Angelwing jasmine (jasminum nitidum) has been pretty tough for me in Brooklyn, and has dealt with overnights near freezing, in a container no less, without suffering much die-back.

Here are some tips that I hope will translate to growing in the ground:

1. You want to avoid freezing temperatures and really wet roots, which can cause rot. This isn't always easy when they're planted outdoors, but siting them so they're not sitting in a soggy area of ground, or mulching with pebbles or large bark, may help prevent soggy conditions.

2. On the other hand, you don't want your jasmines facing a freeze with bone-dry soil, because they'll loose water through their leaves and may die back. Water lightly a day or two ahead of an expected freeze, so the soil is moist, but not wet.

3. In the Bay area, you probably get enough moisture in cold weather that you don't have to worry about extra watering, or having the leaves dry out, but folks at higher and drier elevations may want to spray with an anti-dessicant like wilt-pruf if they're expecting extended cold periods.

4. Your vines may be too big to cover up with burlap or an old blanket, but some folks wrap xmas lights around their plants and leave the lights on to give them some extra warmth. Skip the eggnog, though.

Those with growing experience on the West coast will have other, and probably better advice, which I'd be curious about, too!

Good luck with the jasmines!

Thanks, jimshy. I think these guys will do great with your advice.

Pea

Very different climate here, but a few frosts so far. Worth the experiment, huh? I think so too & don't need another prima donna plant in the house, nor the light for something like a Jasmine. I figure, if cold ruins the foliage, I'll throw a pile of loose leaves over it until spring, which often helps marginal stuff survive. Coming back from the roots in the spring is fine with me if that's how it goes. The Brugmansia and Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian shield) next to it is frost-affected but the J. nitudum planted this spring remains evergreen & blooming, so far, with no sheet or any form of protection. One knows ahead of time those other plants I mentioned die down for winter for sure here, that's fine with me. I'm from OH originally where garden plants that don't go dormant are a rare novelty. Best of luck!

Hooray! These jasmines made It through the big freeze- about a week of temperatures down to 28- without a problem, they even kept their new fall growth.
Don't tease about the temperature- it's pretty unusual in our area to approach freezing but we have done it two years running now.

Several of my lemon trees got frost pruned, but the great big heat retainer of my cement garden porch must have helped.

Love these plants. They are so cute and such a fresh scent.

Pea