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Everyone feels happier whenever flowers are around. It’s been scientifically proven that flowers calm the senses and relieve anxiety. This is especially useful since many of us suffer from stress on a daily basis!
Jasminum officinale, the white jasmine we all know and love, has that same effect.
Let’s dive in and learn more about this exotic, fragrant flower.
Table of Contents
Jasmine: An Overview
Jasmine plants belong to a group of flowering plants that are naturally found in the tropical areas of the Old World. This includes western China, the Himalayas, and northern Iran. They’re also found in several Mediterranean countries where the soil is rich.
Typically, jasmine plants are shrubs that can grow to a height of 10 to 15 feet. The flowers reach about 1 inch in diameter.
Jasmine shrubs are evergreen with leaves that stay green year-round. Jasmine flowers start blooming in late spring until the first frost.
They also can be deciduous. Deciduous plants have leaves that turn into an orange-yellow color by fall. Jasmine flowers appear in early summer until late fall. They produce groups of 3 to 5 flowers clustered together.
Then there are vine-like Jasmine plants. These can latch and climb up walls or fences.
How to Grow Jasmine
Since jasmine plants are originally exotic, they’re used to sunlight. So they do well in both full or partial sun. Just try to avoid exposing them to the harsh afternoon sun.
They do well when planted in rich, well-drained soil. This type of soil can drain water at a moderate rate, as opposed to clay or compacted soil.
Too much water creates pools around the roots. This enhances the growth of mold and fungus, which can eventually kill the plant.
Loam is one of the most suitable types of soil for jasmine. It consists of the right balance of sand, silt, and clay. These three components work together to create the perfect plant-growing medium.
Sowing the Seeds
You can get seeds in two ways: through one of your full-grown plants or through buying seed packets. If you already have a jasmine plant, you can start sowing its seeds as soon as the plant is ripe enough.
With seed packets, you should prepare them three months before the weather gets warm enough to move them outdoors.
Follow these steps to make sure your seedlings sprout in the right way:
- Soak the seeds for 24 hours.
- Fill some seedling starter trays with soil and soak each one with water.
- Allow the cells to drain their water before planting one jasmine seed in each one. Make sure each seed is covered by a light layer of soil.
- Cover the cells with plastic. This helps keep the moisture inside. Then place them in direct sunlight.
Relocating Your Jasmine Plant
Don’t be surprised if your plant needs a long time before it can be repotted. Unlike other types of flowering plants, jasmines like to be cozy in their containers. You should leave them in their containers until the roots grow to a suitable size.
Even though the process is longer than average, repotting jasmine plants is just the same as any other plant. The trick is to watch out for the large number of roots you’ll have to take care of during the process.
You also have to get your timing right. If you do, your plant will remain healthy and will continue to bloom throughout the year.
Know the Sign
So how do you know when to start? A good sign is when the soil keeps drying up every couple of days. Usually, jasmine plants need to be watered once a week. So if they’re drying up quicker, this means the roots need a larger space to develop and grow.
Repotting: An Easy Step-by-Step
Follow the following straightforward steps for a successful repotting every time:
- Place newspaper on the floor or on top of the lawn in your backyard
- Lay the plant on its side.
- Gently tap the container from the sides to loosen the root ball.
- Slide the roots out. If you notice any dark spots on them, cut them off with a sharp utility knife. This can be a type of fungus, known as anthracnose. Cutting it off prevents the fungus from spreading to other roots.
- Try to remove as much of the old potting soil as you can.
- Using your utility knife, make four small cuts on the sides of the root ball. These vertical slices should be evenly spaced around the root ball. This is done to promote new root growth for the plant to grow bigger and sturdier.
Important Tips to Consider
If you’re going to plant it in the ground, dig your hole, then place the plant inside. Work carefully around all the roots, then it’s time to backfill the hole.
If you’re going to repot the jasmine in another pot, make sure it’s at least 2 inches larger than the previous one.
Your plant will need time to adjust to its new home. Make sure it’s getting the right balance of sunlight and shade it needs. Also, keep an eye on the soil. It should be damp at all times, never completely wet.
Don’t Have Seeds? Try Propagating!
One of jasmine’s great features is that they can be propagated either by layering or cutting.
Layering
Layering is pretty straightforward. Gently bend one of the stems and push its middle part inside the soil. To make sure it stays in place, you can use a U-shaped pin. That’s it! Nature takes care of the rest.
By layering, you get to benefit from an already strong root stem. Another benefit is that you get fresh new flowers where there were bare stems before.
There are five basic types of layering:
Cutting
When making your cuttings, pick the stem tips from a healthy jasmine plant. Make sure the cuttings are about 6 inches long.
Cuttings should be made directly below a leaf, not above it. Strip the leaves from the bottom 1/3 of the stem.
Some prefer to place the bottom end in rooting hormone powder. Alternatively, you can just place it in a small planter with damp sand. One way to keep the moisture in for longer is to place the planter inside a plastic bag.
Keep the planter in a warm environment, around 75 °F. Avoid direct sunlight and make sure the sand is always damp.
You should start seeing roots develop within a month. You can move them into potting soil to boost their root system before they can be moved to their permanent location outdoors.
Jasmine Uses and Benefits
Besides being a gorgeous and aromatic plant for indoors and outdoors, jasmine is sourced to produce many health and beauty products.
Jasmine Flower Tea
This tea blend combines green tea with jasmine flowers. It’s rich in antioxidants and has many health benefits, including:
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases
- Helps treat Type-2 diabetes
- Boosts brain functions
- May aid in the prevention of Alzheimer’s and dementia
Perfumes
The jasmine plant is a source of feminine and exotic fragrances. Its oils are extracted and used in many perfumes, body lotions, and other beauty products.
Its strong, yet sweet, scent can be found in almost all of the women’s perfumes, as well as many men’s perfumes.
The top 4 perfumes made with jasmine are:
Medicine
Jasmine is known for its herbal healing properties. This is why it’s used to help treat hepatitis, certain types of cancer, Type-2 diabetes, and several other diseases. It’s also used as a mild sedative.
Here are a few other health benefits of the jasmine plant:
- Boosts immune system
- Reduces stress
- Enhances the digestive system
- Rich in antioxidants
- Relieves aches and pains
- Treats injuries and wounds
Create an Uplifting Mood
Research shows that flowers have a positive emotional effect on us. Our brain is stimulated into releasing happy hormones, such as
Whether you give them, receive them, or grow them, you’ll get rewarded with those ‘feel-good’ hormones just the same.
You can always plant some flowers in your garden, even if it’s just a small area. Or you can grow some in a couple of pots, and place them strategically next to your kitchen window.
Planting jasmines near doorways and windows is a good way to benefit from their sweet scent. This way, you constantly get the chance to reduce your stress hormones and renew your positive energy.
Conclusion
Flowers make us happier and healthier, which can lead to more productive lives. They help reduce cortisol levels and boost ‘feel-good’ hormones to bring a sense of calm and order in your life. Flowers also give you a chance to slow down and catch your breath.
The jasmine plant does all those things, and more. It’s beautiful, fragrant, and somewhat resilient. It can cope with almost any mild environment you place it in.
You treat jasmine plants right, they’ll give you strong, sturdy plants that will continue to bloom for years to come.