Image - Flickr / Kai Yan, Joseph Wong
Chinese jasmine is a true wonder. It produces small but very fragrant flowers that do not leave anyone indifferent. It is perfect in any corner as long as it is in direct sunlight, and it does not need much to be and stay well.
However, if you want to have it perfect (and not just good) I recommend you keep reading. So you will discover everything you need to know to take care of your precious plant.
Origin and characteristics of Chinese jasmine
Image - Wikimedia / infomatique
Our protagonist is a plant native to China that is known by the names Chinese jasmine, China jasmine and winter jasmine. Its scientific name is Jasminum polyanthum. It is a climber that has deciduous or evergreen leaves depending on the climate. These are opposite, formed by 5-9 dark green leaves. The flowers appear in spring distributed in panicles and are white on the inside and pink on the outside.
It has a fairly fast growth rate, but if at any time we have to prune it to control it, we can do it without problems at any time of the year except when it blooms.
What care do you need?
If you are going to get a specimen of Chinese jasmine, we recommend giving it the following care:
Location
Where to put Chinese jasmine? In fact, being a plant that tolerates pruning and is not very badly affected by frosts as long as they are weak, it is highly recommended to have outside. In an area with partial shade it will grow wonderfully. Of course, in places where there is no light, it will not be able to grow well.
On the other hand, you must bear in mind that its roots are not invasive. This is great, since if you have it in the garden you can plant other plants near it without having to worry about them. In fact, it could be interesting to plant this jasmine and another similar climber, such as the Trachelospermum jasminoides, next to a lattice or pergola to cover it.
Soil or substrate
It is not demanding, but it is important that you have good drainage as it does not tolerate waterlogging. Anyway, in case of doubt we recommend:
- For flowerpot: use universal substrate, or if you prefer mulch. You can mix it with 30% perlite, or add a first layer of arlite.
- For garden: the soil in the garden must be fertile, and must not be compacted.
Irrigation
Image - Wikimedia / Forest & Kim Starr
Irrigation should be moderate, but always taking into account the characteristics of the climate of the area. Thus, if temperatures exceed 30 degrees in summer and also in that season it rains nothing or almost nothing, it will be necessary to water quite often as the land will dry out quickly. On the other hand, in winter, with the drop in temperatures, the Chinese jasmine will stop growing, so it will need less water since the earth will also remain humid for longer.
At the time of watering, pour water until you see that the soil is well moistened. If you have it in a pot, it is highly advisable not to put a plate under it, but if you want to put it on, remember to remove the remaining water 10-20 minutes after watering.
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During the entire growing season, that is, from spring to summer, it can be fertilized with egg and banana peels, tea bags, or with other Organic fertilizers like guano.
If you prefer, it is also interesting to use fertilizers that are sold ready to use, such as one for green plants (on sale here) or another for flower plants (for sale here).
Planting or transplanting time
Do you want to plant it in the garden? If so, the best time to do it is in spring, in particular when the risk of frost has been left behind.
If you have it in a pot and you see that the roots are coming out, or the substrate seems to be very worn, you can also plant it in a larger one in that season.
Pruning
In winter a cleaning pruning will be done, removing dead, diseased or broken branches, and those that have been crossed or that have grown too much. Throughout the year, the branches that need it can be clipped, that is, they can be trimmed a little by removing the most tender leaves.
Use clean scissors to prevent infection.
Multiplication
Chinese jasmine is a plant that multiplied by leafy semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer, and by suckers in spring.
Rusticity
Withstands frosts up to -5ºC. If you live in an area where the climate is colder, you can keep it in a greenhouse or even indoors.
What uses is it given?
Image - Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
Chinese jasmine is a beautiful plant that used to decorate. Being a climber, it is very interesting to cover lattices, pergolas, dry tree trunks, walls or walls of low height, ...
As if that were not enough, it can also be worked as bonsai. And it is that over time it comes to form a beautiful trunk which can thicken if it is pruned regularly, giving it a bonsai style definite.
What did you think of the Chinese jasmine?
simple and clear. I liked. Thank you
Hello isbael.
Thank you. We are glad that it has been useful to you.
Greetings.
I loved it, I'm going to buy one, thank you ♡
It is very beautiful, without a doubt. Thank you for comment.
Regards!
Very interesting, they just gave me one of these and at most I don't know about plants, this simple and complete information helped me a lot. I will follow the advice for its care. Thanks a lot
Thank you very much Lorna. If you have any questions, ask us 🙂
Greetings.
I need to know why my Chinese jasmine is full of buds but its leaves have dried up
Hi Martita.
Have you checked if it has any plagues? Perhaps you have mealybug, thrips, or aphids, which are the three most common.
But it may also be that the leaves have fallen due to cold, in that case it would be highly recommended to have it indoors.
Greetings.
My Chinese jasmine has been in the garden for more than two years but it grows very, very slowly and its leaves are dark green, brownish or reddish, what could be the cause? I would like to at least see it leafy, thanks
Hello Gabriela.
Does the soil in your garden absorb water quickly? It could be that the roots have problems developing normally, or that they do not receive the amount of water they need. How often do you water it?
It is important to let the soil dry out a bit before watering again, as this prevents the roots from rotting.
You can also help by paying it, from spring to summer, with Organic fertilizers like guano. But yes, you must follow the instructions for use that you will find on the package, since an overdose could be fatal.
Greetings.
Hello Monica,
By transplanting my Chinese jasmine into a larger pot, the leaves and flowers are drying out. Should I prune everything? Do you use pruning shears or a blade? Will it be able to revive? It was so cute and now it's lost its scent. How sad!
Thank you very much and greetings
Hi Hope.
No, not all 🙂
Remove the flowers, since it is what makes the plant use the most energy. It is also advisable to reduce the length of the stems a little (no more than 10-20 centimeters).
You can use ordinary scissors. They do not need to be pruned. Of course, clean them before with soap and water to disinfect them.
Regards!
I loved it, thank you very much
Thanks to you, Mercedes 🙂
Hello, the info is very useful, a query to jasmine should give it direct sun during some time of the day, is it not enough that the place is bright without direct sunlight?
Hi Guadalupe.
If that area is bright, it can flourish even if the sun hits it directly. Don't worry 🙂
Regards!
hello I have the problem that I saw that some leaves are drying I don't know why it will be
Hello Juan Carlos.
How do you take care of it? It can be due to many things:
-lack or excess of irrigation
-heat
-pests
It is a plant that does not support drought, but it should not be watered too often either, otherwise it will spoil. Likewise, it is also important to look at its leaves to see if it has pests.
A greeting.