Free Kalenchoe Plants

Are you in search of a plant whose smell is strong and good? Choose jasmine in your garden, this plant belongs to the family of Oleaceae (olive family). Jasmine has around 200 species and is found in almost all parts of the world. The plant is greatly known by the smell of its flower. Jasmine plant falls in either evergreen or deciduous depending on the kind of species. Some of the species of jasmine have the climbing ability while other jasmines remain erect. This pant is mainly cultivated worldwide for its flower.

Scientific classification :

Kingdom : Plantae
Unranked : Angiosperm
Unranked : Eudicots
Unranked : Asterids
Order : Lamiales
Family : Oleaceae
Tribe : Jasmineae
Genus : Jasminum
Type : Jasminum officinale L.

Distribution : The plant is best known to have belonged to the genus Jasminum and is well classified to belong to the olive family, Oleaceae.

Jasmine is a tropical as well as subtropical plant. Thus, it is found in almost all parts of the world. The plant is commonly found in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Eurasia and with one specie in Europe. The plant is known to have originated first from the Himalayas parts of China.The plant however is found most common and invasive in Australia (Jasminum polyanthum), Jasminum dichotomum is commonly found in Hawaii and Florida. Jasmines are named according to the kind of specie they are and also based on the type of use they are. Some of the common names are forest jasmine (J. abyssinucum), needle flower jasmine (J. augustifolium), blue-grape jasmine (J. adenophyllum), gold coast jasmine (J. dchotomum), Italian jasmine or Italian yellow jasmine (J. humile)

Below here are some of the species of jasmine :

J.angulare Vahl, J. adenophyllum, J. agustifolium, J. auriculatum Vahl, J. didymium, J. mesnyi, J. aceolarium etc.

Flower: The jasmine plant is known well from its flower which comes in yellow, white, purple, pink or at times a bit reddish. The flowers are small and have around 2.5cm in size. The flower has nine petals. The true essence of the flower is what makes this plant popular around the world. The plant gives rise to blossom during the summer and spring months. One of the most essence and uniqueness of this plant is that it releases its wondrous soft fragrance during the evening after sunset and the scent is released maximum when there is full moon.

Jasmine Officinale and Jasmine Grandiflorum are popularly known by the good smelling oil produced by its flower. These species of jasmine are particularly used in manufacturing cosmetics (soap, shampoo, oil etc) and perfumes.

Stem/leaves : Jasmine is a shrub that reaches to the height of about 10-15 ft in height depending on the kind of species. It is found to grow approximately 12-14inches per year. Jasmine has green stem which is slender in appearance with a pinnate leaf. The leaves grow up to 5-9inches long. The jasmine leaves are evergreen although belonging to the deciduous plant category.

Growing jasmine : It would not be a difficult task growing jasmine around your home if you consider certain tips. The best time to plant the jasmine plant is during the month of June through November.

Soil : You need to choose a moist soil that is well drained of course to make your jasmine plantation a success. It is well suggested that you plant this plant in a loamy to clayey soil. Soil rich in fertilizer or compost manure is always a plus point to the plants maximum growth. It is good to add some old dried leaves to the soil. This also adds to the proper growth of the plant.

Sunlight : Jasmine is a plant that can thrive in almost any type of sun availability. For instance, the plant grows well in full sunlight, partial sunlight and in a warm environment where it receives indirect sunlight. It is said that you will need to allow this plant to grow in full sunlight for at least four hours a day.

Space : Jasmine is a bushy/shrubby plant. Thus, it will spread a little wide as it grows into the level of maturity. Thus, you are suggested to keep a space of around eight feet. In this way, there will not be any jamming or blocked between any two plants. Keeping enough space allows the plant to breathe freely.

Fertilizer : Adding some amount of fertilizer to a plant helps to the better growth of plant to some extent. Thus, you are suggested to add some amount of mild fertilizer to this plant especially during the active growing months i.e. during the spring months. Fertilizer can also be replaced with compost manure. Mostly people prefer, compost manure over chemical fertilizer due the environmental benefit of the compost manure.

Water : Some amount of water is obviously needed by any plant. Jasmine loves growing in a moist soil. This also indicates the need of water by this plant. The plant requires maximum amount of water during the summer months where the leaves and the roots get dried due to excess heat in the temperature.

Uses : The plant jasmine has numerous uses. First, the plant is loved by all for its wondrous scented flowers. Second, it is planted as a household shrub; helps beautify the home environment. The plant has medicinal uses too.

Decoration : This plant is planted in the backyards and front garden to bring scent and beauty to home environment. The second decoration use of this plant is that, it is used by the Asian women to decorate their hair.

Jasmine tea : Jasminum sambac is often used to make jasmine tea. It is the flower of jasmine that can be used as tea. The tea has awesome smell and has healing purpose. It is often used in China. The cultivars in order to make jasmine tea, keep the jasmine flowers in a machine to keep control over humidity and temperature and also to keep the lasting fragrance of the flower mixed in tea leaves. Jasmine tea is famous mainly in China and Japan.

Jasmine oil : Jasmine has quite a major commercial purpose. It is very commonly used in some parts of India such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh etc. The industry here use jasmine for the production of jasmine oil and to produce jasmine scented oil.

Religious/ cultural purpose : The jasmine plant is used for religious purpose during the time of Puja by the Hindu community. It is also used during the marriage ceremonies.

National flower : There are different species of jasmine and some of them are used as the national flower in different countries. For instance, Jasmine sambac is the national flower of Indonesia, Jasmine officiacinale of Pakistan, Jasminum sambac of Hawaii. The plant is used as a national symbol in Syria and Thailand (as a symbol of motherhood).

You will need to be careful while choosing jasmine plant. At times you mistake false jasmine to the true jasmine. You should know the difference of the two plants.

True Jasmine False Jasmine • Belongs to Oleaceae family • Belongs to Loganiaceae family • Non-poisonous • poisonous • has shiny oval leaves • non-oval leaves