Jasmine flowers are beautiful, fragrant, and versatile. They come in different forms, some of which are shrubs, and some are vines.
These striking plants come from the olive family, Oleaceae, and have naturalized in many warm parts of the world.
In addition to being used in perfumes and cosmetics, they also serve as a natural insect repellent.
Jasmine flowers belong to the genus Jasminum. The species name comes from the Greek word ζαμπσίνος (zampsonos), meaning “jasmine flower”.
There are over 100 varieties of jasmine, but only a handful of them are cultivated commercially.
Some are commonly grown as houseplants in colder areas, while some varieties you don’t have to worry about, and you can leave them outside all year round.
Interested in growing your own jasmine plants? Here are the ones
Types of Jasmine to Grow Yourself
Jasminum sambac ‘Arabian Jasmine’
Known as the Mohle flower, Zambac, Sampa Gita, or the white-flowered Indian jasmine, this particular species of jasmine is celebrated for its fantastic scent.
It has an uplifting fragrance which has a refreshing quality, unlike common jasmine which smells extremely sweet.
It’s a perfect variety if you find generic ‘jasmine’ scented flowers are too strong or too sweet for you.
It’s an award-winning species that can grow up to 10 feet tall and wide, but you will need to provide it with some support, as it is a scrambling shrub.
The leaves are a deep green with a glossy sheen, and flowers open as a pure white, in clusters of between 3 and 12 flowers. Eventually, each flower will turn pink as it ages, making for a stunning, ever-changing display.
If you live somewhere cool, this shrub will flower all the way through summer. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere warm, it will bloom pretty much continuously.
Arabian jasmine will thrive in full sunlight or partial shade, in fertile, well-draining soil.
Jasminum officinale ‘Common Jasmine’
This is one of the most popular jasmine species for cultivation. It has large, showy blooms that come exclusively in white, usually arranged in clusters between 3 and 5 flowers each.
If you have ever used jasmine-scented cosmetics, it’s likely that the heady scent has come from this particular species.
This jasmine will produce flowers all the way through the summer, up until the first frosts.
This is a fast-growing species, which can eventually grow as tall as 30 feet high in the right conditions.
Jasmine officinale grows best in moist, rich soils, and needs plenty of water during dry spells.
For best results, plant common jasmine somewhere warm and sheltered, either in full sunlight, or partial shade.
Jasminum polyanthum ‘Sweetly Scented Jasmine’
Grown as a houseplant in colder climates, the sweetly scented jasmine, or Jasminum polyanthum does well in places that doesn’t get any frost, or sheltered environments such as a conservatory, the side of your house, or a greenhouse.
It features the typical foliage of most jasmine plants, with deep, dark green leaves which have a glossy look, helping to bring out the clusters of cosmic-white, hugely perfumed flowers.
These gorgeous flowers appear from the last few weeks of winter and follow into spring, giving any space a plethora of scent.
This particular jasmine requires dappled shade in order to grow well, in well-draining, loose and light soil, where it will reach a maximum height of 3 meters, spreading about the same.
Indoors, this is likely to be much less, constrained by the light and space of the growing conditions.
Jasminum nudiflorum ‘Winter Jasmine’
Hailing from China, the winter jasmine is a beautiful shrub which has found a great popularity with gardeners who often grow it up walls or fences.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t train it up an obelisk or trellis if you prefer, though. If left to its own devices, it can also scramble up rocks and banks.
This jasmine is winter hardy, making it a fantastic choice for any garden.
It’s worth knowing that this particular species of jasmine will not cling to an upright surface, so it’ll need you to secure it if you’re growing the plant vertically.
Tiny sunshine yellow flowers appear in winter, providing both color and fragrance, off-setting the dark green foliage nicely.
Jasminum grandiflorum ‘Royal Jasmine’
An evergreen vine, this is a species vulnerable to frost, but what it lacks for in hardiness, it makes up for in its growth habit.
The royal jasmine is an evergreen vine, capable of producing up to 50 clusters of heavily perfumed flowers. The blooms themselves can reach a maximum of 4 inches in diameter, making for a dramatic display.
It will cover fences, trellises, obelisks or other kinds of support rapidly, and you can also train it into topiary if you provide it with the right structure.
It’s a summer blooming species, which will flower until the first frosts. Once mature, this plant can reach up to 40 feet tall.
Royal jasmine is a happy plant in partial shade or full sunlight. It will produce more flowers in full sun, but it will benefit from some light shade during the brightest part of the day.
Jasminum multiflorum ‘Star Jasmine’
You can grow the star jasmine outside or inside. This frost tender species is a lovely shrub, which sends out stems that scramble up any surface or plant they can reach.
The foliage is covered in a soft, silvery down, and the flowers are a brilliant white, carrying a softer, sweet jasmine scent.
The plant can reach a maximum of 5 meters long, and commonly flowers from autumn into spring.
Jasminum angulare ‘Angular Jasmine’
Hailing from South Africa, the Angular jasmine is a half-hardy species, meaning that it will need protection from frosts in colder climates, such as a cool greenhouse or conservatory.
Like most species of jasmine, it isn’t fussy about how much sunlight it gets.
You can grow it somewhere that absolutely bakes in sunlight, or somewhere that gets a reprieve from the sun during the hottest part of the day.
In fact, it will even thrive in semi-shade.
The angular jasmine produces small, fragrant flowers on slender stems, which bloom throughout summer and autumn.
This is a more compact species, reaching about 2 meters tall, and spreading about 70cm wide.
It’s a perfect variety if you’re worried about jasmine taking over your garden, as it can be kept in check fairly easily.
Jasminum azoricum ‘Lemon-scented Jasmine’
The lemon-scented jasmine comes from Madeira, which makes it excellent for a windy garden which has high levels of salt in the soil, but one thing it cannot stand is frost.
Being frost tender, this particular variety is suitable for conservatories or indoor spaces that get a lot of light.
While it is a shrub, it will need some support eventually, as it sends out twining, climbing shoots.
The real star of this plant is, of course, the flowers. While they are pure-white in color, they have a citrus fragrance which will remind you of lemons.
These gorgeous blooms appear from late spring, all the way through until late autumn.
Jasminum abyssinicum ‘Forest Jasmine’
A beautiful climbing variety, the forest jasmine, is a woody plant which will brighten up any garden.
This particular species is hardy to about 10°F (or -12°C), making it a great option for those places that get mild winters.
When it comes to position, this species isn’t fussy about how much sunlight you give it. It will do well in either dappled shade or full sunlight, but thrives when it gets some protection from the midday sun.
It produces white flowers from autumn until spring, and each one starts off as a pink bud, and features that trademark fragrance.
Jasminum auriculatum
While Jasminum auriculatum isn’t commonly found in gardens, it deserves its own place on this list.
It’s easy to grow, and will tolerate damp or dry conditions, as long as the soil drains well, and it gets at least partial sunlight.
It features fantastic clusters of white flowers, which are often picked to make jasmine essential oil.
Jasminum humile ‘Italian Jasmine’
If you prefer yellow jasmine flowers, Italian jasmine is a good option. It produces a plethora of yellow blooms from late spring, all the way through until the first few weeks of autumn.
You can grow it as a shrub as its own focal point, or to cover a wall, fence, or trellis, as long as you give it the support it needs to climb.
Give it somewhere warm and sheltered in your garden, where the soil drains well, and it will provide you with a sea of flowers to enjoy.
Jasminum subtriplinerve
Hailing from Vietnam, Jasminum subtriplinerve is grown commercially for its foliage, which are turned into a local drink.
Jasminum multipartitum ‘Starry Wild Jasmine’
Another frost-hardy species, Jasminum multipartitum features a wonderful combination of fragrant white flowers and green leaves.
It can get as tall as 3 meters high, or, if you prefer, the starry wild jasmine can also grow as a shrub, where it gets to about 1.5 meters tall.
Like most species, it will do well in a warm, sunny spot, or in dappled shade.
It produces brilliant white flowers in late spring into summer, and attracts plenty of pollinators in your garden.
Jasminum dichotomum ‘Gold Coast Jasmine’
A night-flowering variety, Jasminum dichotomum or the Gold Coast jasmine produces pink flowers that mature into a striking white, perfect for any night-flowering garden scheme.
It’s capable of blooming all year round in the right conditions.
It’s worth mentioning that some places class it as an invasive weed, so you may have to check with your local authority before you plant it in your own garden.
Final Thoughts
There’s a type of jasmine suitable for any space, whether you’re picturing your conservatory filled with flowers and fragrance, or trellises, rockeries, or shrubs filled with color.
If you live somewhere that gets cold winters, it is worth going for a frost-hardy variety, or growing a particular species of jasmine in a container, which you can bring indoors to overwinter.
You can also choose between night-flowering types and the more common day-flowering species, so no matter what time of day you want to enjoy nature, there’s a jasmine variety out there for you.
