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grwleye

Trachelospermum: hanging basket-able?

grwleye
12 years ago

Is anyone growing Trachelospermum jasminoides (star jasmine) as a hanging plant? I'd like it to grow about 8-10 inches tall and woody, then train the shoots downward using light weights or ____? Or is gravity enough, without a support? I haven't considered wiring like a bonsai but could maybe learn. Thanks.

Comments (10)

  • peggiewho
    12 years ago

    I don't have it in a basket just all over the front fence. It would be willing to grow any which way you want. It would send out a long runner that will fall under it�s own weight. But if it touches anything it will climb. I love the perfume.

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    12 years ago

    For what you have in mind, the star jasmine is entirely too rampant a grower. Al

  • hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
    12 years ago

    Star Jasmine doesn't really like to hang down. It's viney, but tries to spread sideways, or grow upward. Are you looking from something fragrant to grow in hanging baskets or something pretty? If it's pretty, and gets some partial shade, consider fuschias. Select one of the many lovely trailing varieties. They LOVE to live in hanging baskets, and bloom profusely all summer. If you're looking for something fragrant, there are some very nice petunia varieties that also trail and have fragrance. And, they can take full sun, just be sure to keep them moist. You can also tuck in some Heliotrope as they have nice complimentary colors.

    Patty S.

  • tressa
    12 years ago

    I'm thinking that the pink bud-flowering jasmine (the name has escaped me at the moment - probably should have another cup of coffe!) which is also sooooo fragrant would work in a basket. You can sometimes find it at nurseries trained as a topiary-type plant. Maybe also too rampant Al?

  • hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
    12 years ago

    That's Pink Jasmine, Tressa, or sometimes called Chinese Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum). But again, it also likes to vine more than trail, so you'd constantly be fighting its nature to want to grow upwards and along your hanging basket chains. And it is VERY prolific. Smells wonderful, but very vigorous plant, at least for us here in the coastal S. California climate. I considered it for my arbor/patio cover, but my landscaper and I decided against it due to it tending to look ratty and scraggly during a large part of the season. If you can get to it to prune, it's not bad, but I'm not inclined to climb up 10 feet to the top of my patio cover to clean it up :-)

    Patty S.

  • hosenemesis
    12 years ago

    It would be an interesting experiment to try to train it and wire it down, but it likes to live in the ground so much better than pots, so it may not be good in a small pot. The plant gets so ginormous it's hard for me to imagine it except as a very time-consuming bonsai.

    Bacopa would be a better choice. If you want the scent in the house, cuttings of jasmine in a vase are the way to go.

    Renee

  • grwleye
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Al - I was afraid it would be too rampant, but...OK, maybe not a good idea.

    Patty - I have fuschias already (which do well and look great)and was looking for something else, something fragrant. Maybe I *will* check out the petunias.

    Tressa and Patty - I have a pot with J polyanthes that spills out and for some reason doesn't climb its own vines. At least not yet... ;)

    All - thanks for the input! To be continued...

  • hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
    12 years ago

    Do check out Heliotrope, too. I think it is one of those underutilized flowers and its fragrance is heavenly! There's a new variety out by Proven Winners - 'Simply Scentsational'. I was going to put together 4 hanging baskets for my new patio and was actually thinking of putting these in the middle for their fragrance. Garden Crossings has them right now, if you can't find this new variety locally.

    Patty S.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Crossings: Simply Scentsational Heliotrope

  • grwleye
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Rats - thought I posted last night! Must not have taken the last step. Anyway, heliotrope is looming large on the horizon - planning to head out on Saturday and see what's available locally. Then I might take up with Garden Crossings.

    Also, I like the suggestion of jasmine cuttings in the house - why didn't that ever occur to me? I was just thinking of outside, but this is very appealing.

    Thanks everyone!

  • PRO
    Perfect Plants Nursery
    last year

    You can grow Star Jasmine in a hanging basket! But as the others said, it's a fast grower and would need frequent pruning and shaping to get to the desired look you are going for. It is possible though! We wish you luck.