Jasmine Plant

With the right environmental conditions and proper care, jasmine plants will thrive in our gardens and our homes. Varieties can bloom in spring (J. officinale) or winter (J. nudiflorum).

Outdoor Growing Conditions

Select an area with full sun and very well-drained soil. The winter jasmine should be grown against walls or embankments, while the summer plant does well on a trellis for support.

The vines can grow from five to fifteen feet tall, depending on variety. Water either variety regularly during the first two seasons in its new setting.

Once established in the garden, average rainfall provides enough water for jasmine to thrive.

Provide additional water only if the soil gets dry, as the roots are very susceptible to rotting if too wet.

Remove dead branches as soon as possible, as well as any branches that do not appear healthy.

Winter jasmine may become overgrown and should be cut back to the ground after blooming. Feed three times a year with a mild fertilizer.

The jasmine plant is susceptible to powdery mildew, appearing as a powder dusted over the leaves. Though the powder can be rubbed off, it may fall on other leaves. A fungicide is recommended to eliminate it.

A fungus infection called botrytis cinerea, or blight, also attacks jasmines, attacking during periods of heavy rain in low temperatures.

The stems of the plant will have breaks along them. Three applications of fungicide, ten days apart, will eliminate this fungus.

Nematodes attack the roots during summer's high temperatures and rainy periods and cause a decrease in number of flowers. Add organic matter to the soil to control this.

Aphids, caterpillars, mites and mealybugs are among the pests that attack jasmine flowers and can be controlled with regular pruning and application of pesticides.

Indoor Growing Conditions

Though the outdoor plant enjoys full sun, jasmine flowers growing indoors have different needs.

Provide natural morning sunlight, in an east facing window, to prevent the leaves from drooping. Fluorescent lighting is not recommended.

Cool temperatures, not above 65 degrees, and adequate air circulation are important to the plant.

The dry air common to indoor areas is detrimental to jasmine plants. Keep them away from hot-air vents, radiators and stoves, and increase humidity with a tray of pebbles and shallow water under the plant.

Good drainage in the pot is important as soggy roots will rot. Poke your finger halfway down into the soil and only water when the soil is dry that far down to encourage indoor flowering.

Once bloom has ended, the plant needs six hours of sunlight and warmer temperatures.

It can be summered outdoors, acclimating it from the shade to full sun over a period of two weeks.

Feed with houseplant with fertilizer at half strength, twice a month from spring till fall, when the plant is growing, then do not fertilize at all through winter.

Indoors, the plant will set flowers in late summer. For this reason, do any pruning to control size and shape well before this time.

Nighttime temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees and darkness after sundown for a month are necessary for the plant's growing cycle, which means it doesn't need to be brought indoors as early as some plants.

Once back inside, return to original lighting and temperature requirements.

The jasmine plant may not be considered low-maintenance as an indoor plant, but as either an indoor or outdoor plant it offers a spectacular fragrance that makes it worth a little extra work.