Cut back any dead leaves, growth, keep it barely moist -- too much water will rot it right now -- and give it as much sun as you've got, and wait for new growth. I would not cut it back all the way to old, woody growth, as I believe this species will have a harder time putting out new shoots from old growth. It should pull through!

Jim

Thanks Jim. OK, I'll cut the stems to just below any dead leaves. My fear however is that at that point, there'll be very little "healthy" growth remaining. And for some reason, I thought plants needed SOME type of growth/leaves remaining on the plant... to help it in taking in sun I guess... to make chlorophyl is it? Also, I don't think this plant has any kind of woody growth yet. I think it's all pretty new/green, and has been since I bought the plant.

Tx.

OK, so I basically cut the entire plant down to 4". I've never really kept a "warmer zone" plant indoors for the winter. How does this all work? I keep the plant indoors, still trying to give it as much sun as possible, and only water when the soil is completely dried out? And then I guess I should put it back outdoors in the Spring, after the danger of frost has passed?

I know with my other potted plants that are hardy to my zone, I keep them outdoors year round, and in the Spring, they all come back. I guess they take their cues from the seasons, and they just know to come back in the Spring.

But how will it work with this particular plant, which will have been indoors all Winter? How will this plant know to produce new shoots in the Spring? Or does this plant try to produce new growth year-round, whether in or outdoors, but since it needs alot of sun, it probably won't produce much in my apartment? But then once I put it outside in the Spring, things should kick-in more?

Thanks!!

Yippee wait! If what you have is really officinale, then you need to know that it is NOT a tropical jasmine and is, at best, only semi-evergreen. It also needs a pronounced winter chill to perform well. That means nightime temps in the 30 to 45 degree range for, perhaps, two months. Also, it blooms on lateral shoots produced from the PREVIOUS season's growth, and then later from terminal shoots from the CURRENT season's growth. That means, if you prune in fall through spring, you may be sacrificing much of next summer's flowers. The best way to manage this vine in a pot is to occasionally pinch the tips of vigorous new shoots (they usually come from the base or directly off old wood) to encourage branching, and nip back or prune harder the shoots that have flowered immediately after bloom. Feed the plant then with a fertilizer formulated to promote bloom, but remember most jasmines flower best if the fertility is low. Keep the roots confined to the smallest pot possible (a 14" pot can accomodate a 12' or better vine). By the way, many clones of officinale are surprisingly hardy; I have several officinales thriving in my zone 6 garden in Spokane, WA, where they have recovered from temps as low as -14F. Why my initial caveat? I have seen, occasionally, polyanthum sold as officinale, a much less hardy (but still not tropical) jasmine.

i have one in 6inch pot in a tomato cage. The plant is vigorous in growth and is 5ft tall and it is blooming now. The fragrance is awsome. I heard that they like being potbound and if placed in big pots they grow slowly. The plant i have is only 1yr old that has been started with 2inch pot. The only issue i noticed is after flowers fall off there is some sticky substance oozing from the point of fall but that dries after a while. Has anyone noticed that? I really lover their fragrance though. The fragrance wafts during night time and is very soothing.

Thanks all. When I first bought this plant, maybe this past April(?), there were no flowers at all. I really just loved the shape and color shade of the leaves! They alone are so beautiful! Anyway, not sure if it would be "normal" for a first year plant, but I never did get any flowers (just by way of background).

So anyway, as mentioned, I took the plant in a few weeks ago and cut it down to about 4". There are no leaves at all left on the plant.

I suspect it is in fact a jasmine officianale, as I got it from what appeared to be a very comprehensive, professional nursery out on Long Island. So Michaell, you are saying it needs a few months of temps in the 30-40s to perform well? OK, so now I am confused. Isn't this plant for zone 10-11? Do those zones normally have temps in the 30s-40s during their winter? If so, then I guess that would make sense, to try and mimic what happens in the plant's "natural" zones. But if these zones normally DON'T have temps in the 30s-40s ever, then why would I want to do that? Also, wouldn't temps at 32 or below KILL the plant?

I fear the plant is just "dead" now. It certainly looks that way. It's just stubby little green stems, with no leaves. :--(

Thanks all.

J. officinale is native to a huge area, all the way from the Caucasus (near the Black Sea) to China, and usually occurs in mid-elevations, where the rain is, especially in the arid western part. That is why it gets its inherent cold hardiness. It has been grown in Great Britain since the 1500's, where it is commonly called summer jasmine. This plant has persisted through Dicken's times, when it was not uncommon for the Thames to freeze over. Though many jasmines are tropical to sub-tropical in origin, officinale isn't one of them. Above zone 8, this species only performs at its best in cool winter zones 9 and 10 areas such as are found in California, the Mediterranean, and New Zealand. Don't fret over the pruning; treat the plant like it was a fuchsia or geranium (as cool as possible, water only occasionally) and next spring, get it outdoors. If you bought it at a nursery in Long Island, I would expect it would be a hardy clone.

Wow, Michaell, you da jas-man! Sorry, couldn't resist. But really, thanks for the interesting info.

Hi all. UPdate. So I cut down my jasmine and have been keeping it indoors. Suddenly a shoot appeared, and it's now about 8" long. But no sign of "life" elsewhere on the plant. Should I cut this new shoot down too? My fear however is that it might kill-off the only remaining "life" in the plant. I guess cuz it's my first winter with this plant, I'm not sure what to expect, and I'm afraid when I put it back out in the Spring, it'll never come back and will essentially be "dead". Tx!

Hope this plant can receive good light. Don't do any surgical procedure. Leave it along. It is still kicking!

Susanne - are you sure yours is J officinale and not J polyanthum? That's what it sounds like. My officinale is deciduous, only blooms in summer but requires no winter protection. Polyanthum is more tender but is evergreen and can bloom over a very long period in sheltered spots.

Hi there!! Just looked at images and it looks like you are correct! However why would anyone want the other one when this one looks so similar , appears to be tougher than it states and flowers continually and smells amazing and is evergreen!! Thanks for letting me know I won't be rushing out to buy the other anytime soon though...

People grow Jasminum officinale because it is far hardier than J polyanthum. The latter only gets through our winters in micro climates and sheltered spots. It is one of those plants which has become commoner since the winters started becoming milder. If yours is in an urban setting and is up against a house wall that could be what has kept it going. There are a couple in my road which are a few years old but they do get scorched in freezing weather. BTW I would not let it get on the roof. If it gets under the tiles you are in for a mess and a potentially leaky roof.

Hi Floral....I've just got back from a quick visit to my house in Spain..and voila..hidden under the huge Jasmin was the original nursery tag..surprising as years old...and my cutting I bought back IS Officinale NOT polyanthum ....so yes because it is up against the house that is why it is doing so well....

Do I have to feed it like last year? I fed through May to Oct only weekly with Miracle grow...it seemed to have kept it flowering all winter and still in flower now....should it continually flower???Ive never known any plant do that and I have 100,s in my garden.....surely it needs a rest???!!! Thnx for help

Ps I'll try and keep it clear off the roof. But it's only in a large old pot so I can't imagine it running away too much? Can it?