Climber
How to grow star jasmine
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Plant star jasmine in April or May against a sheltered, sunny or lightly shaded wall or fence, in fertile soil that drains well. It is an evergreen twiner, frost-hardy rather than fully hardy, and cold drying wind does more damage than still frost. Expect little growth for the first two or three years. Tie the stems to wires until it twines on its own, and prune lightly in spring if it needs it.
- Hardiness
- Frost-hardy; shelter from cold wind
- Position
- Full sun to light shade, sheltered
- Soil
- Fertile, free-draining
- Ideal pH
- 6.0 to 7.5
- Water
- Moderate
- Feeding
- Moderate feeder
Sowing and planting star jasmine
WhenPlant Apr to May; flowers Jun to Aug; prune lightly in early spring
Starting off
Plant pot-grown stock Apr to May so it establishes through the summer; autumn planting in cold gardens often fails. Propagate by 8 to 10 cm semi-ripe cuttings in Jul to Aug in gritty compost at 18 to 20°C under a lid, rooting slowly in 8 to 12 weeks; layering a low stem in Apr and severing it the following spring is more reliable. Growth is slow for the first 2 to 3 years, then steady.
Spacing and planting
T. jasminoides twines slowly to 4 to 6 m by 3 m in 10 years, faster T. asiaticum to 6 m; both need wires or trellis to start, then twine on their own. Plant 30 to 45 cm out from a warm wall or fence, one per 2 to 3 m of support, in a hole twice the pot width with the rootball level with the surface. Excellent in a 45 cm pot of loam-based compost on a 1.5 m obelisk, where it can be moved to shelter in a hard winter.
Varieties worth growing
- Trachelospermum jasminoides
- The standard star jasmine: glossy dark leaves and white, heavily scented flowers from June to August. The best for scent.
- T. jasminoides 'Variegatum'
- Leaves splashed cream and grey-green, flushing pink and crimson in cold weather. Slower and smaller, so it suits a pot or a low fence.
- T. jasminoides 'Wilsonii'
- Narrower leaves with pale veins that turn deep bronze-red in winter. Grown as much for foliage as flower.
- T. asiaticum 'Pink Showers'
- Soft pink flowers in place of white, with the same scent and habit. For anyone who wants a change from the species.
- Trachelospermum asiaticum
- Smaller leaves and creamy flowers that age to yellow, on a denser, bushier plant than T. jasminoides.
Star jasmine month by month
Timings are for central England. Allow two weeks later in the north and on cold, heavy soil.
- January
Nothing to do. Fleece in freezing wind. Red or bronze leaves are normal.
- February
Nothing to do. Keep fleece handy.
- March
Balanced feed and a compost mulch. Late in the month, shorten wayward stems by a third if needed.
- April
Plant. Trim off winter-damaged shoots. Layer a low stem into the soil. Tie in young plants.
- May
Plant. Tie new stems to wires. Water new plants weekly.
- June
Flowering begins. Light top-dress of the balanced feed with sulphate of potash, watered in. Water in dry spells.
- July
Peak flowering and scent. Second and last top-dress for pots mid month. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
- August
No more feed. Tie in stray shoots as flowering ends. Semi-ripe cuttings.
- September
No feed. Leave any pruning until spring.
- October
Move potted plants against a sheltered house wall.
- November
Mulch the base 5 cm deep. Leaves begin to colour in the cold.
- December
Nothing to do. Protect in severe weather.
Feeding star jasmine
A moderate feeder: a balanced granular feed in March to drive the new growth, then a light top-dress of the same feed with a little sulphate of potash as flowering starts in June, and once more in mid July for pots. Nothing after July, so the growth hardens before winter.
A potassium-leaning feed for the scented summer flowers.
Feeding plan
April or May, at planting
5 g per litre of root ball, dusted onto the roots or into the hole so it touches them: 15 g for a 3 litre pot, 50 g for a 10 litre pot. Once.
March, plants in the ground
100 g/m², the label rate: about 100 g over the square metre at the base of the plant, watered in, then a 5 cm compost mulch to keep the roots cool.
March, pots
2 g per litre of compost, the bottom of the label range, on the surface and watered in: about 70 g for a 45 cm pot holding roughly 35 litres.
June, as flowering starts, plants in the ground
50 g/m², half the label rate of about 100 g/m²: about 50 g over the square metre at the base of the plant, watered in. Once. Nothing after that.
Early June and again in mid July, pots
The same 2 g per litre of compost as in March: about 70 g for a 45 cm pot holding roughly 35 litres, on the surface and watered in. Dressings are 5 to 6 weeks apart, the label interval. Nothing after July.
June, as flowering starts, plants in the ground
20 g/m², the low end of the label, scattered dry with the June top-dress and watered in: about 20 g over the square metre at the base of the plant. Once. For pots, mix 1 g per litre of compost into fresh compost when potting or repotting (35 g for a 45 cm pot holding roughly 35 litres); the label gives no dry top-dress rate for pots.
Signs to watch
Yellow leaves with green veins on new growth on chalk or against lime mortar
Iron locked out
Chelated iron, sulphur chips and a compost mulch; rainwater in pots
Older leaves yellow between the veins in Sep after summer potash feeds
Magnesium short
Epsom salts drench at 20 g per litre
Red-bronze leaves in Dec to Feb
Normal cold colouring, not a phosphorus shortage
No action; the same in
Pests, diseases and problems
Leaves brown and crisp, shoot tips dead, after winter
Cold, drying wind and frost on evergreen foliage
Wait until April, then trim damaged shoots back to healthy leaves. Fleece the plant when below -5°C with wind is forecast, and plant where a wall or fence breaks the east wind.
Healthy plant, few or no flowers
Too much shade, a plant still in its first two or three years, or hard pruning that removed the flowering side shoots
Give it at least half a day of sun, prune lightly and only where needed, in spring, and keep feeding light: extra nitrogen gives leaf, not flower.
Brown or grey bumps along the stems and leaf veins, leaves sticky with black mould
Scale insects
Rub off with a damp cloth or soft brush, prune out heavily infested stems in spring, and wash sooty mould off with water.
Sticky, distorted new shoots in spring
Aphids on soft growth
Squash by hand or rinse off with water. Wear gloves, since broken shoots leak a milky sap that irritates skin.
Older leaves turn yellow or red and fall in spring
Natural shedding; evergreens drop their oldest leaves as new growth starts
Nothing needed if the new growth is healthy. Heavy leaf drop across the whole plant points to waterlogging or a dried-out pot.
Pruning
Pruning and care
Flowers on short side shoots from the previous year's growth, and needs little pruning: trim lightly in early spring (Mar to Apr), shortening wayward stems by a third and removing dead or thin growth; no annual pruning is needed otherwise. Tie the main stems to horizontal wires 30 cm apart in a fan for the first 3 years until it twines on its own. Fleece in cold wind below −5°C and mulch the base 5 cm in Nov; re
Good to knowEvergreen and beautifully scented; slow to start, then steady. Shelter from cold winds.
Growing star jasmine in pots
Star jasmine grows well in a 45 cm pot of loam-based compost with a 1.5 m obelisk, trellis panel or fan of canes, and a pot lets you place the scent by a door or seat. Stand it in sun or light shade out of the wind. Water regularly from April to September and never let it dry out in flower; in winter keep it just moist. Feed in March, early June and mid July as above. In a hard winter move the pot against the house wall and wrap the pot itself, because the roots are less hardy than the top. Top-dress each spring and repot every three or four years. Wear gloves when pruning or tying in, as the milky sap can irritate skin.
Star jasmine: common questions
Is star jasmine hardy in the UK?
It is frost-hardy rather than fully hardy: an established plant on a sheltered wall takes about -10°C, which covers most winters in towns and the south. In cold, exposed or northern gardens it can be scorched or killed, so grow it in a pot that can be moved, or fleece it in severe spells.
Why are my star jasmine leaves turning red?
Cold. The leaves of star jasmine turn bronze, red or crimson in winter and green up again in spring, and this is normal. Red leaves in summer are a sign of stress, most often a dry or pot-bound root ball, so check the watering.
How fast does star jasmine grow?
Slowly at first, then about 30 to 60 cm a year once established. Most plants do little for two or three years while they root in, and reach 4 to 6 m in around ten years. Buy the largest plant you can afford if you need cover quickly.
Sources
Growing information on this page was checked against these references in November 2026. Feeding rates are Dr Forest label rates.
- How to grow trachelospermumRHS
- Trachelospermum jasminoides (star jasmine)RHS
- How to grow star jasmineBBC Gardeners' World Magazine