VIU Milner Gardens and Woodland

Plant Pick: Winter Jasmine

Latin name:  Jasminum nudiflorum

by Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association

“The flower that welcomes Spring” a translation of the Chinese name “Yingchun”.

A splash of bright yellow flowers in the winter garden.  An upright shrub whose flexible stems are best tied to a wall or structure at the desired height and allowed to cascade or can be grown in a free form on a slope. It can grow to 10 feet (3m) in width and height if left unpruned.

The small bright yellow salver form flowers open along the stems before the leaves, blooming from December through March. Plant where appreciated at close quarters. No fragrance.

A hardy plant grown in full sun or part shade, in fertile soil with average water needs.

Other less hardy species are fragrant and make excellent container plants.

At Milner Gardens & Woodland, the Jasminum nudiflorum is located in front of historic Milner House.

  

Photos courtesy of:  Douglas Einarson.

Attribute

Description

Form:

Slender deciduous shrub with arching stems.

Foliage type:

Opposite, pinnate dark green leaves,1¼ inches (3 cm) each dived into three leaflets.    

Height/Width:

Will grow to 10 Feet (3 m) if left unpruned. Best trained against a support to allow the stems to cascade and pruned annually.

Hardiness Zone:

Zones 6 -9.

Exposure:

Will grow in full sun or in shadier NW or SE exposure.

Flower colour:

Bright yellow. Small ½ inch (2 cm) solitary star-shaped blooms along the slender stems.

Leaf colour:

Dark green.

Flower time:

December through March.

Preferred soil

and Watering:

Fertile, well drained soil.  Regular water in the growing period.

Other:

Propagation: Semi ripe cuttings in summer or layering in fall.

Pruning:    Flowers develop on previous year’s growth, so prune as the flowers fade to give time for the new growth to mature.

Renovation:  Over grown plants can be cut back to within 2 feet (30 cm) of the base. This will promote vigorous growth. Select a few strong shoots for retraining.

It will take 2-3 years to start flowering again.