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Common Name: Japanese Star Jasmine

General Information

Trachelospermum asiaticum is a Evergreen Climber up to 6.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Japan, Korea.

Habitat

Thickets in hills and low mountains, C. and S. Japan[]. Growing in scrub and climbing up trees in the forest[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a well-drained moderately retentive soil in full sun or with part-day shade[]. Requires a good humus-rich soil[]. Succeeds in moderately alkaline or acid soils[]. Requires the protection of a wall[].
Trachelospermum asiaticum not very hardy outside the milder areas of the temperate zone[], but it can tolerate temperatures down to about -15°c when grown in a suitable position that makes sure the wood is fully ripened[]. Young plants are particularly susceptible to cold winds[].
A twining plant[]. Plants are self-clinging on walls according to other reports[, ]. The plant is of slow to moderate growth[].
Flowers are produced on short laterals that grow from old wood[]. The flowers have a sweet refreshing perfume[].

Edible Uses

Young buds - cooked[, ]. No more details are given, we do not know if it is the leaf or flower buds that are referred to.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 6 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame. Ensure that the milky sap, which is excreted from the heel when the cutting is taken, has dried out before the cutting is inserted in the soil. Fair to good percentage[].
Layering in summer[].