait for root germination after cutting the vines.

Can You grow Asiatic Jasmine for seeds and cuttings?

Yes, both seeds and cutting are viable methods to grow Asiatic Jasmine. Although I prefer cuttings and plant sections with roots due to their success rate. Cuttings are reliable and you can determine that they will bloom similar flowers with the same fragrance. This prediction is not possible with seeds collected from an open garden.

Open-pollinated Asiatic Jasmine seeds have a low germination rate. Even if the seed germinates, the chance of it having an exact character like its parent is quite low. It may or may not bloom despite all your efforts. Even if it blooms then also the quality may be inferior to its parent.

That’s to ensure consistency gardeners prefer cutting over seeds to grow Asiatic Jasmine plants.

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How to Grow Asiatic Jasmine: Trachelospermum asiaticum

1. Prepare soil for the garden as well as containers. Use at least 6 inch deep containers for these vines. The container must have a bottom drainage hole else the plant will rot.
2. Buy seedlings or plantlets of Asiatic Jasmine from a trusted seller. Also, make sure this vine is legal in your locality else don’t grow it.
3. If you are starting seeds then start 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Prepare an indoor warm well-lit garden to start seed germination.
4. Fill a seedling tray with Potting Soil and sprinkle tiny Asiatic Jasmine seeds on the moist soil surface. Don’t forget to water the soil before seed sowing else it may wash off with flowing water.
5. Asiatic Jasmin seedlings take 4 to 8 weeks to mature for transplant. The plant should have 4 to 6 true leaves at the time of the final transplant.
6. Place the seedlings or plantlets in the soil. Make an appropriate hole in the center to fit the entire root ball.
7. Place the small vine in the center of the hole and cover the rest with the same soil mix.
8. Water the root properly for the first time. The container should drip out during the first spell. Lower the wearing from the next spell. Try not to overwater these plants or they may die.
9. Feed the plants with all-purpose fertilizers like NPK 10:10:10 or NPK 20:20:20 once in 20 days for best blooming.
10. Adjust sunlight to get the best blooming in Asiatic jasmine vines.

Managing Pests and Diseases

Asiatic Jasmine or Asian Jasmine is a very hardy plant. It is not prone to any serious pests or disease problems. Although you may face some aphids and battles along with caterpillars and fungal infections like powdery mildew. All of these problems occur mostly due to waterlogging, overwatering, or soggy soil. Just let the soil and foliage dry before the next spell and avoid splashing on the vines.

These vines can grow soo extensively that no problem can kill them entirely. They may develop dozens of Anker points with a strong root system that supports plant growth. So if you see any pest or disease sign in the vines either treat them with common pesticide, fungicide, neem oil or chop off the infected vines and it will grow back again.

General Plant Care

1. Keep the vines in control. they can grow furiously all over the garden. Prune them after summer and they will be back in no time.
2. Feed the vine with potassium and phosphorus-rich fertilizer to encourage blooming instead of foliage growth. Don’t feed these vines with too much compost or Nitrogen-based fertilizer else you may end up with a lot of tangled vines full of dark green foliage but no flower.
3.  Don’t forget the stake and support these vines to give appropriate shade and direction. Sometimes they may never bloom with proper support. Sidewalls, fences, tall trees, and patio shoulders and logs are excellent support for Asiatic Jasmine vines.
4. Avoid waking or stomping over these vines else they may break and die. These vines are not suitable for a family garden with kids and pets playing around. The plant is not harmful though children and pests may easily harm these plants.
5. Spray the vines with all-purpose organic pesticides once a week or as described in the packaging. You can also use neem oil and soap to deter common garden pests and bugs.
6. Remove weeds and grass growing around these vines or they may compete with these vines for nutrients and moisture. Although once the plant is established to a location no other plant can compete with it for nutrition, space, or water.