Do you mean Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)? If so, it is a one of the first plants to flower in the early spring, in the South. It does not bloom non-stop. Also, if you are pruning this fast (aggressive?) growing vine at the wrong time of year, you could be removing future flower buds. Full sun for best results.

Rhizo,

Yes, I bought Carolina Jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens)from Logees several years ago and it has not bloomed yet. I did repot it on my lunch break and gave it a good dose of osmocote fertilizer. I hope that helps jump start this plant.

I'm not pruning it but it is not growing fast or aggressively for me. I do have it in full sun. It is growing nicely but not fast.

I'm so excited after reading many posts last evening I purchased a Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany. I'm so excited to get this plant. There was another one that was mentioned quite a bit...Brunfelsia. But I've not gotten that plant yet. I'm hoping I get more ideas.

I will keep reading through the various posts. Thank you for replying rhizo.

Eh! I think the Jasmine Duke is over rated. Their blossoms turns brown at every whim, they require HOT sun to be fully healthy and loaded with blooms, you must get up close to really appreciate the fragrance, they die fast if over watered just once, attract spider mites until no tomoorw, and grow very, very slowly. I can tell you that it will not tolerate temps that low. Under 65 is a death sentence for these.

As for Brunsfelia, they are just delightful! But they too will not tolerate temps that low. They will die in an instant if kept below the mid 50's and will not thrive very well unless you provide warm temps of at least over 65 degrees.

But what WILL satisfy your sensory glands is Citrus! Yes at those temps, the delightful fragrance will fill the air and maybe even reward you with fruit. Actually for many, the cooler conditions prompt flowering. They tolerate temps very well that low, and will even stay pest free. If you should get pests, well they are much easier to rid of on their broad leaves.

Good luck to you and consider it an honor for Rhizo to stop by. She has been more than a blessing to me and my plants!

Mike

lotus, are you aware that Osmocote products rely on temperature for it to work? If you are relying on this particular product for cold season nutrient support, I think you may be disappointed. IF your Jessamine is in need of fertilizer (as all container-grown plants are) you may want to find a soluble product with minor elements that you can mix up and use now. The Osmocote will just sit there (pretty much) until it gets warm.

Later on, when the wicked winter recedes from your ND home and the temperatures warm up in the greenhouse, the Osmocote will eventually kick in. Be conservative, by the way, with the soluble product you use. Plants need very little fertilizer in the winter (they do need SOME) and over doing it could cause problems. Don't forget that that SRF is still in your container come spring. You'll want to stop fertilizing before hand.

Good luck with this plant...I lived in South Carolina for most of my adult life; Carolina Jessamine draped from the tree tops and along fence lines. So pretty.

For a cool greenhouse, no plant would be more unusual, easily grown or heavenly fragrant than Gladiolus tristis. This graceful species would grow late fall-early winter in your greenhouse and then flower February through early April. The flowers are only fragrant in the evening and at night, but the scent is heavenly (like stock or pinks) and can be taken into the house when in flower to fill up a room with its perfume. Right now Telos Rare Bulbs and Digging Dog Nursery have it available.

Other plants that would thrive in those temperatures would be Osmanthus fragrans (sweet olive), fragrant camellias, Jasminum polyanthum (not my favorite for scent but it certainly has a strong one!), as well as the citrus mentioned above.

MeyerMike - Big bummer about the Jasmine Duke...I was really excited about that one. I'm delighted to report I have 4 citrus plants in my greenhouse and LOVE them. They do very well for me. I have 3 Meyer's lemons and 1 lime but I don't know what variety the lime is. You are right when they bloom they are wonderful. They have fruit on them right now. I always wanted to get a couple more citrus plants...perhaps that is what I will look for. Thank you.

Rhizo - Thank you for the information about Osmocote, I did not think about that. It is really warm in their right now. During the day it get's 80 to 90 degrees if the sun is out. The temps do drop in the evening. I water all my plants from the pond water in my greenhouse so they get nutrients from that as well. In addition, I water mid winter with fish emulsion. That is another reason I would like some strong smelling plants hopefully masking the stench of the fish emulsion treatments. ha ha.

I bet seeing Carolina Jessamine draped from the tree tops and along fence lines would be marvelous. I sure hope mine picks up the pace here and becomes full and lush with a few blooms.

Ispahan - Jasminum polyanthum sounds like a wonderful plant. I went and googled all your suggestions and think you have some great ideas. I am going to order the gladiolus and jasminum. How awesome.

I'm really excited now. You guys are wonderful!! Thank you for the information.

ooohhhhh my! I got a little carried away and ordered the following Jasmine:

Jasminum stephanense
Jasminum polyanthum
Jasminum tortuosum
Jasminum officinale grandiflorum

I can not wait. I should have them by Friday or Saturday. Perhaps next spring I can try one of the gardenias or camelias. I need to control the urge to purchase anymore plants as I'm tempting faith with the possibility of cold weather beginning to move through here.

So what's happening with all of your fragrant plants? Are you beginning to move them into your houses?

You well on your way to the poor house...loaded with beautiful plants of course though.lol

All my really tropicals are in the greenhouse by now, although I just stuck them out for the day to be soaked by the wonderful heavy downpours in this unusual warm weather.

My citrus are still outside though for a while since they can handle the temps the way they are.
Boy, I will tell you that my greenhouse smells heavenly!

Keep spending! Can I interest you into 'Osmanthus Fragrans'? Yummy!

Mike

Mike you are TERRIBLE...tempting me like that. ha ha. I'm so thankful our weather is getting too cold for me to order anymore plants in.

I was so excited I got my Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany today in the mail and got it planted up. It is so gorgeous. I decided to keep it in the house for the winter since it will be much warmer than my greenhouse and you mentioned it would not survive the temps I keep in my greenhouse. How warm do you keep your greenhouse? The plants I have in my greenhouse pretty much go dormant and just sit there over the winter. It is just too expensive to heat it more than 40 - 45 deg in the winter months.

I looked at the label of one of my citrus that I've had for about 5 or 6 years and the label says Mexican Lime. It has some gorgeous limes on it and can't wait to taste them. Have you heard of this type of citrus?

Take care my friend.

Yup, if I am going to be broke due to too much spending on my awesome plants, then I might as well drag as many down with me as I can, in a sweet sort of way.

I have a Grand Duke and it is a wonderful plant if you can keep it warm at all times. You should see what I for mine.
I leave it in the fullest hot sun area of my yard all summer and then once the sun starts to move away from us as winter approaches, I follow it to where ever the sun continues to hit.
So it starts in the greenhouse come March, then outside on the steps in full sun in June, then on the plant stand next to the pond in July. Then back to the steps in August, then up onto the flat sunny roof in September, lol, yes, and then into the greenhouse in October and November, and then it the prime sunny spot in my warm room all winter facing the South until a repeat performance come spring again!

Do you see all this hard work just for an inch of growth all year and few blooms that last a few days if they are not attacked by pests?

Oh, I have been at the Asian festival that comes around every fall and stare at the ones they sell for just 20 bucks reaching heights of 3 feet loaded with blooms for hours on end, just to return home empty handed. If I had a greenhouse I could keep warm all year, then I would grab one or two for sure.

Citrus are very nice to have though. Go for it, buy all the Citrus you can think of, because they sure are fragrant.

I have never heard of a Mexican Lime, but please, stop at the Citrus forums where I spend most of my days and you will make some nice friends and learn so much. I have more Citrus trees than any other plant, and I never eat the fruit. Allergic, but I love the fragrance of ALL.
Please see us at the Citrus Forum:-)

Ok, now I really have to go.

Mike:-)