Arabian Jasmine
Arabian Jasmine
The round, 1” creamy-white flowers are not large, but they are among the sweetest, most fragrant flowers in the world. In many countries they are so highly prized that they are the stuff of legends and the property of kings. From the Indian “Bela” to the Hawaiian “Pikake”, nearly every tropical and subtropical region has its own special names for what we call Arabian Jasmine.
Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac) is a 3-4’ evergreen shrub or shrubby vine that grows easily in part shade to full sun. Although hardy to 25°F, it looks its best when protected from frost in winter and fertilized regularly during the warm season. Heat and humidity encourage maximum bloom in summer and fall here, or all year when grown in a greenhouse. Fully 15 different flower forms are grown throughout the world, all with deliciously sweet flowers which vary from single to very double in form.
These fragrant flowers are famous for their use in flavoring Jasmine Tea and also in perfumery. In India, the flowers are considered sacred and are widely used for making garlands, as they are in Hawaii for leis. A crested double-flowered form (called “Mogra” in India and “Grand Duke of Tuscany” elsewhere) has extremely fragrant flowers that resemble 2” miniature cauliflowers. No greater tribute can be made than to present a respected visitor with these floral treasures.
Arabian Jasmine grows well in containers or in the ground, with a warm, lightly-shaded, humid spot preferred. Its light-green glossy foliage is handsome all year – plants may be trained to be shrubby or to climb a small trellis. Cut flowers will last at least a day out of water, and so make a nice table arrangement in a basket or even as exotic boutonnieres. Cutting-grown forms in cultivation locally are the single ‘Maid of Orleans’, the semi-double ‘Bel of India’, the fully double ‘Hawaiian Queen’, and the crested double ‘Grand Duke of Tuscany’. The first three are shrubby and somewhat scandent; “Grand Duke” is stiffly upright, more heat-loving, and less cold-tolerant.
Arabian Jasmine
Arabian Jasmine
The round, 1” creamy-white flowers are not large, but they are among the sweetest, most fragrant flowers in the world. In many countries they are so highly prized that they are the stuff of legends and the property of kings. From the Indian “Bela” to the Hawaiian “Pikake”, nearly every tropical and subtropical region has its own special names for what we call Arabian Jasmine.
Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac) is a 3-4’ evergreen shrub or shrubby vine that grows easily in part shade to full sun. Although hardy to 25°F, it looks its best when protected from frost in winter and fertilized regularly during the warm season. Heat and humidity encourage maximum bloom in summer and fall here, or all year when grown in a greenhouse. Fully 15 different flower forms are grown throughout the world, all with deliciously sweet flowers which vary from single to very double in form.
These fragrant flowers are famous for their use in flavoring Jasmine Tea and also in perfumery. In India, the flowers are considered sacred and are widely used for making garlands, as they are in Hawaii for leis. A crested double-flowered form (called “Mogra” in India and “Grand Duke of Tuscany” elsewhere) has extremely fragrant flowers that resemble 2” miniature cauliflowers. No greater tribute can be made than to present a respected visitor with these floral treasures.
Arabian Jasmine grows well in containers or in the ground, with a warm, lightly-shaded, humid spot preferred. Its light-green glossy foliage is handsome all year – plants may be trained to be shrubby or to climb a small trellis. Cut flowers will last at least a day out of water, and so make a nice table arrangement in a basket or even as exotic boutonnieres. Cutting-grown forms in cultivation locally are the single ‘Maid of Orleans’, the semi-double ‘Bel of India’, the fully double ‘Hawaiian Queen’, and the crested double ‘Grand Duke of Tuscany’. The first three are shrubby and somewhat scandent; “Grand Duke” is stiffly upright, more heat-loving, and less cold-tolerant.