proud new parent of some jasmines

17 years ago

Please bear with me as I'm new to all of this. Short story - I just ordered a lot of jasmine plants. They don't have a lot of directions and I need some help in knowing what to do with them. I also need to know if any of them are poisonous to cats. I'd like to put them in all the rooms of my house, but I don't want the cats eating them and getting sick.

so here is what I have:

1) Cestrum Nocturnum - night blooming jasmine. This is the only one destined for outside. I live in northern virginia/washington DC area which I think is Zone 7 - will this survive the winter?

2) South African Jasmine - mitristigma axillare

3) Gardenia Jasmin "Fortuniana" - I think it's actually a type of gardenia

4) Jasminium Sambac aka Maid of Orleans

So how do I take care of these fellows and keep them happy? Also how do I propogate new ones later in the year? I've only ever grown tomatoes. :(

Comments (7)

bachelorette_pad
Original Author
17 years ago
also - if I plant my night blooming jasmine outside, about how fast will it grow? It's only about a foot tall right now - will it grow into a bush by summer?
siliconmage
17 years ago
I don't think Cestrum Nocturnum will survive in Zone 7 outdoors. I read 9b - 13 as the suggested zones.

Maid of Orleans is only fussy about humidity and soggy roots. Even if it drops all its leaves, once good conditions are met it will recover.
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bachelorette_pad
Original Author
17 years ago
oh no! will my night blooming jasmine be ok living in a pot that I bring in?
siliconmage
17 years ago
Yes, it will do fine indoors as long as the temperature and humidity are adequate.
jimshy
17 years ago
Just to avoid confusion, only the sambac is a "true" jasmine; all the others are called jasmine, but come from different genuses and have different requirements. None will be reliably hardy outside, so plant them in pots -- if they're small plants, don't put 'em in big pots right away -- and bring them inside before night temps drop below the 50s.

Quick care:

cestrum: will grow like a weed once the temps stay over 60 if you give it as much sun as possible, lots of water, and regular fertilizer. cut it back before you bring it in for the winter.

mitrostigma: a gardenia relative, needs even moisture, partial shade; it's easy to bloom.

jasminum sambac: another easy grower, treat it like cestrum.

Gardenia: well, that's a whole 'nother story! Check the FAQ for tips on the care and feeding of temperamental gardenias!

Enjoy!

Jim
mare2
17 years ago
Please watch your cats around the cestrum nocturnum; am pretty sure it's poisonous. Am also pretty sure the jasmine is not, because it's used in making teas. Not sure about the others.

Also, your cestrum can be planted in the ground after danger of frost and will grow quickly into a 5' shrub at least. Since it won't survive winter in your climate, you can always root new ones in late summer when the weather is still warm. They root quickly then (keep them on the shady side).

Good luck! 'Mare
bachelorette_pad
Original Author
17 years ago
my cestrum is only about a foot tall right now - will it really grow fast enough to be a full-fledged bush by summer?

I like the idea of rooting some cuttings from it in the late summer; I might do that so I don't have to lug in an enormous bush this winter and put it in a room away from my cats

Is a mitrostigma easy to grow from cuttings? It smells so good I'd like to give some as gifts when it gets bigger