Common Name: Japanese Star Jasmine

General Information

Trachelospermum asiaticum is a climbing shrub, producing stems up to 10 metres long that twine into other plants for support[].
The plant makes an excellent ground cover and is often grown for this purpose.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, northwest India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

Thickets in hills and low mountains, C. and S. Japan[]. Growing in scrub and climbing up trees in the forest[]. Dense or open montane forests, brushwoods, often clinging to trees; at elevations from 100 - 1,000 metres in southern China[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

Japanese star jasmine is found from the warm temperate zone through to the tropics. 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[].
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[].
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

Agroforestry Uses:

Can be grown as a ground cover plant in a sunny position[]. One of the most common ground cover plants used in Texas[].

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[].