January 15, 2006 · Confederate Jasmine / Garden Review / TROPICAL PLANTS

Confederate Jasmine

Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) also known as Star Jasmine is not a true jasmine but referred to as one because of the fragrant jasmine-like flowers it produces. It is hardy in zones 8-10 and ubiquitous in the southern states. Cultivar Madison is hardy up to zone 7.

The twining foliage emerges with light green lance-shaped leaves and then matures to a glossy, dark green color which produces clusters of white star-shaped flowers in late spring to summer. Once established, this fast growing evergreen vine, which can grow up to 20 feet, can be trained to climb supports such as fences, pergolas, pillar and trees. With tip pinching and trimming, it can also be grown as a spreading shrub or a weed choking groundcover. Its tight growing habit also makes it an ideal candidate for topiaries, trailing containers and hanging baskets.

Confederate Jasmine in bloomConf.Jasmine seed pod

Care

Confederate jasmine prefers fertile well-drained soil with full sun to part shade exposure. Fertilize from early spring to fall with a well balanced (NPK) fertilizer for acid loving plants.

Pruning is important to control excessive growth and thicken the foliage. Prune straggly and tangled vine grown indoors in the fall/winter when growth has stopped and/or after blooming to promote lateral branching. Because C. jasmine blooms on last year’s growth, the best time to prune outdoor plants is after blooming (April-May). Prune away dead, weak, cold damaged shoots in late winter after danger of frost is over. Prune back no more than 1/3 of the vine at a time.

The semi-hardwood cuttings dipped in rooting hormone can be propagated in the spring/summer to produce additional plants. Cuttings exude a white milky sap which can be a skin irritant.

Indoor culture

Trachelospermum jasminoides tolerates a minimum temperature of 40 degrees and therefore in colder climates needs to be grown in a container and brought indoors for the winter. As a houseplant, they can adapt to moderate light exposure as well as neglectful watering but grow best in bright indirect light in the summer and need a minimum of 4 hours of direct sunlight in the winter. Night temperatures of 50-55 and 68-72 during the day are preferred. In the winter provide added humidity but water less.

Another cultivar, Trachelospermum asiaticum cv mandianum, Asiatic Jasmine is also a popular container plant. It has smaller, oval leaves and sweeter yellowish white flowers with a longer blooming time which can start(depending on temperatures) early to mid-winter to the summer.
Ref. Clemson.edu & Logee’s Container Plants

From the reader archive

Useful reader questions

Propagate cuttings I want to know if i can cut pieces from my confederate jasmine and root them and have more vines .please let me know thank you sarah parker When you prune you can use the semi-hardwood cuttings taken in spring/summer…

Read sarahparker discussion

Blossom blight I have 2 jasmine plants for about 4 years it is out door in my front yard. I live in orlando. The problem is only the flower buds turns into black or brown in colour and they get dried and…

Read Kaavi discussion

I live in Northern California. My husband and I just moved into a new townhouse and we have a fenced in porch which faces west, so it gets late afternoon sun. The soil was pretty hard, so we mixed in top soil…

Read Kelley discussion

Hi, I am new to this site and I find it very helpful. I live in NYC (Queens area) and I recently bought a beautiful jasmine tree, not sure if it is a confederate, though. I put it near a big window…

Read Benny discussion

131 Comments

  1. Haynie - January 15, 2006 at 3:02 pm

    I want to plant Confederate Jasmine instead of laying down that red bark. Does Confederate Jasmine do well in Ft. Lauderdale, (South Florida) If so when and how should I plant it?

    Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum Jasmoides) is a shrubby plant that can be used along walls,fences as well as a ground cover under trees. It does well in Florida. Plant it in acid soil in full sun for best flowering but will also grow in partial shade. Keep the soil moderately moist but not wet until plant is well established. Because it has a spreading habit space it 36-60 inches apart. The dark glossy foliage and fragrant white flowers make Confederate Jasmine an attractive ground cover to grow.

    Reply
  2. Kris - January 15, 2006 at 3:06 pm

    Leaves and no blooms
    Wonderful forum for gardeners. We have friends in VA Beach, who have a jasmine growing near their back door, it bloomed the first year it was planted 5 years ago and never again. I have the same problem here in Northern AL. It is a white flower, so I have been calling it Confederate Jasmine. Theirs have a lot of sun and have grown to a height of 10 ft. trellised. Mine is only about 2 years old and about 3 ft. high. What are we doing wrong? The foliage looks very healthy.

    You might consider the kind of fertilizer you are using, too much nitrogen will give you nice green growth but no flowers. Try an acid loving blooming fertilizer eg: 10-20-10 (the middle number phosphorous higher than the first number(nitrogen).

    Reply
  3. Barbara Baugher - January 16, 2006 at 7:57 am

    Winterover indoors
    I have a star jasmine that I have brought in for the winter. It is losing most of its leaves. Do I correct this by misting, and how often should I mist. Also, I don’t have a good window, but I do have a vertical, portable plant light. Should I use that, and how much? Do I continue using acidic fertilizer through the winter, and what about using bloom boost with it? Thanx for any help, I’d really like to save this plant!

    Hi Barbara,
    Welcome back, Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is probably dropping its leaves because of low light and lack of humidity. The plant light might help as they need at least 4 hours of direct sunlight each day. Use a pebble tray filled with water to increase the humidity. Misting can help a bit but will not make a significant difference. Water it less in the winter and stop fertilizing until early spring when the plant starts growing again. Prune unsightly stems in the winter when it stops growing.

    Reply
  4. Jennifer - January 16, 2006 at 8:25 am

    2005-7-16
    I need help also with a star Jasmine! It had nice white flowers when I initally bought it 3 months ago and now there is none and it is loosing it’s leaves by the handful!!! Before the leaves fall off the tips get like a dark brown. Do they normally shed their leaves? I have it in a south window and I live in WI. What can I do??

    Brown leaf tips and edges have several causes underwatering,too hot surface, low humidity and low light, . My best suggestion is to put your plant outside in part shade for the rest of the summer. You might have to ease your plant into the new environment since it’s been in the house. Watch the watering; give it enough water(don’t let it dry out) and don’t let the roots stand in water. Your Jasmine will enjoy the vacation outdoors and be a much healthier plant, ready to endure the indoors during the winter

    Reply
  5. Tara - February 5, 2006 at 9:35 am

    Powdery mildew
    Hello, I’m new to this forum, and have been searching for information on what I am experiencing with my jasmine plant. It is indoors, with lots of light, in a cold climate. It has developped a mold on all it’s leaves. It is white and powdery. Any suggestions? Also, when we water it, the water runs straight through, we were told not to soak it, but I feel like it’s not even getting a moderate watering. Thanks

    Sounds like you have powdery mildew on your leaves. It is a airborne fungus that thrives under certain environmental conditions-cool nights, high humidity. See the article on powdery mildew for treatment-baking soda or Neem Oil. I wouldn’t worry about the watering, it is better to have good drainage than roots sitting in water. The plants require less water in the winter.

    Reply
  6. Joan Seeger - February 18, 2006 at 3:53 pm

    Scale
    Great site! My jasmine is approx.6 yrs old and it winters inside next to a humidifier. Has dropped a lot of leaves which doesn’t concern me as also has 4″ new growth. What does concern me is the underside of leaves appear to have scale. Only these bumps don’t seem to be bugs. Plus are quite small. Any ideas? Thank you!

    The first sign of scale is the sticky honeydew on the leaves/stems. Underneath the bumps(which protect them from sprays) are eggs and crawlers which eventually crawl out but are difficult to detect because they are clear in color. It is at this stage, that they are vulnerable to sprays, and if treated can be controlled. Persistent spraying is important. Logee’s greenhouse recommends, Neem oil which should be used twice a month for 2 months. Use 1 oz.(2Tbsp of Neem Oil , 1 1/2 tsp dishwashing detergent to one gallon of water. Another recommendations for shiny-leaved plants only is Cedoflora, which is low in toxicity, safe and effective. You can also try to scrape off the bumps with your fingernail.

    Reply
  7. Jessie - March 12, 2006 at 9:37 pm

    Planting
    I have never grown or planted anything ever. I am wanting ti do 2 trelles of Jasmine and then jasmine all over the ground in a specific area of my yard. (almost in a circular area) What other flowers do well planted with Jasmine? Also how fo I do it? Do I just dig a home and put it in? Or do I add potting soil to the area? I am so clueless to all of this I really want to do this so I am completely willing to learn from all of you! I live in Arizona Phoenix area. Thanks any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Jasmine is not a common plant to grow in AZ, because of the dry, hot weather. It requires moist well-drained soil and should be planted in the shade to do well in AZ. To maintain it as a ground cover be sure to trim the upward growing tips during the season. When planting jasmine amend the soil with compost and be sure to dig a hole larger than the pot and keep the plant at the same soil level that was in the pot…not too deep or too high.

    Reply
  8. Tricia - March 16, 2006 at 2:00 pm

    Transplant jasmine vine
    I have a jasmine vine that is strangling an oak tree in my yard. In order to save the tree we were told to cut it down (which my husband is doing as I type). I want to replant it along the fence to let it climb. How do you replant a vine??

    Dig up as much of the roots ball as you possibly can and plant it along the fence. You will have to trim the jasmine in order for it to be managable to move. In addition, trimming will also help the plant recover from the shock of root loss. After transplanting ,water it well with a plant starter such as Quick Start. It contains a rooting hormone, fertilizer & vitamins which help the plant recover faster.

    Reply
  9. Kaavi - April 5, 2006 at 4:31 am

    Blossom blight
    I have 2 jasmine plants for about 4 years it is out door in my front yard.
    I live in orlando. The problem is only the flower buds turns into black or brown in colour and they get dried and falls of even before they bloom and all the buds are small in size. I used some pest control it works for one week and every week i need to spray it i am tired of it. i don’t see any bugs. The plant is healthy it has lot of leaves and i prune it regularly and fertilize it.
    Please someone give me an idea on how to get more flowers to bloom in my front yard without dried flower buds.

    There is a blossom blight that affects Jasmine. It starts with brown spots that eventually get larger and darker. This is caused by a fungus when the weather is cool and wet. Clean away all debris at the base of the plant (sanitation) and spray with a fungicide. Don’t spray the plants directly with water.

    2006-6-1
    Mary
    Hi,
    This is my first garden so bear with me. About three weeks ago I planted 3 confederate jasmine vines along my backyard fence. I bought them from a reputable nursery. Two of them are thriving and growing like crazy already, while the third one is not doing well at all. It’s leaves are green but all the flowers are heavily drooping downward and the flowers turn brown and fall off before they open. They are all on the same water schedule and they get plenty of sun. What can I do to nurse it back to health? Please help!!

    Rapid change in temperatures such as too warm at night, too hot, and dry weather will cause bud blast in which the flowers will droop and turn brown. It is an indicator that the plant is in a stressful condition. Other factors that can cause bud blast are excess fertilizer, inadequate light exposure and overhead watering (which is what I suspect). Perhaps your stressed jasmine has been exposed to one of the factors.

    Reply
  10. Lynda - April 13, 2006 at 4:01 pm

    Rabbit problem
    I have 3 star jasmine plants (approximately 4′ tall ea.) that I purchased and planted along a west wall (outside) approximately 1 month ago. They were beautiful, blooming, healthy plants and stayed that way for about 2 weeks. The leaves are slowly browning and the blooms are almost completely gone. They get plenty of water, and the weather hasn’t been too warm here in AZ…yet. I was hoping to acclimate and establish the plants before our very hot summer is upon us. Do rabbits, lizards or mice eat jasmine plants? I have petunias planted nearby and the tops have been eaten by one of the 3 mentioned. We’ve seen all in our yard at one time or another. Is there anything I can do to save these plants which look as if they are being chewed on at their base? Thank you for any advice.

    Jasmine have a difficult time growing in hot climates. They are not a common plant in AZ. Rabbits are fond of jasmine. Try spraying a repellent such as REPEL around the base of your plants. Another option is to make a cylinder of hardware cloth and place it around the trunk with the lower end inserted 1 inch below the soil surface. Kris

    Reply
  11. Charlotte - May 13, 2006 at 6:18 am

    Pruning c. jasmine
    I have had the Confederate Jasmine for 5years…I probably live in one of the most powerful zones for this plant which is just north of Mobile, Al..it blooms on and off all year…it on the south wall in front of the house…it has started taking over my front porch…we have never trimmed it back..it is in bloom now…if I trim it back now will it kill it off??

    Prune your plant after it is done blooming. Cut back any weak, damaged, and overcrowded growth but don’t remove more than one third of the vine each year.

    Reply
  12. Mindy Kelly - June 5, 2006 at 4:32 am

    How far apart

    I have a 12 1/2 foot x 3 1/2 wide trellis that I would like to plant confederate jasmine on. My questions are; will it cover the trellis and how many plants would you suggest using? I live in zone 8, south Alabama. We have a 2 1/2 acre yard and trying to do something on a grand scale so as not to have a bunch of small gardens.
    It gets about 2 hours of sun in the morning and about 1 hour sun in evening.
    Ivy for sure is not the way to go as we have spent quiet a few $$ on these plants only for them to die.Please help me as this is where I would love to have my wedding(one day) !
    Thanks for any advice,

    The recommended spacing is about 36-60 inches, some plant them as close as 2 ft apart. I would plant 2 plants which should fill in nicely in no time. They are hardy in zone 8.

    Reply
  13. sarahparker - June 9, 2006 at 2:41 pm

    Propagate cuttings
    I want to know if i can cut pieces from my confederate jasmine and root them and have more vines .please let me know thank you sarah parker

    When you prune you can use the semi-hardwood cuttings taken in spring/summer to produce additional plants.
    Dip them in rooting hormone (Rootone) and place light well-drained soil or peat pots and keep moist.

    hi i just put some cuttings from my confederate jasmine and when will they have the roots on them .and should i leave them out like on the porch are should i keep them in side i got them in the pump house now .so please let me know which is the best thing to do .in side are out side .sarah parker

    I would leave them outdoors in a protected ( shaded porch) enviornment until they root. Be sure to keep the cuttings in a humid climate and moist (not wet) soil. As to how long it should take? My guess would be 6-8 weeks depending on conditions if you dip the cuttings in rooting hormone it should take less time to root.

    marion sorel
    Hi There My friend gave me some cuttings of confederate jasmine. I have them int he bucket with water and I live in Central Florida. I have them in my screen room Do I plant in potting soil int he garden or leave int he water to root. What is the best way to be sure they start growing and stay healthy. Thank you

    Best time to root Confederate jasmine is in summer/early fall. Use semi-hardwood cuttings 4-6 inches long, strip off the bottom leaves, dip the bottom 1/3 stem in rooting hormone and pot in a soil mix of peat/sand and perlite. Place pot in a plastic bag to create a greenhouse-opening periodicaly. If humid and warm weather you won’t need to keep in plastic bag. Place the cuttings in a shaded spot such as a porch or screened room. If you have extra cuttings, -some have had success rooting in water. Softwood tip cutting should be rooted in early summer. When the cuttings are rooted, let them grow until they have a good root system one season) before transplanting in garden soil.

    Reply
  14. Melinda Burbage - July 24, 2006 at 11:33 am

    Hello,I have 6 Confederate Jasmine growing on a trellis in my back yard that have been my pride and joy every spring.This year they bloomed as usual but now one of them has lost most of its leaves and the ones that are left are a bright red!!This has never happened in the 6 years we have had them. We live in coastal North Carolina and it has been a very hot summer so far.Do you think that is the reason for what has happened and what can I do to help them??
    Thank you for any help you can give

    It is a response to stress from the hot weather. They tend to turn red later in the season.

    Reply
  15. Melinda Kelly - August 26, 2006 at 8:13 pm

    Tip pinching
    I planted some jasmine next to my fence, some have climbed the fence with one shoot but should I cut them off so it will fill the fence or how do you get it to fill a fence?

    Frequent tip pinching and pruning will encourage new side shoots and thicker growth.

    Stacy T ( sartaelle@yahoo.com / )
    I live in Austin, Texas and I have 3 star Jasmine vines that I am trying to coax into covering an iron fence on my condo’s patio. The plants seem healthy in color, and bloom, however, in two years their growth has sparse – reaching maybe two high and not very dense. My neighbors next door have the same type of Star Jasmine, but planted it many years ago, and they said their vines covered the fence in two years and now they have trouble controlling it’s dense growth. I am wondering what I can do to encourage that type of growth in my own vines.

    There are all kinds of factors that can affect a plants growth rate. If your plants are healthy and just off to a slow start, fertilize them in the spring to give them a jumpstart. The amount of light your Jasmines are exposed to can be slightly different and make a difference. As long as they are healthy and blooming I wouldn’t worry. Some plant are slow to start and once established will take off. Pinch back some of the growing tips during the season and that will encourage a denser growth and maintain a moist well-drained soil.

    Reply
  16. S. Safford - September 4, 2006 at 11:55 pm

    Leaf spot
    I live in the high desert of So.Calif. I planted Confederate Jasmine on the south side of the house. It get’s full sun until late afternoon, is watered weekly. I am seeing white and brown spots on the leaves, lighter color in the leaves, and no bloom on the plant. It is growing, but there is a problem, and i don’t know what it is. This is my first Jasmine

    Confederate Jasmine are relatively disease free. The white and brown spots can indicate a leaf spot. Overhead watering and splashing water can aggravate the problem. Sanitation, removing infected leaves will help control the spread. If you have an extension office nearby or nursery, take a sample in to identify the problem. Lighter color can be a sign of lack of nutrients , which will also affect blooming. Make a note of wheather the new leaves or old ones are lighter.

    Reply
  17. Judy - October 17, 2006 at 3:20 am

    Spider mites
    I was given a new Jasmine plant about 4 weeks ago. It had lot flower buds, but only two matured and opened, all the others just dried and dropped off. Today I noticed a very fine web on in it in two places with lots of tiny dots moving on it. How can I best look after this plant and keep it alive, and get rid of the insects on it? I live in NY and the plant is in my office. Thank you.

    It sounds as if your Jasmine may have spider mites. To check for spider mites, take a white sheet of paper and strike a leaf on the paper and if you see small moving dots, then you have spider mites. There are several ways to treat spider mites, the best recommended remedy is to use Neem Oi, by Dyna-gro which smothers both the adult and eggs without damaging the plant. Use 1 oz. (2TBL) of Neem to 1 1/2 tsp of dishwashing detergent to 1 gal of water. Spray the plant generously, especially the underside of the leaves and then apply a second dose 5-7 days later. Jasmine prefer full to partial sun, well-drained soil and added humidity indoors in the winter.

    Reply
  18. Kris - November 26, 2006 at 1:26 pm

    Cold damage
    We live in zone 8 / Dallas area. We’ve had 3 days of Frost in december and my star Jasmine vine (about 15 feet or more) has now turned brown – branches and leaves. This vine has been around for 4 years and did very well. It is the 1st time this has happened. I’ve not seen a single green leaf on the main branches. I do see some green leaves at the very bottom – very few. I’ve pruned it back to 1/3 its size and fertilized it. Please advise if I need to prune more or should I give up on this.

    Now that its early spring and new growth is emerging, prune your jasmine up to the green growth. Get rid of the damaged and dead shoots. It sounds like it still has some life in the roots. Easy on the fertilizer, wait till you have good growth.

    Reply
  19. Terrie White - May 22, 2007 at 7:02 pm

    Bud blast
    I live in the state of FLorida and have a jasmine growing up a tree. It is quite large and I haven’t trimmed it for about a year. Since I planted it, it hasn’t produced many flowers. This year the flowers bloom and turn brown and die right away. The foliage on the plant are green and healthly and it gets plenty of water. Should I try to put a blooming fertilizer on the plant?

    This can be weather related; a rapid change in temperatures such as too warm at night, too hot, and dry weather will cause bud blast which causes the flowers droop and turn brown. Other factors that can cause bud blast are excess fertilizer, inadequate light exposure and overhead watering There is also a blossom blight caused by a fungus(Phoma) that affects Jasmine. It starts with brown spots that eventually get larger and darker. This is caused by a fungus when the weather is cool and wet. Clean away all debris at the base of the plant (sanitation) and spray with a fungicide

    Reply
  20. Benny - July 12, 2007 at 7:07 pm

    Hi, I am new to this site and I find it very helpful. I live in NYC (Queens area) and I recently bought a beautiful jasmine tree, not sure if it is a confederate, though. I put it near a big window facing south. Few days after we had it at home it was all flowers and the smell was just wonderful. Then we had to leave for few days and my nanny decided to put it on a metal tray covered with plastic. When we got home all the flowers were gone and it started loosing all the leaves. We had very hot days recently and we the AC on but it was not blowing cold air against the plant. Since we came back the jasmine is getting worse by the minute. After reading some of your posts, i decided to remove the plastic and leave it on top of newspapers but elevated 1/2 inch with some pieces of wood. Am I doing things right?
    Please help, I love that jasmine!!!
    Thanks! Benny

    Your jasmine is reacting to the new environment. The flowers will last longer if they aren’t exposed to bright direct hot light. Try moving it to an East window if possible or anywhere with bright filtered light. The best thing you can do is to place it outdoors in a semi-shaded(morning sun) area for the summer. It loves humidity and warm temperatures. When watering make sure the water drains freely from the bottom of the pot and then pour out the excess water. A plastic tray or anything to catch the water will do. When it starts grow, a dose of muracid or fertilizer for acid loving plant will help keep the new growth green. I have a Lakeview Jasmine tree (Murraya paniculata) and its flourishes and blooms throughout the summer on my east exposure patio. I bring it indoors in the winter and keep it thriving in bright filtered light until it’s time to go back outdoors.

    Reply
  21. Jenny Cunningham - October 27, 2007 at 6:09 pm

    Powdery mildew

    Some of the leaves of myConfederate Jasmine look like they have a white powder, but it doesn’t wipe or scratch off. What should I do for it? It’s a large, corner plant about 6′ tall. It was here when I moved in 5 years ago. I don’t have a green thumb, so I’m desperate for some advice! Thanks.

    Confederate Jasmine usually doesn’t get many foliar diseases. One possibility is powdery mildew .This will occur in spring with humid weather. It is easily treated. It may also just be a residue from the milky sap of damaged leaves. If the plant is healthy and growing then you probably have nothing to worry about.

    Tara
    Hello, I’m new to this forum, and have been searching for information on what I am experiencing with my jasmine plant. It is indoors, with lots of light, in a cold climate. It has developped a mold on all it’s leaves. It is white and powdery. Any suggestions? Also, when we water it, the water runs straight through, we were told not to soak it, but I feel like it’s not even getting a moderate watering. Thanks

    Sounds like you have powdery mildew on your leaves. It is a airborne fungus that thrives under certain environmental conditions-cool nights, high humidity. See the article on powdery mildew for treatment-baking soda or Neem Oil. I wouldn’t worry about the watering, it is better to have good drainage than roots sitting in water. The plants require less water in the winter.

    Reply
  22. mARGOT RICHMOND - December 18, 2007 at 8:52 am

    Red leaves
    I live in North Florida and I have about 10 confederate jasmine plants that I planted at the beginning of the year. However about a month ago the leaves started turning dark RED and then brown. All of my plants look like this. I water then regulary and they still look alive but why RED and brown leaves?

    It’s not unusual for the leaves to turn red in the fall/winter. It’s possible that cold weather is causing the leaves to brown. They should sprout new growth in the spring.

    Reply
  23. Suzanne - March 30, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    can u plant star jasmine as a ground cover around ruffle azaleas. I live in florida and i hate keeping the mulch looking fresh and thought i could maybe use the jasmine for the cover instead.

    Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) can grow as a ground cover. It will be 1 1/2 -2 ft. tall with tip-pinching and trimming and spread 4-5 ft. wide.
    source:Clemson.edu

    Reply
  24. gary - April 22, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    Chlorosis
    I planted 20 star jasmine plants outdoors in central coastal florida two months ago. all are growing ok but on several the leaves of new growth are yellowish. have fertilized with time-release osmocote and several weeks ago added ironite. what’s happening?

    Sounds like an iron defiency – which will affect new growth. Chlorosis is indicated by interveinal yellowing on young leaves. It takes a few weeks for the jasmine to respond to ironite. You may want to give it another dose. Chelated iron is also another form of iron that is readily absorbable by the plant and should respond in a week. If your plants are not responding to the treatment then there may be a problem with the roots system being unable to take in the nutrients.

    Reply
  25. gary - April 24, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    Nutrient deficiency
    I have added additional ironite as you suggested but a local nursery suggested adding magnesium. I know this is acceptable for palms but I am hesitant since I have found most of the nurseries in this area are fairly ignorant and often shoot from the hip. What do you think?

    Micro nutrients such as magnesium have a tendency to leach out of the sandy soils in Florida. If you use a fertilizer that has all major elements (NPK) and including the minor nutrients such as calcium, sulfur, magnesium, zinc you will not risk having a nutrient deficiency. High potassium level in the soil will also keep magnesium from being absorbed by the roots. Low levels of magnesium are indicated by interveinal and marginal yellowing of the lower leaves and then extending to upper leaves. If you have a deficiency, an inexpensive way to treat a mangnesium deficiency is to add magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt ) to the soil. One recommended formula was – Mix 5TB epsom salt to 5 gal of water and 2 drops of liquid detergent. Spray or water the plants and see if that makes any difference. A diluted formula won’t hurt the plants, some swear by it. A soil test would be helpful but it will not indicate the minor nutrients unless you request them and that will cost $$.

    Reply
  26. sandy sandifer - June 22, 2008 at 6:16 am

    Ants onthe buds
    I have tiny ants on the buds of my confederate jasmine. What can I do to get rid of them?

    Hi Sandy,
    It’s possible that you have scale or aphids that the ants are attracted to. Check the leaves for a clear sticky substance-this is honeydew an excrement of scale, aphids which the ants love. Get rid of the insect and you will get rid of the ants.

    Reply
  27. Dot Bates - June 26, 2008 at 7:17 pm

    Oops! Sorry about the additional comment blocks with “NO comment” in them (I’m new at this). Dilemma: I relocated a healthy confederate jasmine in 1995 to a family rental (same general local in S.C.). It thrived and bloomed beautifully over the next several years. I returned to this property in 2003, and was sadden that the jasmine was gone. While preparing a new flower bed the following year, I found the jasmine was still alive under a mountain of weeds and leaves. I have given it a lot of TLC over the past 4 years, including acidic fertilizer. The leaves look healthy but the vines, although lengthy, are very small and spindly and it just refuses to bloom. Is there something I can do to restore this plant to its former beauty?

    Hi Dot
    You don’t mention how much sun it gets. It likes sun to partial shade with midday protection from the sun in order to bloom well. Confederate jasmine has a tendency to send out long spindly vines which you can cut back to stimulate lateral growth. It blooms on old wood or last year’s growth. Since your isn’t blooming, you might want to cut it back to coax it to bloom. Once it starts to flower, prune after the blooming cycle is done. Be cautious of how much fertilizer you give the plant as too much will only stimulate green growth and no flowers.

    Reply
  28. Jen - August 29, 2008 at 8:54 am

    Budworm
    Hi – not sure what variety of Jasmine. I bought my plant about a month ago, repotted it, and put it on a sunny porch. It seemed very happy – putting out a lot of buds and a new shoot. However, the buds are not blossoming. They look ready to pop, but then some of them will just shrivel, turn brown and fall off. The leaves all look very healthy. Today when I was watering it I noticed a bit of leaf curled over on itself and tacked down with spidery stuff. I found this a couple other spots on the plant and when I peeled one open a small pale greenish/brown catepiller with a dark head, about 3/4 inch long was inside. I found one other brighter green catepiller that was “inching” along when I first got the plant. Please advise how to treat it? I’ve looked at pest sites but can’t find my worm. Also, I have a geranium and an oxalis on the porch – I’ve moved them, but do I need to quarantine my Jasmine? Thanks!

    HI Jen
    You may have a budworm (Hendecasis sp.) infestation. It is a greenish caterpillar with a black head that bores into the immature flower buds and eat away at its parts. The buds turn brown and fall off. BT (Dipel) can control the caterpillar when they chew on the leaves or Malathion is also recommended.

    Reply
  29. Dena - October 12, 2008 at 12:45 pm

    I think I made a big mistake with my confederate jasmine. When I bought it, it was root bound with the roots circling the pot. I had intended to re-pot it anyway, but didn’t bother to read up on it before I started. I trimmed the root ball, but think I probably got carried away. All the leaves have fallen off and there has been no new growth for at least a week. Have I killed it completely?

    Hi Dena
    It’s too early to say how it will respond. The plant will shed its leaves because it can’t support them any longer. If the roots recover, they should send out a little new growth. Is it planted in a pot or in the ground?

    Reply
  30. Dena - October 15, 2008 at 6:19 am

    The Confederate Jasmine is planted in a pot. I’m really sure how much to water it, without any leaves left. I don’t want to overdo that, too. I’m in Central FL and it’s still pretty warm during the day. I have it where it can get lots of indirect light and only moderate direct light. Thanks for your comments.

    Hi Dena
    Water it when the top 2 inches are dry. Stick your finger in the soil to test for dryness. You could get some transplant fertilizer which has a higher middle # (phosphorous) to stimulate new root growth. Use according to manufacturers recommendation . Err on less than more fertilizer as we are going into winter and a slower growing season.

    Reply
  31. David McAferty - December 3, 2008 at 4:32 pm

    Grow from seeds

    I live in the Florida panhandle. My confederate jasmine has produced seed pods for the first time. When will they be mature enough to harvest so that I don’t wait too long and they split and are dispersed everywhere. Also any seed germination and seedling tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Hi David
    Generally, Confederate Jasmine is propagated by cuttings not seeds. They may not come true from seed. I don’t have any info on seed propagation for Confederate Jasmine but I would think that it is the same as Mandevilla seeds which you can try.
    When the pods dry, they will turn brown and split open exposing fluffy seeds that have fluffy aerials (like dandelions) to help disperse them. With the tail on, soak the seeds for 12 hrs. then plant in a seed starter mix and barely cover with soil. Keep warm and moist at a bottom temperature of 65-75. Should germinate within 30 days. Let us know your results.

    Reply
  32. Matt - December 16, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    I am considering planting confederate jasmine in my back yard. Is the plant safe for my dog, should she decide to chew on it? Also, when is the best time of year to plant it here near the coast of SC?

    Hi Matt
    Confederate jasmine is listed a non-toxic to cats and dogs. The sap is an irritant and if the dog chews on the plant, it may get a stomach ache. Best time to plant is in early spring.

    Reply
  33. Hillery Honeycutt - January 3, 2009 at 9:42 am

    I am wanting to plant Star Jasmine. I plan on building a trellis. I was wanting to know …what is the best size lattice to use? The spacing in the lattice can be anywhere from 1 3/4 in.(privacy lattice) to 3 in. Does it matter the size of the lattice? or will it climb pretty much anything? Also will it climb PVC lattice just as well as wood?

    Hi Hillery
    I would go with a fairly heavy support for Confederate Jasmine (Star Jasmine). It should climb on PVC lattice but will not climb on masonry walls.

    Reply
  34. suz - January 13, 2009 at 5:13 am

    Hi,
    I have overwintered 3 star jasmine in the greenhouse in MI. Should I put them out in spring or leave in greenhouse till june zone shaky 5. Would they be flowering in greenhouse yet? Mine are not but look real healthy have been growing for 5 months in greenhouse.
    Thanks great site

    Hi Suz
    I would put them outside when night time temps are in the 50’s, they will enjoy the great outdoors. Confederate jasmine will start to bloom in June/ earlier in warmer climates.

    Reply
  35. Jane from MN - January 21, 2009 at 8:01 am

    Living in MN. I brought my potted star jasmine indoors mid October. It was in a sunny window doing fine, in December it started dropping a few dry leaves. I water it once every 10 days. Now in mid January all leaves have dropped. I cut back the vine until I saw green. Will it come back this spring? Should I increase humidity in the room? Help! I used to live in CA and I miss the smell of star jasmine in the spring/summer.

    Hi jane
    Star jasmine like other tropicals will drop their leaves in low humidity, low light and dry conditions. Now that it dropped all its leaves, keep it in a cool spot away from sun (dormant-like mandevilla). You don’t want to promote new growth just yet. It would have been better to cut it back in early spring. If it starts to send out new growth at this time then place it in the sunniest spot in the house and increase the humidity. The new growth may be spindly but can also be trimmed in spring.

    Reply
  36. Nikki - March 14, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    I have a Confederate Jasmine for about 6 years that has always grown well in a large pot outside with plenty of sun. The plant has grown about 6 feet tall and is wrapped around a trellace. Through the winter, I neglected to water the plant and we had a very dry winter. All the leaves have turned brown and remain on the vine. When I break open part of a branch, I can see that it is green and still alive. I have never cut back the vine in the 6 years and normally wrap new growth around the trellace. It is March and I am in Dallas. What do I do? Should I cut back 1/3 and pinch off dead leaves? Thanks, Nikki

    Hi Nikki
    You can cut your jasmine vine back by 1/3. Pruning the vine will help stimulate new growth and fill in the empty spots. Fertilize the vine when you see new growth. No need to pinch off the leaves, they will fall off by themselves. Also, be sure it gets enough water.

    Reply
  37. Amy - April 7, 2009 at 3:13 pm

    I have confederate jasmine that has grown on a trellis. I have had it for about 2 years and it has never bloomed. I am finally seeing a few blooms. I was wondering if it should be fertilized?

    HI Amy
    Fertilize your confederate jasmine in the spring with a 10-20-10 formula to encourage more blooms or a balanced fertilizer of 10-10-10.

    Reply
  38. Kay - April 17, 2009 at 6:04 am

    I live in N. Ft. Myers, FL. I have several star jasmines growing as a hedge in western exposure. Exposure is filtered light in some places due to palms, and some doesn’t receive sun (blocked by house until about noon).

    I have a sprinkler system which comes on a couple of times a week. The jasmines have been in the ground for about 3 1/2 – 4 years and have done great.

    For the past month or so I have noticed them starting to get skimpy and some leaves are turning yellow. When I first noticed the problem, I fertilized with high acid fertilizer. The problem is still there. Now I have noticed that underneath some of the leaves, I see tiny dark spots that don’t move.

    Could you please give me advice on what to do for the star jasmines?

    Incidentally (and hopefully unrelated) I did have a Queen Palm near the Jasmines die about a year ago, or less. It was due to a fungus that affects only Queen Palms and another Queen can’t be planted in its place. It is a new disease that has an unknown cause and no cure yet. I think it only affects Queen Palms, as the Agricultural Agency told me. It is not the fungus or disease that had mushrooms or something like that at the base. The fronds did not droop. They just died still extended straight out. I think it started at the bottom ones. New growth would come at the top and eventually the whole thing died.

    Thank you so much for your help.
    Kay

    Hi Kay
    I can think of 2 possiblities: 1. Leaf spot disease- caused by overhead sprinkling. 2. Scale- the yellowing leaves can be a sign of insect infestation. Scale do not move (at least you can’t see them move). Try to scrape off the brown spot. If it comes off like a half shell then you have scale.

    Reply
  39. Olga - May 3, 2009 at 7:41 am

    I am new to gardening and am very pleased with this forum. Thank you for all the tips! I will be planting my new confederate jasmine today, in San Antonio, Tx.

    Thank you for your kind words. We’re happy to help when we can. Enjoy your jasmine, they have a wonderful fragrance when in bloom.

    Reply
  40. chris phillips - May 12, 2009 at 11:44 am

    I planted two confederate jasmine plants by my pool 2 years ago. I live in central North Carolina. It is in full sun and my sprinkler system waters 2 times a week. there is some water spray that hits the leaves when watering (mister type spray) maybe just the bottom portion of plant. Well it did awesome all spring and summer and I had it trained to grow up the side of a brick column with help. (fishing line). after the fall and winter the sping came again and sections of the vine were dead and eventually the vines died. that was last year. I had two confederate jasmine planted beside my house with partial shade. One is growing good and the other did the same thing this spring. It seems to be comming back though. I will prune out all of the dead branches and see what happens. Any precautions you can suggest? I get black spot from time to time and I spray Fertilome triple plus and it takes care of that problem but I cannot figure out what is killing the vine during the winter months.

    Hi Chris
    My guess would be that your Jasmine is marginally hardy where you live. Confederate jasmine is noted to be hardy in zone 8-11 you are in zone 7?. Eventhough parts of it die in winter, it still comes back from the roots. This may be a recurring problem after each winter. Not all plants are equal, some plants may have just a little more hardiness in them than others. A more protected area (micro climate) can “stretch” hardiness. You might want to ask around in your neighborhood if anyone has hardiness issues with their jasmine or even grows them. Although it will not protect the vines, mulch the plant in winter to protect the roots. There is a cultivar “Madison” that is hardy in zone 7

    Reply
  41. Romulo - May 24, 2009 at 7:03 am

    I am new to gardening, and have had mixed results with my attempts at landscaping. Lots of trial and error, but I’m feeling confident enough to try a new project. I have a two story (roughly 22 feet) arched entry way over my front door. I want to frame it with confederate jasmine, trained on wire in a diamond pattern. I’m not sure if the vines will actually climb high enough. I’m concerned that it won’t make it to the top, and ultimately will not give the desired effect. What do you think?

    Hi Romulo
    For a beginner gardener that’s an ambitious project. With great growing conditions, the twining vine is a moderate to fast grower and can grow up to 20 ft.

    Reply
  42. Ashley - May 27, 2009 at 3:10 pm

    I recently bought a Confederate jasmine and I’m planning on planting it on a trellis. I’ve been considering several locations around my yard. One location is in a sandy corner between my house and sidewalk. I know the vine gets quite woody as it gets larger. Could the roots possibly harm the foundation of my house or my concrete sidewalk?

    Hi Ashley
    I don’t think the roots of confederate jasmine are that aggressive to cause a problem with the foundation or sidewalk.

    Reply
  43. Jenny Carr - July 3, 2009 at 10:45 pm

    I live in Bellevue Washington, and I bought two Star Jasmine plants about three weeks ago. They looked and smelled wonderful and now some of the leaves are turning brown and the flowers are turning brown as well. Everyday time we have a couple of really hot days, close to the 90’s, the flowers turn brown around the edges. I am new to gardening, and I don’t know what I am doing wrong. They are in direct sun till about 2:00pm, and I water 2 times a day, in the morning and night. What should I do? Or do some of the leaves turn brown?

    Hi Jenny
    I love the smell of Confederate jasmine! It sounds as if your jasmine is not happy in its current location.Once you find the right spot, it is relatively carefree. For starters,I would move the plant in a more shaded area with less direct sun-that may be the cause of the browning. In addition, try to water really well in the AM. Check the soil in the evening and unless the pot is completely dry or the plant is wilting, try to water in the morning. Otherwise give the plant just enough water to keep it from wilting and rewater well in the morning. Try not to spray the plant but water at the soil line.

    Reply
  44. Lydia - July 8, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    I just bought my first home this spring in Madison, WI – it’s a condo on the second floor and I set about creating a container garden. I purchased two star jasmine bushes in hopes they would wind around my balcony railing. I have southwesterly exposure and they seem to be doing ok. However while there is some new growth it’s minimal and it’s been about a month. I’m currently fertilizing weekly with Miracle Grow but is there anything I can do to encourage them along? A different fertilizer perhaps? I was told that this particular jasmine is a very vigorous grower but mine doesn’t appear to be.

    Hi Lydia
    You don’t mention if you transplanted your star jasmine into another container. If so its re-adjusting to the change and will take some time to burst into growth. Since it is showing some growth, it may be just a matter of time before it takes off. A weekly dose of fertilizer may not be a good idea-every two weeks would be better. Too much fertilizer can burn the roots and cause more problems.

    Reply
  45. Adrienne - August 2, 2009 at 9:40 am

    Hello,
    I live in the Twin cities, MN and just bought a star jasmine this summer. It did fantastic this summer but i’m wondering about winter care. I know i need to re-pot and bring inside for the winter. Our house has windows facing south and gets really warm with indirect sunlight, but it also gets dry. how far do i cut the vines back for the winter? Any other tips for sun light and keeping a humid atmospher would be great.
    Thanx,
    Adrienne

    Hi Adrienne,
    I keep my confederate jasmine in a south window in winter and it does well. I water less but make sure it doesn’t get too dry. It seems to tolerate the drier indoor conditions. If it is in a pot don’t repot until spring. I did not cut the vines last season, I just wound up the vine into a circle, its been blooming all spring and is still blooming. To make it more manageable, you can cut it back by 1/3 in the fall or wait till late winter before any new growth start to trim it back. I find it to be an easy plant to grow, just keep an eye out for scale.

    Reply
  46. Bonnie Hettinger - August 15, 2009 at 8:50 am

    Why would one confederate jasmine planted and treated exactly the same as the other vine and the other grows healthy but doesn’t vine?

    Hi Bonnie
    Just like people, you can be in the same family but no two plants are exactly the same. The second vine is slower and may not have reached the maturity level to vine.

    Reply
  47. Micah - August 18, 2009 at 6:53 am

    I just planted my first three stalks of Confederate Jasmine last week. They are in my back yard, they get moderate afternoon sun. They seemed to be doing fine but this morning I was watering them and they have a strange growth on the sides of the stalks. It is white and hard, looks like some kind of mold or fungus maybe. It’s not powdery, and when I touch it is is attached to the stalk. Does anyone know what this is or how to get rid of it? I just planted them, have been watering them every other day. I live in Atlanta, so it is very hot here in summer. Thanks.

    Hi Micah
    If the fungus or mold is coming from the stalk then it is rotting from the inside. The fungus is an outward sign of the decay going on inside the stalk.

    Reply
  48. Diane - September 5, 2009 at 10:01 am

    Not blooming
    Hi, I have a confederate jasmine growing in my yard but it doesnt bloom anly 1 or 2 flowers a week. I give it some water every other week but the rain keeps drowning it. do you think that could be the problem?

    Hi Diane
    There are a number of reason why a plant will not bloom-not enough sun, too much Nitrogen fertilizer, improper pruning and stress. Too much water can be the problem but if the plant has green leaves and is growing well then water may not be the case. Confederate jasmine normally blooms the most in early spring thru summer. It blooms on old wood so if you cut it back too much then you will not get flowers. They should be pruned right after bloom.

    Reply
  49. Dawn - September 29, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    Sooty mold
    Hello, I live in San Diego and have Jasmine growing as ground cover for 6 years now. Lately I’ve noticed the leaves seem to have hard black powderish stuff on them. Can you help please. I’ve heard of white powder but nothing to do with black. Thanks!

    Hi Dawn
    It may be sooty mold which grows on honeydew, a sweet, sticky substance that is produced by scale, aphids. Check the underside of the leaves and stems for scale.

    Reply
  50. Cassiopeia - September 30, 2009 at 8:28 am

    I have 6 young adult C. Jasmine living in HUGE planter boxes that can not be moved indoors. I live in Lubbock Texas (NW Texas) and the winters are not so mild here. It typically freezes every night. What can I do to protect these guys from dying? They are close to the house and protected from freezing winds. I just want them to die.Please help!!

    Hi
    You can insulate the planter boxes so that the roots won’t freeze and place 3-6″ of mulch on top of the soil. The leaves will drop or turn black once exposed to a hard freeze. The best you can do is to protect the roots so they don’t freeze and are ble to return next season. If possible move the planter boxes into a garage.

    Reply
  51. Ben - October 4, 2009 at 8:36 am

    Winterize Confederate Jasmine
    I live in the city of Chicago and planted a Confederate Jasmine in the backyard. It did fine this year, due to the rainfall. It is growing on a trellis and has reached about 5 ft. Question: Can the plant winter outside if covered and soil treated to prevent ice crystals. If not, what steps should I take to re-plant in an indoor planter?

    HI Ben
    You can treat your confederate jasmine just like a Mandevilla. Dig it up and pot it in good soil mix. Treat it like a houseplant. If it is overgrown trim it back by 1/2 to make it manageable. Once it gets over transplant shock,place it in the south window for the winter.

    Reply
  52. Julie - October 17, 2009 at 4:46 pm

    Winterover jasmine indoors
    I live in Northern Colorado and am wondering what I need to do with my star jasmine plants. I have three of them outside on my deck, but now that it’s starting to get colder outside I’m wondering if I need to bring them inside. Also, how often do I need to water these?
    Thanks in advance!!

    HI Julie
    Bring your star jasmine inside, it will not survive the winter. Here’s what I do and have had success with. I bring my jasmine inside and place it in a south window where it will spend the whole winter. I water less during the slow growing season (once a week) and check for bugs. Look for insects at the end of winter. If your jasmine is large and needs down sizing cut it back by 1/3 when you bring it indoors.

    Reply
  53. Barbara - November 30, 2009 at 12:50 pm

    How in the world do I get the sticky stuff from jasmine off of clothes I wore to prune the plants? ( I should have read up on pruning jasmine before wearing a black shirt. Grrrr)
    Thanks

    Hi Barbara
    Yikes!! That must have been a surprise. I would think it would wash off with clothes detergent. I haven’t tried it.

    Reply
  54. Kathy - February 26, 2010 at 11:33 pm

    Rabbit damage?
    I planted a row of star jasmine along a chain link fence in the yard. They were healthy and green, growing up the fence but all of a sudden they are all cut! Do rodents or some other kind of animal like them. It doesn’t seem to be eaten but just cut so that the vines dry up. We live in Southern California so the weather is good. They were growing good for the last 5 months since planting.

    Hi Kathy
    Rabbits are fond of jasmine. Try spraying a repellent such as REPEL around the base of your plants.

    Reply
  55. Johanna - March 2, 2010 at 5:50 pm

    Spacing
    I live in North Florida and am thinking about planting some jasmine to climb my aluminum fence for privacy. I get a lot of full sun all day. I am new to gardening and have been having problems with the more “tropical” plants surving our recent freezes and cold temps. (Hibicus, bird of paraside etc)
    Will I have the same problems with the jasmine? I also have about 2 30ft sections of fence available for them to climb on, how many plants should I get…if any? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

    Hi Johanna
    Confederate jasmine may be a bit more cold tolerant than your other tropical plants. A variety called “madison” is even more cold hardy. An unusually cold winter can kill even the “cold hardy” plants if they are not protected. Jasmine can spread 36″-60″ wide and up to 2 ft tall, you can plant them as close as 2 ft apart or 4ft. I would recommend 2 plants – one for each 3 ft section.

    Reply
  56. Mark - March 25, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    Hi, just going to throw this one out there… I live/work in the Bahamas at a resort and have some bungalows with pergolas that we were thinking of putting Conf. jasmine on for cover. One of the nursery’s here said that there was an issue getting them in because the Bah. Ag. Dept stopped the importation due to it being prone to a certain type of disease (undisclosed). I cant find any that it is prone to online, any ideas? Is the nursery just having a hard time getting it? The next issue, it will be close to the ocean, high winds whip up salt spray and “burn” the flowers and leaves of my Bougainvilla, Hibiscus, etc. Will it be hardy enough to stand up better than those two?

    Reply
  57. Kathleen - April 1, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    Winterover Confederate jasmine
    Hello. I love this site. Very information. I have two star Jasmine that I overwintered in the garage (in Michigan). They did okay except that they were full of mealy bug with white webbing all over. There was new growth though. However on one website it said I should prune it hard back to the dirt almost. Now I read they bloom on old wood. Two questions: 1) will they survive; and 2) if it grows, will I get any blooms this year

    Hi Kathleen
    I would prune the plant by 1/3, that way you will have some old growth to bloom from. Place the plant outdoors in shaded area on warm days and give it a good drink of water (so that it pour out of the bottom). Start fertilizing to promote new growth and treat the plant for mealy bugs.

    Reply
  58. ELA - April 2, 2010 at 9:06 am

    The leaf buds just dry out and turn black.

    Hi Ela
    Do the leaf buds wilt and then turn black? New growth that blackens can be a sign of a number of symptoms- too hot or too cold, too much fertilizer, sunburn or not enough water.

    Reply
  59. Nani - April 2, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    Pruning
    Hi —
    I have a about a 20ft by 13 ft wooden fence where a star jasmine (i think) was planted many years ago. It is proliferate and is probably up to 3 feet deep. Only the surface is green and blooming with a bunch of old (dead?) stems underneath making up the 3 ft of growth. Last winter, I hired someone to prune and she took a electric saw to it and cut about 1/4 off the face of the vine exposing lots of stems and said it would grow over with new growth in a few months. 5 months later, it’s still just a bare thick wall of exposed stems although the jasmine is starting to grow back. The rest of the area of growth is doing fine and is very thick.

    So my question is what is the proper way to prune/cut back such intense growth of the jasmine so that it’s not so thick on the fence (that I share with a neighbor)? And is there any way to further cut back the dead/dry stems that are exposed but still thick along the fence? Also, how can I can prune to stop the growth from jumping to the trees nearby?
    THANKS!

    Hi Nani
    You can prune back up to 1/3 of the vine. Remove any dead/dry stems down to the soil line. A continual trimming throughout the growing season will keep the vine from growing out of control.

    Reply
  60. SuzanneOregon - April 18, 2010 at 8:12 am

    Hi, What a great forum.

    I have 6 vine jasmine planted with various sun exposures around the interior walls of a courtyard. They’ve been happy and beautiful for 5 years until last Fall. Then the leaves on all but one (which only gets reflected sunlight) began turning brown and dropping off. None get full sun and their feet are shaded and thus don’t dry out. From the reading I’ve done in this forum, I’m not quite sure whether I really have to cut them back to the ground and hope that the roots are fine and will throw up new shoots (that would be sad as they have provided walls of green year round and, of course, that heady fragrance) . I live in the northern Willamette Valley and although we get several weeks of freezing weather…it doesn’t last more than two weeks at a tme.

    Hi Suzanne
    I would wait and see what’s alive before I do any cutting. The recommended pruning is up to 1/3 of the vine and that only if you want to control the growth. If your vine is dried up and dead, then you will have to cut off that part even if its down to the ground.

    Reply
  61. Lisa - April 22, 2010 at 12:30 pm

    Yellow/brown leaves
    First off I want to say I think that this is a great forum! I am writing because I am in Arizona and my old neighbors grew Conf. Jasmine on the south side of their house and it was successful there so I have tried to plant it at my new house. When planting I dug a hole three times the size and put the soil that they told me to use at home depot mostly around it and then on the edges mixed it a bit with the native soil. For the first few months it took off with new growth but now the growth is drooping and the leaves are turning yellow and brown I have pictures at http://img717.imageshack.us/i/dsc07013l.jpg/ I have been watering it twice a day at the roots morning and late afternoon. It gets about 4 hours of direct sunlight due to fear of placing in full sun and burning up in the summer. Any guesses to how I can save the plant? Do you think the soil is to alkaline or am I watering it to much? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! ( P.s. I no longer have communication with my old neighbors so I was not able to ask them) Thanks!

    Hi Lisa
    My first guess would be that you are overwatering the jasmine-twice a day sounds like a lot. Water once and wait a few days before watering again. Stick you finger into the soil and if the top 2″ of soil is dry then water again. The problem can also be the soil. If it does not drain well, the roots will start to rot. Confederate jasmine responds to stressful conditions such as too wet soil with yellowing leaves. I hope this will help. It’s one of my favorite plants.

    Reply
  62. Lisa - April 26, 2010 at 9:20 am

    thanks I have backed off on the watering and the yellow has gone away and…it is starting to bloom : D thank you very much!

    glad to hear that!!

    Reply
  63. Jamie - May 1, 2010 at 9:47 am

    Too cold and wet
    Help! I live in Colorado and recently bought and planted two star jasmine plants in the corner of my yard near the fence. The plants were well established when we planted them, however, they are looking a little sick. The leaves are still green but very droopy and are starting to take on a brownish tint. We mixed the soil from the yard 50/50 with a potting soil mix from the nursery. I have been very conservative with the watering since it’s rained here alot lately. It’s planted in an area that gets about 4-6 hours of sun but no more. I am very new at this but did some research before I planted them. Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong?

    Hi Jamie
    Confederate jasmine are a tropical plant (zone 8-10) and like warm soil before they start to acclimate and grow in a new environment. It may be a combination of too much water and cooler temps(purple/brownish tint)as well as transplant shock that is drooping your plant. Keep in mind that it is not hardy in Colorado.

    Reply
  64. Kathy - May 2, 2010 at 6:26 am

    Hi! I just planted a new confederate jasmine to replace one that I had pruned too extensively (I thought it was dead, but I do see some shoots coming out of the base.) Anyway, on the new plant, there are strange looking furry groups of viney-looking things that are on the stems. It almost looks like the vine has split into lots of little hairs on two or three spots. Should I prune them off?

    Hi Kathy
    I’m not sure what you are referring to but wait and see. Can you send a picture?

    Reply
  65. Jackie - May 14, 2010 at 12:05 pm

    I bought a 5ft tall jasmine from Costco about a month and a half ago and it was full of beautiful white flowers and buds. The flowers that were on there are now brown and all of the the buds that were on there have blossomed and are now turning brown. There are new vines growing, but there aren’t any new buds or flowers on the plant. Is this normal? Our balcony faces south and I thought at first maybe she was getting to much sun so I moved her back in the corner a bit where it is shadier. She is so beautiful I want to make sure I am doing this right! Oh, and I haven’t repotted her yet…

    Hi Jackie
    Moving it to the shade for now will help. Confederate jasmine like sun but need to be acclimated to its intensity. They bloom heavily in early spring and continue at a lesser rate during the summer. Give it some time and it should send out more flowers.

    Reply
  66. Chris - May 21, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    Hi! Really glad I’ve come across this page – lots of useful hints.

    I live in the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver, actually) and am thinking of planting confederate jasmine alongside a northerly facing fence. The area receives very little sunlight (maybe 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight on a good day). I understand that the confederate jasmine is one of the few flowering vines that performs admirably in the shade, but am I asking too much given the amount of sunlight it will receive? If so, might you be able to suggest any (evergreen) alternative?

    Hi Chris
    Confederate jasmine will need more sun in order to bloom well. Trumpet vine, climbing hydrangea and clematis can tolerate semi shade conditions.

    Reply
  67. Dee - May 23, 2010 at 4:58 am

    My confederate jasmine that’s climbing on the fence has red leaves and spots , more this season than last year. The flowers are really small and sparse as well. What could be the problem? A yard down the road has one and it’s all green and the flowers pop. (NC Coast)

    Reply
  68. Geraldina - May 23, 2010 at 10:02 am

    THANK YOU so much for sharing your great knowledge ~ and for taking the time to answer all of our concerns.

    I recently bought two Jasmine, one for myself and one for my neighbour, and we have used your knowledge to get our plants off to a great start. Today I found some aphids, went to your site, and there was my answer. You are a such a great resource! Thank you!

    Glad to be of help

    Reply
  69. sheilla - May 26, 2010 at 9:11 am

    I have 2 beautiful jasmines that are 5 years old and have outgrown their trellis we are planning on trying to cut them back and build an arbor to put them on that will hold their weight in the future but I am concerned about cutting them back because they are over 8 feet by 5 feet and I will have to cut them back severely to get them off of the trelis that they were originaly on and get the new one built, what do you think, will I kill them? I really don’t have a choice but I hate to do this because they just finished blooming and it was wonderful, I live in south Louisiana.HELP!!

    Hi Sheilla
    A severe pruning will set the vine back and it may not bloom next year. If the roots are healthy, the jasmine will send out a mass of new shoots from the base of the plant that will need to be controlled and trained. Good time to prune is right after bloom or when the vine is dormant.

    Reply
  70. Eve - June 6, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    I have 2 star jasmine plants in pots on my porch. One is growing well and the other has developed tiny black dots on the under side of the leaves. The leaves are still green but I have also found tiny black ants that are on the plant and did not know if that could be related. It also seems as if the white flowers are not growing and that the ants may be eating the flowers….

    Hi Eve
    Usually, if you have ants hovering about, there could be some type of honeydew producing insect such as aphids or scale. Check the leaves and stems closely to see if there are any insects infesting the plants.

    Reply
  71. Banksie - June 7, 2010 at 9:25 am

    I have recently planted five, 6ft Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine) up against my fence, four of these plants have taken really well with new growth and excellent colour. One has not grown and is dropping most of its leaves. This plant is approximately 12ft away from the next plant and I can’t understand why this is happening? All of the plants were feed through under the fence from the garden side as the gap is only about 3 inches on the other side. 3 of the plants have their root system covered in block paving on the garden side (1 of which is the plant not taking but the other 2 are very healthy)and all plants are watered every other day on the outside. The fence is facing south east and the soil is quite acidic and has a good percentage of clay in it. Azaleas etc tend to do quite well. I live in Stafford, England. Can you help?

    Hi Banksie
    You may have one jasmine that wasn’t as “healthy” as the other four. If the plant is dropping its leaves, there must be some problem with the roots adjusting to the new environment. Perhaps the soil is not draining as well in that area. If the soil is soggy, reduce watering to allow it to dry out a bit.

    Reply
  72. Kelly - June 8, 2010 at 7:43 pm

    I have two star jasmine plants I bought about a month ago. They were in full bloom when I purchased them, but now all the flowers and some of the leaves are turning brown and dying. I water them once or twice a week and they are in a shaded area of my yard. Please advise. Thanks.

    Hi Kelly
    Have you been overhead watering or had a lot of rain lately? Your jasmine may need more sun.

    Reply
  73. Amy - June 27, 2010 at 9:39 am

    Scale?
    My friend has left a pot of Jasmine for me to take care while she is on a vacation for a month. The plant was healthy and in a good bloom when she left it with me a week ago. I watered it alternate days as she said. But, I can see small bugs – snails(small circular), lots of transparent pearl-like eggs, small ants etc. I kept the plant in my northeast facing balcony. There is enough sunlight. I live in TX. Please help. I don’t want my friend to think I didnt take care of her plant. I do want to but I don’t know how. Thanks.

    Hi Amy
    It sounds as if the plant may have scale which may have been present before you started taking care of the plant. The ants are attracted to the honeydew (sticky clear stuff) on the leaves.

    Reply
  74. Janel - June 27, 2010 at 3:03 pm

    Transplant shock
    I uprooted a 8 ft jasmine that is also attached to a trellis. It was in a 2′ by 2′ by 2′ pot. I had to uprooted in order for me to move the plant. the roots are all over the pot and I had to cut around the roots with a shovel in order to uproot the plant. After I moved the pot I replanted the jasmine back in the pot without changing the soil. 3 weeks later I don’t know if the plant i dying. The leaves look droopy but still green and all the flowers are drying up. Is the plant dieing? What can I do to help the plant? Please help me save my jasmine. thank you.

    Hi Janel
    Your jasmine is still suffering from transplant shock. Move it to a shady spot and keep the plant moist until it perks up. You can try feeding it a root stimulant to encourage new root growth.

    Reply
  75. Mark - June 29, 2010 at 10:02 pm

    too much sun
    Hello, I planted small star jasmine from flats to droop over walls on either side of my driveway. The ones in the shade are doing better than the ones that get afternoon sun. Those have red and yellow leaves and growth is stunted. I water with a buried soaker hose and supplement with a little overhead water on the hottest days. I live in Northern California, inland a bit. Soil is sandy loam. I have other jasmine that is very healthy that only gets morning sun. I think I need to create a shade cloth structure over the plants that get the hot afternoon sun. What do you think??? Thanks.

    Hi Mark
    I think you are right. The afternoon sun is tough to handle esp. in warmer climates. Provide some shade until they get established and add 2″ of mulch around the plants to help maintain even moisture during the heat of summer.

    Reply
  76. Deanna - July 18, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    How long does a bloom last? I purchased a small plant a few days ago and have it indoors. It looks very healthy and full of buds, but as soon as one of the buds open into a flower it only lasts one day and then the flower falls off. Is this normal for a Jasmine?
    Thank you for any assistance.

    Hi Deanna
    The flowers should last several days. Place it outdoors in a semi-shaded area. They are tropical plants and will enjoy more sun and humidity which you cannot provide indoors.

    Reply
  77. Kelley - July 28, 2010 at 10:29 pm

    I live in Northern California. My husband and I just moved into a new townhouse and we have a fenced in porch which faces west, so it gets late afternoon sun. The soil was pretty hard, so we mixed in top soil and manure before we planted. We planted many different types of plants including two star jasmine. They are not doing very well. The leaves are turning yellow on the inside and in some cases, brown. I don’t see any kind of spots or anything on the underside. We are watering all of our plants about once every two days by holding the hose over them. Is that wrong? What is the correct way to water? Are we watering too much or too little? Are we supposed to be fertilizing? We have already had to remove one delphinium because it got brown and shriveled up completely and now some of our other plants (Spirea, salvia, hydrangea) look like they are about to do the same thing! Help! This is our first little garden and we want it to succeed

    Hi Kelley
    You may be overwatering or underwatering the garden. Most plants require 1″ of rain per week, either from rain or watering. This can vary when you have hot dry weather and sandy soil which would require more water. Does the soil drain well when you water? or does it take a few minutes for the water to dissappear? If it is slow to drain, then it will not dry out as fast and will need less watering. Are the plants wilted even when the soil is still moist- then they are overwatered. You want to keep new plants moist but not too wet. Put 2″ of mulch around the plants to keep the roots cool and evenly moist. Stick your finger into the soil, if the top 2″ are wet, then wait a day or so to water again. Fertilizer will not help at this time, but you can try a plant starter (fertilizer) that help promote root growth.

    Reply
  78. Claudia - August 10, 2010 at 11:55 am

    Have read about this plant on one site it says that the deer will not eat it, another said that they do. My question is not really for deer but for cows. (they eat every thing)

    Hi Claudia
    I don’t know about cows but they may not like the taste of the milky substance the plant exudes when cut.

    Reply
  79. Sandra - August 11, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    Hi – You have provided a wealth of fantastic information on star jasmine here, but still, I am not quite sure what to do about my own plants.

    We just moved to a home in a coastal climate of northern california that has been much colder and foggier than usual. We have two old star jasmine in a partially shaded area against our fence. One plant seems to be doing very well. Nice dark, perky leaves. The other has gotten droopy in the past few (really cold and foggy) weeks with some seriously droopy clusters of brown leaves, and some yellow ones. No bugs or mold as far as I can tell. I was watering them once a week, but then I worried the problem might be root rot. However, I just checked, and the soil is dry around the ailing plant.
    As it is August, I wonder — is it too late to fertilize? And with what? (and by the way, my husband has been pruning. Could the plant be in shock??) thanks so much for your help!!

    Hi Sandra
    The plant will not require as much water in cool, foggy weather but it still requires moisture. . It sounds like a watering issue either too wet or too dry but its difficult to say which one. It could also be root rot. Fertilizing will not help at this time. Feed the plant in early spring when it starts to put on new growth. and pruning should not affect the plant. You might also take a sample to your local extension office for diagnosis.

    Reply
  80. Daoud - August 12, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    Hi,
    I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba and have a jasmine flower/bush (I do not know what type – it has dense bunches of flowers)in my front yard. I moved to this house 4 years ago and never pruned the bush. It had flower every year but without spreading any seeds. This year however it has dispersed its seeds all over my front yard which have turned into small Jasmine bushes.I just realized that I had to prevent the bush from spreading it seeds but I do not know how to do this. Any idea would be appreciated.

    Hi Daoud
    To control seeds from spreading all over, collect the seed pods when they are on the bush when they are green before they ripen.

    Reply
  81. Ramsus - August 22, 2010 at 9:29 am

    Repotting
    Hi,
    We live in Dalls/Fort Worth, TX. We would like to transplant the jasmine tree we’ve just purchased in a bigger container rather than in the yard so that we can bring it indoors once the winter hits. The plant is a healthy 5-foot high with healthy geen leaves &; came in 10″ container.
    Our question is as follows:
    What size of of conatiner would be ideal for such a plant?
    Thank you. Any advice you may give us will be greatly appreciated.
    BTW, you have a great forum & thanks for helping the amateur gardening community.

    Hi Ramsus
    A good rule of thumb to follow for transplanting is to plant the tree in a container that is 1-2″ larger. In your case an 11(may not be available) or 12″ pot will work nicely.

    Reply
  82. Brigitta - August 29, 2010 at 11:53 am

    Winterover Star Jasmine
    Hi, I live in Minnesota. My father and I bought a Star Jasmine this summer along with our usual hap-hazard collection of tomato plants, snap-dragons, basil, and various flower seeds. It’s our first such plant and the folks at the nursery advised us to plant it in the ground and, if we wanted it to survive, bring it indoors for the winter. We’ve had a wet, hot summer and the Jasmine is doing well in the sheltered, eastern-southern place we put it, though there has not been much new growth since we bought it in early May.

    I know it needs to be brought in before temperatures go below 40 degrees and that we should try to get as much of the root as possible when we dig it up. We have a large south-facing window that is currently home to a happy aloe vera, begonia, cactus, rosemary, and an orchid, all of whom have survived at least one winter (the begonia is about 20 years old) so that should give it enough sun through the winter, and I’m sure we can rig up some kind of humidity tray. My question is, is there anything else we can do to increase the odds that our new star jasmine will survive the winter once potted and brought indoors? Pot size, soil type, root stimulant (any favorite prayers to plant deities 😉 )?

    Hi Brigitta
    When digging up your jasmine make sure you get as many roots as possible and trim it back up to 1/3 to make it manageable. Check for insects and use well-drained houseplant soil (the good stuff). A week after transplanting, place it in the sunniest window. Keep in mind it will require less water and no fertilizer during the winter months. Treat it like a houseplant.

    Reply
  83. Beejal - September 6, 2010 at 9:54 am

    Hi, I live in phoenix AZ and the temps are still consistently above 100 here. I just bought a star jasmine in a 10″ container and I have it in partially shade and watering it 3x/day (filling the container with water to the rim) . Any recommendations for watering in the heat, planting and pot size? thank you

    Hi Beejal
    Keep your confederate jasmine in partial shade during extreme heat. You may be watering it too much, once or twice a day should be sufficient. Check the soil moisture before watering again and make sure that water drains freely from the bottom of the pot. Too much water can cause root problems and yellow leaf drop.

    Reply
  84. Sharon Westfall - September 30, 2010 at 10:51 am

    My friend cut back a side of his jasmine and installed a 5’X8’panel of “Galvanized Welded Hog Wire” onto the chain link fence because it was breaking down from the weight of one plantin Southeast Georgia. I need 200 feet of live fence. What variety of Jasmine works best and grows tallest in this area? What material will hold up to weight and winds? A galvanized welded livestock fence is ok, double knot galvanized deer fence is expensive, a polypropylene black nearly invisible fence is preferable for my application. I’m unsure how close to place the posts and top rail to prevent sagging. I was thinking a flexable material would be best for a little give and still not bust the bank. I have Asiatic Jasmine for ground cover it is thick with no weeds can I train that to cover a 8’fence?

    Reply
  85. Dana - October 28, 2010 at 11:15 pm

    I severely trimmed confederate jasmine that was on my side of the fence. My neighbor is furious. It was very overgrown and encroaching into my yard. All that is left is the vine. Will it grow back and what can I do to facilitate growth.

    Hi Dana
    It should grow back in the spring. Jasmine take well to pruning. You can help facilitate growth by feeding it with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) when it starts to show new growth.

    Reply
  86. April - November 5, 2010 at 6:35 pm

    Hello, I was wondering if you could help me figure out which cultivar I have so I know how to best care for it. I live in zone 7, which I know one of the cultivars can be grown in. Would like to figure it out BEFORE winter comes. thanks 🙂

    Hi April
    The cultivar “Madison” of Confederate jasmine is known to be hardy in zone 7.

    Reply
  87. Kandy - November 17, 2010 at 8:24 pm

    Insect problemsI have a confederate jasmine that I am wintering under grow lights in the garage for the third winter in zone 7. Today I noticed woody looking growths on some of the stems. There do seem to be some light spider webs on some of the stems as well. Are these related and what do I do about this?

    Hi Kandy
    You probably have scale growing on the stems and leaves. Take a closer look. The spider webs can be from spider mites or regular spiders.

    Reply
  88. Carrie - December 29, 2010 at 4:54 am

    Hi folks,
    I’m in Okinawa, Japan, zone 9. I bought a jasmine last year that I’m fairly certain is a star jasmine. When I bought it, it had beautiful glossy green leaves and star-shaped white flowers that were delightfully fragrant. I planted it on the northwest corner of my house in clay soil amended with some peat moss and compost. Did not feed it until recently (used Miracid). It got only a couple of hours of direct sunlight daily but it was primarily in varying degrees of shade. About a month after I got it, it stopped blooming and the leaves started turning brown and dropping off, and I assumed it was in a dormant stage. Pruned it back a little, but then maybe a month after that I noticed the leaves were growing in red, much like new growth on my roses, and I assumed that’s what it was. Eventually, all the leaves on the plant turned a mottled yellow/white/red/green, and it finally dawned on me that maybe this is not right. About 3 weeks ago, I moved it to the northeast corner of my house, where it gets a full day of bright, direct sunlight. Same clay soil but more amendments, this time including manure, bone meal, blood meal, more compost and the Miracid as above. There are finally new green leaves coming in and I just noticed a tiny little star flower and a few buds.

    My questions are: 1) is the new growth just coincidental and probably would have come in green anyway?
    2) Since the summers here are long and very hot (and very humid), should I move the plant back into a shadier location to avoid burning it?
    3) I’ve been reading other posts here mentioning mandevilla–I have one that I bought around the same time as the jasmine, and that has been on the eastern side of the house but has not grown one bit nor re-bloomed in the 6+ months I’ve had it. I recently moved it behind the jasmine (see photo) and it looks like it too is coming around, but it too had yellow and brown specks on the leaves, just not as dramatic as with the jasmine. Should it also be moved to a shadier spot?

    Reply
  89. Tay - February 23, 2011 at 7:26 pm

    I do believe it could handle these conditions with good watering on your part. My parents live in Decatur and their confederate Jasmine is doing quite well, growing up a fence which also faces west and gets almost identical sun exposure as you mention.

    Reply
  90. Teri Phelps - April 12, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    I live in Alpharetta, GA and my confederate jasmine has not started to bloom. We had a pretty rough winter. Do you think I lost it or should I be patient.

    Teri

    Hi Teri
    I can’t say. Does your confederate jasmine have leaves? If the plant is healthy, it may be off to a slow blooming start, esp. if the spring weather has been on the cool side.

    Reply
  91. jane - April 15, 2011 at 8:33 am

    Jasmine growing tip in Dallas
    Star Jasmine does extremely well in the brutal July-August-September heat and full sun in Dallas, TX, so I expect that a hot afternoon sun in GA would not hurt it a bit.
    This is a very tough plant. Dallas this year got the coldest winter in 15 years: -10 degrees. This killed all the leaves off the vines and it looked dead as could be but at the end of May new shoots started to emerge and now mid-April it is re-leafed.
    I have kept in a southern exposure balcony in containers where it had shade until 2pm. Morning shade in the heat, afternoon sun in the hottest part of the day, and in a container! This is a tricky situation for any plant and you will have to pay extra attention to it. Make sure you only water when the soil is just dry and not because it is hot outside. In Dallas it can go for several weeks with no watering when it is planted in the ground. In a container just be sure to let the soil get dry for a day or so between waterings.

    Great advice! Thanks

    Reply
  92. Sharon - April 21, 2011 at 7:35 pm

    Grow in Georgia
    In southeast Georgia we get temeratures low 19 to 21 degree range, high greater than 107 range with extreemly high humidity. Last winter having longer than normal cold spells didn’t hurt the blooms and leaves on the confederate jasmine. If you are worried about the heat maybe think about a mister on a timer for the high temperature in the middle of the day. My biggest worry here is if I have a strong enough fence to support the vines. Georgiaweather.net has temperature averages for my area called Odum. Check it out and you will see our temperature averages over the last few years. No one here protects them from hot or cold, leaves and blooms are very healthy.

    Reply
    1. Red Chloe - April 24, 2011 at 6:26 am

      Hey, Teri. I’m near Savannah, Ga, and my confederate jasmine has just begun to bloom in the last few days. It was just budding on the 12th. I think it’s been too cool for it til now, and even cooler where you are. If the leaves are green and waxy it will come in time. Patience. 🙂

      Reply
  93. Jim - May 2, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    I live in Bristol, RI. Will Confederate Jasmine grow up here?

    Hi Jim
    Rhode Island is in hardy zone 6-7. Confederate jasmine is hardy in zones 8-10. Cultivar Madison is hardy up to zone 7.

    Reply
  94. MaryJ - May 8, 2011 at 7:33 am

    I was given a potted Confederate Jasmine about a year and a half ago which I put on my back deck last summer. It did very well, but it was root bound. So this winter I transplanted it in the ground along my fence next to an ancient Jasmine that came with the house and where it gets the afternoon sun. I’ve fertilized with Miracle Gro and mulched and tried to keep it weed free by putting a border around it.

    It’s now May and it is blooming, but yesterday I noticed it had a lot of brown leaves under the new growth and flowers. What is that and what can I do about it? It’s about five feet high now and I don’t want to lose it. I live in NE Georgia near the S. Carolina state line.

    Hi Mary
    As it is a newly planted vine, it still needs to establish new roots. The roots can’t keep up with the all leaves and since its putting on new growth, it may be shedding some of its older leaves. Make sure the plants gets enough moisture during the season.

    Reply
  95. Lynne Montalvan - May 12, 2011 at 9:31 am

    Diminished fragrance
    Hi I live in San Diego about 3 blocks from the beach. I have confederate jasmine growing on the fence facing North. It’s doing extremely well. The only problem is it has a faint scent of jasmine. Is this normal? I was expecting a full blown scent of jasmine with every blow of the wind. Thank you,Lynne

    Hi Lynne
    I’m don’t know what affects the intensity of fragrance on your jasmine. I had a similar problem. My confederate jasmine started to bloom indoors when temperatures were cooler and had less sun. I was surprised that there was hardly any fragrance on them. Once I moved them outdoors to better growing conditions of warmer temps, increased sunlight; their fragrance increased significantly.

    Reply
  96. SJones - May 15, 2011 at 7:51 pm

    C. Jasmine in SC
    I’ve lived in Charleston,SC and Charlotte NC. Confederate loves the spring. Charleston has it planted at the base of every Palmetto tree downtown. The Jasmine thrives during the spring with spuratic sun coming from different directions.

    Reply
  97. Lizzy - May 16, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    Grow in AZ
    I live in Phoenix Arizona, and typical summers are very dry 100-115. Although we are not quite there yet, I am wondering if I should bother putting my jasmine outside, or just maintain it inside through the summer. It is a beautiful plant, but it seems to want to grow rapidly already. Advice?

    Hi Lizzy
    It is hardy in zones 8-10. Confederate jasmine will tolerate warm temperatures. You can plant it outdoors in AZ, just make sure it gets enough water during the hottest time of year. Plant it where it will get morning/mid-day sun with afternoon shade.

    Reply
  98. Rachel - May 22, 2011 at 5:42 am

    I live in Denver and would love to have some confederate jasmine – can it thrive here? And where can I buy it?

    HI Rachel
    They can live as a potted plant outdoors during the summer and would have to be brought inside for the winter. Check at the garden centers and major home centers(Lowe’s, Home Depot).

    Reply
  99. Donna - May 28, 2011 at 7:23 am

    Hardiness
    Ok I live in Southeastern Illinois zone 6 and I am wondering if I need to repot and bring Jasmine plant inside for the winter or can I winterize it and it still live . I love this plant and dont want to lose it !!

    Hi Donna
    Confederate jasmine is hardy in zone 8-10 and the “Madison” cultivar zone 7. You will still need to bring it indoors for the winter. I bring mine in every year and this year it is blooming better than ever.

    Reply
  100. Ray - May 30, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    We were thinking of getting a confederate jasmine for our yard here in the Norman, Oklahoma area. Is it a perennial? Are we in a good zone for maintaining this plant?

    Hi Ray
    Confederate jasmine is hardy in zone 8-10. Norman Ok is in zone 7a. “Madison” cultivar is reported to be hardy in zone 7. Plant it in a protected area.

    Reply
  101. adele - June 1, 2011 at 9:02 am

    Bloom time
    I’m in southern fl. I just purchased two 1 gal containers of Star Jasmine and planted it in a large pot with a wire trellis… There are no blooms on it at present. Is it too late or can I expect blooms and fragrance this year.?

    Hi Adele
    Confederate jasmine blooms in spring/summer, so you should still get some flowers. The heavy bloom is in spring.

    Reply
  102. Joy - June 8, 2011 at 6:21 am

    Transplanting jasmine
    I live in North Carolina and we have 6 full Star jasmine plants in the lattice around our pool that have grown very thick over the last two years.
    Our pool deck has to be completely re-done due to damage and the fence has to come down. I hate the idea of losing the jasmine. It is June now (aka HOT) – is there a way to transplant them somewhere else? If yes, how – for best chance of survival? Please help!

    Thanks!!!

    Hi Joy
    June is not the best time to transplant but if you must, try to dig up a good rootball. Before you dig, have the transplanting hole ready for a quick transfer. Cover with soil and water in well. Add a couple inches of mulch to maintain even moisture & temperature. In addition, trim at least 1/3 of the vine so that the root system has a chance to focus on growing new roots instead of feeding the leaves. Watering the plants with a roots starter will also help stimulate new root growth.

    Reply
  103. cheriese - June 23, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    Fragrant shrub
    I was born & raised in Los Angeles. The Star Jasmine has always been my favorite plant of choice. Now I live in PA, zone 5/6 (depending whose chart I plug my zip code into.)I miss the fragrant easy to please star jasmine. Do you know of any plant with a similar fragrance that can hardy-out in zone 5-6? Vine or shrub is ok…but nothing that has to be brought indoors over the cold snow& icy PA winters.
    Thanks

    HI Cheriese
    One shrub that comes to mind is a Viburnum shrub- Viburnum carlesii(Koreanspice viburnum) or V. judii have a sweet jasmine-like fragrance in spring (March-April). One of my favorites.
    Privet and Mock orange are also fragrant hardy shrubs.

    Reply
  104. jennifer - June 27, 2011 at 7:59 am

    Can I grow this jasmine in DC? I want a lot of smells in my yard and need suggestions of what type of plants will grow.

    Jennifer

    Confederate Jasmine is hardy in zones 8-10. DC is in 6b-7a. Cultivar “Madison” is hardy up to zone 7.

    Reply
  105. Claudia - July 2, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    Yellow/brown leaf drop
    I have a jasmine I bought last summer and put in a patio pt. It bloomed well last summer (in Seattle). It weathered in the winter outside under a protected area just fine. It has tons of new growth and buds about to open, but for the last month, it has dropped leaves, yellow to brown on the old wood. The new leaves are kind of mottled now and I was thinking they’re going to drop too. What to do? There are tons of buds. We had a very, very late summer. Just now getting into the low 70’s. I don’t see any kind of bug or rust or anything. Is it something in the soil? Help.

    Hi Claudia
    Jasmine will shed some of their leaves after winter. Mine did the same thing and bloomed profusely until end of June. If you didn’t repot the plant in fresh soil, it may be lacking some nutrients. Give the plant some fertilizer for acid loving plants to help it along. Also, check the plant closely for insects such as scale (sticky stuff on leaves).

    Reply
  106. cheryl - July 4, 2011 at 7:42 am

    I live in central Florida and have confederate jasmine planted around the bottom of my magnolia trees. It has been growing for about 10 years, and has only flowered once. Can you tell me what could be the problem? It is otherwise very healthy and gets some sun during the daylight hours.
    Thank you very much.

    Hi Cheryl
    Your confederate jasmine may not be getting enough sun to bloom. Do you fertilize it?

    Reply
  107. Mary Pandolfi - August 1, 2011 at 8:16 am

    When I bought my Jasmine, the label said Confederate Jasmine. Everything that I’ve been reading on Confederates, they have small star shaped blooms. Well, mine have a large pink flower. Beside that, I am now having a problem with yellowing leaves. The plant seems to grow new foliage as quickly as the leaves turn yellow and fall off.

    I live in S. Florida. My plant is potted, well drained, gets morning shade and full afternoon sun. I try not to over water and I’ve fertilized with a general fertilizer. I hope you can help me with my yellowing leaf problem.

    Hi Mary
    Yellow leaves can indicate several problems- either too wet or too dry soil or nutrient issues. Insects can also be the case. so check the plant closely.

    Reply
  108. Kris Carsley - August 6, 2011 at 8:27 am

    Best time to prune
    We live in northern Miss. Our jasmine is 5 yrs old and prolific. To the point, I am cutting back some areas of it about 12 inches each month- it is over 7 feet tall on trellis. Since it blooms from May to Sept. or later, when can I cut back 1/3 like you recommend?

    Hi Kris
    You can cut it back after bloom in the fall or winter when the plant stops growing. Prune away any dead, weak, or cold damaged shoots in late winter after danger of frost is over.

    Reply
  109. Ulrike - September 5, 2011 at 7:39 am

    We live in northern NY growing zone 4. I have a large star jasmin, still flowering beautyful. Question , when I bring it in how far and how much can I prune it. It is big.

    Hi
    Once it is done blooming you can safely prune your jasmine by 1/3 of total height.

    Reply
  110. Christy - October 9, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    Help my ( confederate Jasmine) are healthy one day.. The next day yellow/brown spots dropping fast!!

    Hi Christy
    I might have been a problem in the works for some time. Hard to say what is going on. Brown spots can be an indicator of leaf spot disease caused by a fungus.

    Reply
  111. CA gardener - January 10, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    Mildly Toxic?
    I have read conflicting information that Confederate jasmine is toxic/poisonous. We plan to plant this close to our vegetable garden against a fence to provide privacy to our backyard. Please advise.

    Hi
    Confederate jasmine is listed as a low toxic plant when eaten. You would have to eat the leaves to get sick. The milky sap can irritate the skin in some people. I don’t think it will affect your vegetable garden. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Trachja.htm

    Reply
  112. Crystal yuan - February 9, 2012 at 5:29 pm

    I live in Las Vegas and am moving next month in March. I was curious to see if you had any tips on transplanting my outdoor jasmine plant that is entwined in a couple large trellises. Should I try to carefully untangle it or move everything together?

    Hi Crystal
    When you dig it up, make sure you get as many roots as possible. The plant will be in shock and will most likely drop some of its leaves. I would untangle the jasmine plant and cut it back by 1/3 to make it manageable for the move. Good luck with the move.

    Reply
  113. Jan - April 10, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    I have read all your jasmine questions and comments, but don’t see any reference to my particular problem: two large potted and trellised jasmine (one Confederate, other unknown, both about 5 years old) in a small/mostly enclosed inner patio in high desert heat and low humidity, with solar cloth which lets filtered sun through, but cuts back 85% UV, fan running over water (“swamp cooler”) during high heat. Water every other day. Both plants dropping leaves after the leaves CRISP! They’re still green,not yellow or brown, but absolutely dried out. New growth, but that also crisps. The Confederate also has small, hard white bumps on the stalks and leaf veins (tried treating with fungicide – no response..one of your posts said this indicates a fungus WITHIN the stalks, but did not mention remedies.) Have checked for mites, scale, other creatures, but found none. The unknown jasmine doesn’t have spots, just loses its crispy green leaves. Both plants merely survive, not thrive, with few blossoms which last only a dayor two… Help, please! Thank you, Jan

    Reply
  114. anne lowry - April 13, 2012 at 2:13 pm

    Winterover confederate jasmine
    i live in rockland county ny, what can i do with my jasmine plant(confederate jasmine) for the winter? i have already lost 2 plants covering them outdoors, not in plastic.
    thank you

    Hi Anne
    You need to bring them indoors for the winter. It tolerates a minimum temperature of 40 degrees.

    Reply
  115. joe - April 15, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    I have a Confederacy Jasmine that I just bought up from the basement after the winter (I live in Chicago). Do I need to prune it? What else should I do?

    Thanks for the help!!
    Jee

    Hi Jee
    Is it actively growing? If you prune it now, you will loose the flowers. It should be pruned in the fall after bloom. Place it in a bright window.

    Reply
  116. mj kneiser - April 19, 2012 at 5:52 am

    Prune Confederate jasmine
    Hi Jee,

    Agreed. Don’t prune it! Put it in a warm, sunny part of your house where it gets lots of light, fertilize now with Miracle Gro and water once a week. It should start blooming in May for about two weeks.

    Don’t prune until the fall when it’s time to put it back in the basement.

    Reply
  117. Dennis Gerber - October 1, 2013 at 9:36 pm

    I have a Confederate Jasmine (so the label said) at a Walmart Garden shop. I brought it home and planted in a large container with a trellis, and put it on the patio. I live in St. Augustine. The plant flowered beautifully in the spring and then grew like crazy. I just trimmed the plant (its now October) by 1/3 and brought it inside. It still is growing – sending out vine growth, and appears to be doing well. The problem, all the pictures I have seen of Confederate have dark green leaves. Mine are a variegated mix of green and yellow on each leave. I thought there might be something wrong with the plant, but it seems to be happy growing out new vine shoots, but not a much as it did in the summer. The plant looks healthy, the blooms were white and very fragrant – it this really a Confederate Jasmine?

    HI Dennis
    You must have a variegated confederate jasmine, which will have green and cream colored leaves. It can bloom all summer long and I love the fragrant flowers. The vine will grow less and at a slower rate during the winter months and burst into growth in late winter.
    Your jasmine will get some yellowing leaves due to lower light conditions in the winter which will be normal. Some things to note; water less in winter and keep an eye out for scale.

    Reply
  118. Ann Ros - January 19, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    Cold damage on Confederate Jasmine
    My con. Jasmine is trailing on iron on front porch . I live in north Alabama and we have had some freezing temps lately. It has looked very green and healthy until this past week . Now leaves are turning brown and some are dry. Do you think it will completely die and what can I do. Hhould it be trimmed ? The two plants are approximately four years old???

    Hi Ann
    Confederate jasmine will drop its leaves when exposed to freezing temperatures but that doesn’t mean that the roots which are in soil and have some insulation have been affected. It all depends on how low the temperatures were and how long. I would wait until early spring to do any trimming, if there is any life in the vine, it should then send out some new leaves. Also, you will be able to see what parts of the vine died and need pruning. Generally, a vine can be trimmed by 1/3 of its size.

    Reply
  119. Brittany - March 24, 2014 at 9:59 am

    Hi my jasmine also has the small white bumps all over. For the life of me I cannot figure it out. It is doing really well besides that, so I would like to salvage it if possible. Did you ever figure that out?

    Hi Brittany
    Regarding the white bumps-need more info. Can they be scraped off? Do they look like cottony fluffs? Is there sticky residue on the leaf surface.

    Reply
  120. jason - July 31, 2014 at 6:18 am

    I am using jasmine as a ground cover in my flower beds. Looks great!!! However it is now starting to find its way up my house. I n
    tried Roundup in the areas along my home foundation to try and provide some space to keep it off my house. The Roundup doesn’t appear to have worked in killing off this Jasmine. Is there another spray that will kill off the jasmine that is close to my house, but leave the rest in good condition?

    Hi Jason
    What about trimming the jasmine so it stays off your house. Most herbicides are systemic and will travel to other parts of the plants.

    Reply
    1. Jason - September 4, 2014 at 9:38 pm

      Well, the roundup worked just fine. It took several days but the unwanted jasmine has turned brown and died and the rest of the plant is in great shape after a month. So no residual damage from roundup. It just takes a little longer than expected.

      Reply
  121. janet surrett - November 14, 2014 at 6:37 am

    Winter protection for potted plants
    I repotted my confederate jasmine I just purchased into a bigger container. I live in the foothills of South Carolina. The temperatures here are getting really cold. My concern is will it live in the pot over the winter? Need to know what to do? Help!!!

    Hi Janet
    I live in growing zone 4/5 so I keep my potted Confederate Jasmine indoors for the winter.
    Confederated Jasmine is hardy in the ground in zone 8-10 (lowest temp 10 to 20F) which may be where you are. There is another issue with it being in a pot as there is not enough insulation (soil) to protect the roots from freezing and thawing cycle. Your options are to bury the pot in the ground or wrap it with some insulating material, such as blankets for added protection.
    Another method is to place the existing pot in a larger pot and stuff straw, soil or mulch between the two pots. This should help maintain even temperatures. In addition, move your plant to a protected area (south wall close to house) or to the garage away from cold winter winds.
    Hope this helps. Kris

    Reply
  122. Rebecca - November 28, 2014 at 5:43 am

    Winter over jasmine indoors
    I brought my star jasmine inside for the winter. Now it’s losing all its leaves. How can I save my plant?

    Hi Rebecca
    It’s not uncommon for Confederate Jasmine to loose some of its leaves when they are brought indoors. The amount of light is much less and the plant will compensate for that by dropping its leaves. Move it to the sunniest spot in the house. The need a minimum of 4 hours of direct sun in the winter. Also provide more humidity and keep the plant on the dry side (don’t overwater). You might also check the plant for insect infestation which could be another reason for the leaf drop.
    Once all the leaves drop it will go dormant and may re leaf in late winter.

    Reply
    1. Monica - January 31, 2016 at 12:43 pm

      I just finally got rid of my Jasmine’s spider mites and I highly recommend pruning it and the hosing it off with water. I would even look for a micide. It really depends on how bad the mites are. Mine was extremely difficult to get rid of and its still recovering.

      Thanks for the tip. Scale also loves Jasmine which is hard to get rid of.

      Reply
  123. Re Waters - September 4, 2016 at 8:26 am

    I bought a confederate jasmine plant from an home improvement store last April, I bought a plastic pot twice the size of the plastic pot it was in and potting soil. I put my jasmine in the bigger pot, watered and placed on my porch. The blooms started falling off about 3 weeks later and none have bloomed since. The leaves are green but dull and the only growth I’ve seen are new seedlings coming up at base in soil. We live in a second story garage apartment in Florida and I’m wondering if its not getting enough full sunlight but during summer the direct sunlight scorches many of my other plants so should I place the container downstairs in full light?

    Hi
    Since you repotted your jasmine, it may be in transplant shock, causing the bloom drop. Better to transplant when not in bloom, early spring/late winter. Jasmine bloom better when pot bound. I would move it to a more protected (slightly shaded) area until it recovers.

    Reply
  124. admin - March 18, 2021 at 9:03 am

    Sooty mold
    I have a confederate jasmine plant in my patio. It is affected with a black film on the leaves . What it can be?
    Thanks
    Maria

    Hi Maria
    The black film on he leaves is sooty mold spores which grown on the honeydew (sticky stuff) produced by scale or aphids. You can wash off most of the mold but you also need to eliminate the insect that is producing the honeydew.

    Reply

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