Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

This is such a ubiquitous landscape plant herein Los Angeles that no one really even notices it anymore. You see it everywhere, so you tend to see it nowhere. The best thing about it, though, is the lovely smell. It is perfect to plant along paths or outside windows as the scent is very pleasant and very heavy when in season.

Garden Alphabet: Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

Follow DouglasWelch in Instagram

Trachelospermum jasminoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to eastern and southeastern Asia (Japan, Korea, southern China and Vietnam).Common names include star jasmine, Confederate jasmine and trader’s compass.[1][2]

Trachelospermum jasminoides is an evergreen woody liana growing to 10 feet (3.0 m) high. The leaves are opposite, oval to lanceolate, 2–10 cm long and 1-4.5 cm broad, with an entire margin and an acuminate apex.

The fragrant flowers are white, 1–2 cm diameter, with a tube-like corolla opening out into five petal-like lobes. The fruit is a slender follicle 10–25 cm long and 3–10 mm broad, containing numerous seeds.[1]

A valuable perfume oil is extracted from the steam distilled or tinctured flowers and used in high end perfumery. In a dilute form, tinctured flowers are much used in Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai incenses. A bast fibre is produced from the stems.[1] — Wikipedia

More information on Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides):

 
Previously in Garden Alphabet:
 

Read more on this topic:

  1. Garden Alphabet: Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata)
  2. Garden Alphabet: Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
  3. Garden Alphabet: Acanthus
  4. Garden Alphabet: Datura from Santa Cruz Island
  5. Garden Alphabet: Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)