Star Jasmine are beautiful, ground covering, or climbing plants that are favoured for their foliage, dense growth habit, pretty and fragrant flowers, and great aesthetics. They are generally trouble free, easy to grow, and very rewarding but do encounter issues from time to time. There are some secrets to growing amazing plants, so be sure to follow our tips to get the most from your Star Jasmine.
Star Jasmine are generally vigorous plants that will establish quickly. Most will grow about 40-60 cm per year provided the stems are at least 30 cm long when planted. Plants with shorter stems will only give 20-30 cm of growth in the first year.
Star Jasmine are often trimmed during winter to keep them contained or to encourage them to become denser. A good pair of secateurs is all you need for this task. The article, How To Trim Star Jasmine, provides advice on this subject.
The most important part starts with planting and our article, How To Plant Star Jasmine, provides sound advice on how to do this properly. So, let’s now assume your plant is growing well and you want to keep it that way!
Winter is the perfect time for mulching and lightly trimming your plants. Trimming can be aggressive or subtle as you like. Typically, plants are trimmed to contain growth and encourage fresh, new foliage. Star Jasmine will sprout away again no matter how hard they are cut back and provided the stems are healthy.
Organic matter such as compost or sheep pellets should be spread liberally around the plants and then overlaid with a mulch during winter. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommend stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes. The Plant Company does not recommend adding fertiliser during winter as this is better applied in spring so less is wasted. However, adding organic matter such as compost is quite okay.
Spring is the perfect time for fertilising the plants as they start to bounce into life. The Plant Company has fertilisers which have been specially blended for different plants and in this instance, our shrub fertiliser will give them the correct boost and keep them fed for 12-months. A suitable alternative is our organic fertiliser which will also keep them well fed but they will require a secondary application in autumn.
Summer is when the plants need regular watering and this should be undertaken every second day on the hottest days. Plants that are establishing need particular attention as their root system will not have penetrated deep enough to secure consistent moisture yet.
Caring for Star Jasmine in autumn is about keeping the plants healthy. Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken during spring, summer, and autumn if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have already been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser won’t hurt.
Plants grown as a low ground cover will often have the stems pinned to the ground to keep them low. Those trained on a wire will be wound around the wire or secured with ties. These tasks are usually done as the plants grow.
Your Star Jasmine Plants should be checked for pest or disease issues during spring, summer, and autumn. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Star Jasmine Issues And Troubleshooting.
Caring for Star Jasmine in autumn is all about weed control and keeping the plants healthy. Keeping the weeds down around the plant and cutting off any stray branches will also help with maintaining a tidy plant.
Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if shrub fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong which will aid the plant immensely as it shoots new growth in spring. You can apply shrub fertiliser but this should only be done it if can be watered in well. Plants grown as a low ground cover will often have the stems pinned to the ground to keep them low. Those trained on a wire will be wound around the wire or secured with ties.
Finally, monitor for pests and diseases, and if anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Star Jasmine Issues And Troubleshooting.
Spring is the perfect time for fertilising and mulching around the plants as they start to bounce into life. The Plant Company has fertilisers which have been specially blended for different plants and in this instance, our shrub fertiliser will give them the correct boost and keep them fed for 12-months. A suitable alternative is our organic fertiliser which will also keep them well fed but they will require a secondary application in autumn.
Organic matter such as compost or sheep pellets should be spread liberally around the plants and then overlaid with a mulch (if not done already) during winter or spring. The Plant Company recommends an organic mulch is used as this breaks down over time to provide nutrients and improves the soil. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommend stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes.
Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have already been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser won’t hurt.
Plants grown as a low ground cover will often have the stems pinned to the ground to keep them low. Those trained on a wire will be wound around the wire or secured with ties.
Check plants for any pest or disease issues and it anything is looking a little unusual, refer to our articles under Star Jasmine Issues And Troubleshooting.
Summer is when the plants need regular watering and this should be undertaken daily on the hottest days. Plants that are establishing need particular attention as their root system will not have penetrated deep enough to secure consistent moisture yet.
Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if shrub fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and encourages more foliage as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it. Please note: The Plant Company does not recommend using solid fertilisers at this time of year unless plenty of water can be applied.
The other required activities for Star Jasmine during summer are weed control and monitoring for pests and diseases. Keeping the weeds down around the plant and cutting off any stray stems will help keep the plants tidy. Plants grown as a low ground cover will often have the stems pinned to the ground to keep them low. Those trained on a wire will be wound around the wire or secured with ties.
Plants should be checked for pest or disease issues and If anything is looking a bit unusual, refer to our articles under Star Jasmine Issues And Troubleshooting.
Star Jasmine are somewhat vigorous plants that require feeding to keep them growing optimally. The Plant Company's Shrub Fertiliser has been blended to give plants an initial boost and then sustained nutrition for 12-months. We recommend the fertiliser is applied to the soil surface in spring just as the plants start to grow actively. More importantly, The Plant Company advises that no fertiliser is placed in the hole at planting, but rather spread around the soil surface so it can wash through the roots as it releases. The Plant Company’s Shrub Fertiliser ensures that nutrients remain in the soil around the plant rather than being lost through the soil profile to where the plant cannot reach it. This also applies to plants grown on sandy soils. The Plant Company's Shrub Fertiliser is therefore very environmentally friendly and longer lasting than most other products in the market.
Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if shrub fertiliser has been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush.
Star Jasmine grown in containers require different fertiliser to those grown outdoors in soil. In this instance the correct fertilisers to use are either the container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets. Each of these will provide safe, sustained, and complete nutrition to the plant for the next 12-months. Using other types of fertiliser can be detrimental to the plant and may result in plant injury or death.
Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets have been used. If you think the plant needs an extra boost or has some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it.
Star Jasmine are showy plants that require feeding to keep them looking amazing. A lot of articles have all sorts of advice on this subject which often requires multiple applications so you use more of their fertiliser. The Plant Company prefers to take a simpler and more environmentally responsible approach. We believe the best organic option is The Plant Company organic fertiliser which is applied in spring and again in autumn and will keep them well fed. You can safely apply generous amounts of this fertiliser to plants without risk of injuring the plants. More details about this organic fertiliser are provided with the product.
The soil pH refers to how acid or alkaline the soil is. Star Jasmine prefer a soil pH within the range of 6.2 to 7.5 which means they will tolerate both acidic and semi-alkaline soils. As the pH of the soil moves away from this optimum range, the nutrients the plant is taking up (or not taking up) through the roots changes. If the shift in pH is too far, this can result in deficiencies of some nutrients and toxic levels of others. In either case this can cause the plant to become sick or even die a slow death.
The best way to know whether the pH is correct for your plant is to do a test. The Plant Company has pH test kits available that are easy to use and only take a few minutes to get a result. Preferably this test should be completed before planting so any pH issues can be corrected without risking the plant. A pH less 6.2 should have sparing amounts of dolomite lime applied along with shrub fertiliser. A pH above 7.5 should have small amounts of soil acidifying fertiliser applied. In both instances the fertiliser should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting. A retest of the soil pH should be undertaken after four weeks and small adjustments made again. If the pH is in the optimum range, just use shrub fertiliser thereafter.
Star Jasmine are very easy to grow, but you need to have the basics right. Choose a sunny spot with good drainage. The soil should be well prepared with organic matter added from either compost or sheep pellets mixed in. Feeding your plants in spring with shrub fertiliser will replenish nutrients and keep them fed for 12 months. Lightly trim your Star Jasmine in winter with secateurs to control growth and encourage fresh growth in spring. They should also be watered regularly during dry periods to keep them flourishing.
They do suffer from the odd issue, so please see our articles in Star Jasmine Issues And Troubleshooting for more information on particular problems.
Star Jasmine are tolerant of moderate to heavy frost once established (down to -3 Celsius), though young plants should be protected until they are more than 30 cm wide or tall. Frost Cloth is a good option for protecting vulnerable plants. Be careful to harden off recently purchased plants if you intend to plant these during winter and frosts are likely. Do this by gradually exposing them to the cooler conditions over a 2-3 week period or until such time as you think that a frost won’t damage them. The Plant Company recommends holding off planting until spring if you are at all worried that new plants might get frosted.
If plants do get frosted, they will generally recover. However, you will need to protect them from further frosts as this could kill them completely. Generally, a Star Jasmine planted in spring should have grown sufficiently to cope with frosts the following winter. NB: leaf bronzing and reddening of the foliage as temperatures cool is normal.
Soils rich in fertility and organic matter that are well-drained will produce amazing plants. The soil should be well prepared with either compost or sheep pellets mixed in at planting or spread on the soil surface after planting. It is important that the soil being planted into won’t restrict root growth and for this reason, clay soils are generally not well suited to Star Jasmine. Clay soils also tend to be very wet which will negatively impact on how the plant performs.
Feeding your Star Jasmine plants in spring with shrub fertiliser will replenish nutrients and keep them fed for 12 months. Liberal amounts of organic fertiliser can also be used. Ensure plants are watered regularly during dry periods to keep them flourishing.
Star Jasmine can cope with coastal areas provided they are not covered in salt spray. Being constantly coated with sea spray can result in leaf burning and ultimate death of the plant. Planting on the opposite side of the house to the beach is generally fine.
If the soil is too saline, this can also prove detrimental to the plants and result in them becoming stunted and not performing. If you elect to plant in this environment, The Plant Company recommends ensuring the soil is well prepared with organic matter such as compost and water regularly during dry periods.
Star Jasmine make amazing ground covering plants and are also well suited to being used as a ground cover on banks. However, they will generally only trail down the slope as the stems don’t take root as they grow. The Plant Company recommends spacing them 75-100 cm apart, though the faster you want them to fill in, the closer they should be planted.
When Star Jasmine are mass planted on a bank, The Plant Company recommends offset planting. That is, the second row of plants are set in the gaps from the first row of plants and so on. Planting in this manner gives the plants more room overall to expand and tends to fill in the area more quickly.
Slopes with gradients of 45 degrees or more should not be planted with Star Jasmine. Similarly, slopes with little topsoil, or high wind exposure should also be avoided. In these circumstances, Coprosma Hawera, Hedera, or Ficus pumila should be used.
Star Jasmine look amazing when grown in pots, especially when managed correctly. To grow Star Jasmine in a pot, choose a pot that is no less than twice the size of what it is currently growing in and that has plenty of drainage holes in the bottom. Fill the bottom of the pot to about 1/3 of the way up with potting mix. Do not use soil or compost when growing plants in a container and do not add fertiliser. The Plant Company potting mix has all the nutrients required to sustain the plant for the next 12 months.
Remove the plant from the container it is growing in by either pulling it free or by cutting the bag. We recommend cutting the bag or container, especially for larger grade plants, to minimise any chance of damaging the roots. If the roots have been growing in a circle or are all bound up you can tease them apart if you want but this is not essential. Similarly, you don’t need to remove any of the growing media. The Plant Company does not recommend cutting the roots, even if the plant is root-bound as this offers no benefit. This is explained in our article, Managing Rootbound Plants. Add more potting mix and firm this around the plant using gentle pressure, then water well. They should be watered twice a week during hot weather and weekly or fortnightly during cooler periods.
The key to having an amazing Star Jasmine in a pot is to both keep it fed correctly (see article Best Fertiliser For Star Jasmine Grown In A Container) and not to over-water it. Over-watering is the most common reason Star Jasmine fail. Our article, How To Trim Star Jasmine will is also useful.
The answer to this question depends on how much shade. As shade levels increase, Star Jasmine tend to become “leggy” with “floppy” growth. In full sun they tend to be much more compact in their growth and new growth is fresher looking with flowering more prolific. So yes, they will grow in partial shaded conditions such as down the side of a house or under dappled light from a tree without issue, but performance is likely to be slightly less than if they were growing in better light.
Star Jasmine owe their popularity to not just their colourful aesthetics, but also to their versatility. They are commonly used in a multitude of garden styles that include, tropical, pool, cottage, modern, white, and formal gardens. In each situation they are either used as ground covering plants or trained along a trellis. They provide a fresh and luxurious appeal with a pleasant fragrance. The lush foliage is fantastic for providing a hint of the tropics and adding both depth and texture to a planting. They can be included in most garden styles with ease and make for an exciting addition. Explore The Plant Company’s Star Jasmine to find the size that will suit your design needs!
Star Jasmine make amazing ground covering plants and are also well suited to being trained on a trellis. The Plant Company recommends spacing them 75-100 cm apart regardless of how they are used. The faster you want them to fill in, the closer they should be planted is the general rule.
It is important to buy bushy plants with multiple stems. This will ensure the plant establishes a lot quicker and it will cover the ground or trellis more quickly. Smaller plants can take another year to achieve the same outcome, which often means another year of weeding and training. The Plant Company has a range of Star Jasmine to suit different budgets. When Star Jasmine are mass planted such as on a bank or as a block planting, The Plant Company generally recommends offset planting. That is, the second row of plants are set in the gaps from the first row of plants and so on. Planting in this manner gives the plants more room overall to expand and tends to fill in the area more quickly.
Choose a full sun position with good drainage and moderate shelter for your Star Jasmine. The hole should be dug to at least 50-75% deeper and wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. The Plant Company recommends incorporating compost or sheep pellets into the soil to provide additional organic material, but this is not essential. Do not put fertiliser in the bottom of the hole, rather spread shrub fertiliser on the soil surface after planting, and preferably do this when the plant is actively growing in spring.
The Plant Company has produced specific articles to help you grow amazing Star Jasmine: How To Plant Star Jasmine, How To Trim Star Jasmine, Best Fertiliser For Star Jasmine, When To Water Star Jasmine, How To Mulch Around Star Jasmine, and Star Jasmine Issues And Troubleshooting.
Placing mulch around Star Jasmine helps keep the soil moist and significantly reduces weeds. The Plant Company recommends an organic mulch is used as this breaks down over time to provide nutrients and improves the soil. It is also better for the environment than the plastic-based alternatives. Whatever type of mulch is used, it needs to be free draining so the soil can “breathe” and allow water to penetrate quickly and easily. Heavy rates of lawn clippings are therefore not a good option as they hold too much moisture.
The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommend stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes.
Compost is not considered an effective mulch as weeds germinate easily and it is only short lasting. It is, however, a very good method of adding organic matter to the soil and should be applied before the mulch is put down.
Choose a full sun or partial shade position with good drainage for your Star Jasmine plant. The hole should be dug to at least 50-75% deeper and wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. A planting spade makes the hole digging a lot easier. The Plant Company recommends incorporating compost or sheep pellets into the soil to provide additional organic material, but this is not essential. Do not put fertiliser in the bottom of the hole, rather spread that on the soil surface after planting, and preferably do this when the plant is actively growing in spring.
Remove the plant from the container it is growing in by either pulling it free or by cutting the bag. We recommend cutting the bag or container, especially for larger grade plants, to minimise any chance of damaging the roots. If the roots have been growing in a circle or are all bound up you can tease them apart if you want but this is not essential. Similarly, you don’t need to remove any of the growing media. The Plant Company does not recommend cutting the roots, even if the plant is root-bound as this offers no benefit. This is explained in our article, Managing Rootbound Plants.
Now place the plant in the hole and make sure it is level with the soil surface before filling in around it. If it is above the soil surface, dig more out. If it is below, put in more soil and retest the level. Once the plant is set level with the soil surface, add more soil gradually and firm it around the plant using gentle pressure as you go. Scatter Shrub Fertiliser across the soil surface after planting and the give the plant a good watering.
Star Jasmine could only be considered invasive if it doesn’t have room to expand and is not contained with trimming. In a small space it will tend to ramble over other plants and may smother them. However, that does not mean Star Jasmine is invasive, and The Plant Company does not consider Star Jasmine to be an invasive plant. Be sure to keep it trimmed if you are growing it in a small space. The article, How To Trim Star Jasmine, provides advice on this subject.
A wide range of plants can be grown with Star Jasmine and the choices depend on the garden style being adopted. In formal gardens are commonly planted behind or in front of a Buxus, Escallonia, Viburnum, or Lonicera hedge. When used to accompany a specimen tree they will often be mass planted around the base. Similarly, with taller hedges such as Lilly Pilly's and Ilex Sky Pencil they are typically planted between each of the taller plants.
When trained along a wire or other trellis, The Plant Company will typically plant along the base of the trellis. Dwarf flaxes and grasses are often used to bring in different colours and textures. Some popular flax options include Jack Spratt and Dark Delight, while grass options include Feather Falls and Frosted Curls. A mass planting with Metrosideros Tahiti will also produce an amazing display.
Star Jasmine is also commonly grown as groundcover around specimen trees such as Pyrus "Aristocrat", Maples, Flowering Cherries, and the like. In this instance it serves as to complement the trees.
The good thing about Star Jasmine is its ability to blend easily with most plant colours and textures in a subtle and non-overpowering manner. This makes it both popular and versatile.
Star Jasmine look amazing when grown in a large pot and either allowed to trail over the sides or be trained up a trellis. However, what goes into the pot is critical for success. Only potting mix should be used when plants are grown in a container. Often people will try and cut corners and use soil or mixes that contain both soil and potting mix with poor results. The same applies to when plants are potted up with compost as it holds too much moisture. Soil also contains weeds and tends to become compacted in a container, hence why it is not used in this manner. The Plant Company has nursery grade potting media which is pre-loaded with the correct amounts of fertiliser and micro-nutrients to keep the plant sustained with nutrition and actively growing for the next 12-months. After 12-months, simply add a couple fertiliser tablets to keep the plant fed for the next 12-months.
Star Jasmine is best planted from mid-autumn until late spring. During this time, they can cope with the stresses associated with planting (root damage mainly) more easily than if they have to also cope with heat and moisture stress as well. They can be planted in summer provided they are well-watered and the roots have plenty of growing media attached when planted. If watering is a challenge, The Plant Company advises planting from late-autumn through until early-spring. Make sure you have a good planting spade to make this job a lot easier.
A full sun or lightly shaded position with good drainage is essential for getting the best results with Star Jasmine. On poorly drained sites or with over-watering they tend to become stunted and sickly looking. This can cause and result in root rot issues that may eventually kill the plant if drainage is very poor. If you think this might be a problem for you, please refer to the article, Star Jasmine Root Rot Disease.
As shade levels increase, Star Jasmine tend to become more open in their growth habit and flowering performance is compromised. In full sun they tend to be more compact with better leaf colouring, and more prolific flowering. A better plant will result if the position is moderately sheltered so fresh growth is not damaged by wind. This is not essential as they can cope with some wind but it will result in a lusher plant.
Star Jasmine do not root well in water and are more likely to rot. There might be the odd success, but The Plant Company suggests don’t waste your time. Our article, How To Propagate Star Jasmine will give you a lot better chance of success!
Star Jasmine are easily propagated from stem cuttings. Semi-hardwood cuttings are usually taken during summer and autumn. A stem about 8 cm long is trimmed into a cutting using secateurs with 2-3 leaves at the top and just below a node. The cutting is dipped in rooting hormone for 5-10 seconds and then inserted into propagation growing media. The tray of cuttings is placed under mist with bottom heat also applied. The cuttings will have taken root inside of five weeks as a general rule.
Sometimes you just don’t want to wait for a plant to grow, and you want the instant display now. The Plant Company usually has large grade Star Jasmine available, and often has even larger grades available that are not listed for sale on our website. Please contact us and our amazing team will let you know options and pricing for delivery to your desired location.
A cheap Star Jasmine plant usually comes in a very small pot and has both small foliage and small roots. The small plant can be appealing when you are on a budget, however, think of such plants like babies. They only have a small root system so they need careful attention for watering. They are also more vulnerable to disease such as Phytophthora, and our article, Why Is My Star Jasmine Dying?, explains how devasting this disease can be. The Plant Company therefore recommends you only buy plants in a 1.5L pot (preferably bigger) to have the greatest chance of success, even if you are on a budget. Any savings by buying small are lost when they die and you have to replace them! Moreover, the plants need to be “chunky”, have a strong root system, and show no signs of disease. Be sure to check out our Star Jasmine so you are buying the best plants at a competitive price.
Buying quality plants can be a challenge at times. However, The Plant Company makes this job easy by offering high quality Star Jasmine. We appreciate that buying online is somewhat of a leap of faith given you are putting your trust in us. Therefore, we only ship plants that we would happily buy and plant ourselves. We propagate and nurture plants ready for their new home, and take pride in exceeding our customers expectations. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are good at what we do!
The Plant Company has a large-scale production nursery and produces large numbers of Star Jasmine. If you are after bulk lots of plants, please be sure to contact us for pricing and availability. Our talented staff can not only manage all aspects of getting the plants to you, but any other plant related enquiries you may have. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are good at what we do!
The Plant Company has great stock of high quality Star Jasmine plants. We appreciate that buying online is somewhat of a leap of faith, given you are putting your trust in us. Please rest assured that we only ship plants that we would happily buy and plant ourselves. Trust in The Plant Company to supply your Star Jasmine needs and allow us to impress you both with our quality and service. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are good at what we do!
Sooty mould results from fungi feeding off the secretions from sucking insects such as scale, aphids, and whitefly. The sugary residues (called honeydew) attract the black fungus. The fungus is not harmful to the plant, but does make the plant unsightly and it will be hindering photosynthesis. The problem is most easily remedied by killing the insects that are causing the secretion.
The honeydew can be hosed from the plant as a daily ritual. However, the sooty mould is a little harder to remove. The Plant Company recommends using Wetcit which will not only help remove the mould but also help control the problem insects. It will take several applications before the issue is resolved. Please always read the label and use appropriate safety gear when using an agrichemical.
On occasion Star Jasmine will become infected with the diseases blight, rust, and Fusarium Wilt. Each of these affects the leaves and stems, resulting in wilted foliage, dead spots on leaves, discoloured leaves, or sickly and weak looking plants. Keeping plants healthy is a key element to reducing the incidence of diseases that affect Star Jasmine. It might not stop them, but healthy plants have less severe symptoms.
The Plant Company uses Wetcit in normal nursery operations to take advantage of its fungicidal and insecticidal properties. It is used in a preventative manner, and is one of the safest and least toxic products in the market. Rarely do we see insect pests or fungal issues in the nursery with our plants sprayed every four weeks between spring and autumn. In the home garden, a spray with Wetcit in mid-spring, mid-summer, and mid-autumn should be all that is required. The key is to achieve good coverage and ensure the foliage is thoroughly covered. It won’t affect the flowers or flowering performance. Where disease is suspected, a copper fungicide will be used instead of Wetcit. Please ensure you read the label carefully and use the appropriate safety gear when using any agrichemical.
Star Jasmine is generally trouble free but can on occasion have mealybugs, aphids, whitefly, scale insect, and caterpillars. Caterpillars chew on the leaves and the damage will be obvious. The other pests suck the sap from the leaves and stem, and often exude a sugary secretion which sooty mould fungus feeds upon. The results are leaves appearing to be covered in soot, discoloured and yellowing leaves, and sickly-looking plants overall. Often the pests themselves will be visible on the underside of leaves and on stems.
Keeping plants healthy will help but does not stop them from being attacked despite many websites making this claim. In fact, healthy plants become a magnet for pests as they have a lot of sap that the insects feed upon. The Plant Company uses Wetcit in normal nursery operations to take advantage of its fungicidal and insecticidal properties. It is used in a preventative manner, and is one of the safest and least toxic products in the market. Rarely do we see insect pests in the nursery with our plants sprayed every four weeks between spring and autumn. In the home garden, a spray with Wetcit in mid-spring, mid-summer, and mid-autumn should be all that is required. The key is to achieve good coverage and ensure the new foliage is thoroughly covered with particular attention to the underside of the leaf. Where pests are observed or suspected, an insecticide such as Maverik should be included with the Wetcit. Please ensure you read the label carefully and use the appropriate safety gear when using any agrichemical.
Root rot is caused by the fungi, Phytophthora, which attacks the roots and weakens the plant. The tell-tale symptoms are yellowing of the leaves and the stems may droop, even though you know the soil is moist. Gardeners will often mistakenly think the plant needs more water when seeing the wilted state. Unfortunately, adding water only accelerates the problem prolonged wetness was generally the cause in the first place.
The best solution to this issue is good drainage. Often the disease will start to show several weeks after a prolonged rain event. It can also occur when plants are regularly over-watered. Therefore, good drainage is essential and sites where drainage is poor should not be avoided for Star Jasmine.
Treatment for Phytophthora can be a hit and miss exercise as there are no silver bullets. However, if picked up early, The Plant Company has experienced some success using Transformer. Transformer does have fungicidal properties and when used as a soil drench 2-3 times, plants can bounce back. However, if the plant is too far gone, The Plant Company recommends removing the plant entirely, and using Transformer as a soil drench before putting in a new plant. Of course, the drainage or watering issues will need to be addressed so the problem does not manifest again.
Leaf yellowing can result from pest and disease issues, poor drainage, too much shade, or nutritional issues. Pest and disease issues commonly result in yellowing of the foliage, or blotchy coloured leaves. Please see the articles, Star Jasmine Pests and Star Jasmine Diseases, for more information and solutions if you think these could be the causes. Poor drainage or gross over-watering can cause roots to become starved of oxygen and leaves to yellow. Fixing the drainage issue or reducing watering are solutions and should be coupled with shrub fertiliser.
Nutritional issues can occur if plants have not been fed for a number of years or if either they are grown on sandy soils or in a container. This often shows up as discoloured foliage, leaf edges starting to die, or leaves being shed. A liquid fertiliser can be used to correct issues quickly and should be supported with shrub fertiliser or fertiliser tablets.
If the new growth on your Star Jasmine has been killed or damaged by frost, prune the plant back to healthy wood above a bud after the risk of frost has passed. If a plant has been aggressively pruned in a cold climate and an unseasonal frost is forecast, frost cloth or a blanket may be used to afford protection. It is important not to cut off the frosted growth until the risk has passed as this growth, albeit ugly, is helping to shield the plant from further damage.
New shoots tend to be more prone to frost damage than older ones. For this reason, The Plant Company does not recommend applying fertiliser of any kind to plants between mid-autumn and late-winter as this can create softer shoots when the buds open.
When Star Jasmine are grown in wet soils or exposed to prolonged wet through over-watering, the disease, Phytophthora, can take hold. Phytophthora attacks the roots and causes the plant to eventually die, and is most likely to be seen on young or weak plants. The tell-tale symptoms are yellowing of the leaves, drooping foliage even when the soil is wet, discolouring of the stems, and plant collapse. This can happen over several months during any season and progressively gets worse. This is all resulting from the root system being progressively weakened by the pathogen. Gardeners will often mistakenly think the plant needs more water. Unfortunately, adding water only accelerates the problem as prolonged wetness was generally the cause in the first place.
Often the disease will start to show several weeks after a prolonged rain event. It can also occur when plants are regularly over-watered, or planted in soils that are poorly drained or that hold too much moisture (e.g., clay soils). Therefore, good drainage is essential and sites where drainage is poor should be avoided. The article, Fixing Poor Drainage On A Clay Soil gives good advice on how to correct drainage.
Treatment for Phytophthora can be a hit and miss exercise as there are no silver bullets. However, if picked up early, The Plant Company has experienced some success using Transformer. Transformer has fungicidal properties and when used as a soil drench 2-3 times, plants can sometimes recover. However, if the plant is too far gone, The Plant Company recommends removing the plant entirely, and using Transformer as a soil drench before putting in a new plant. Of course, the drainage or watering issues will need to be addressed so the problem does not manifest again.
Star Jasmine will generally sprout new shoots when cut right back, even to stumps at ground level. However, this relies on the plant having heathy stems at the outset. If the stumps have any dead wood or they are too old (more than five years), they may not shoot or may only shoot on one side. Similarly, stumps that still have actively growing foliage may not sprout unless all the foliage connected to that stem is completely removed.
Severe pruning using a pruning saw is best undertaken any time from late autumn until early spring. Multiple shoots will usually grow from each stump. Please note: Star Jasmine grown in heavy shade environments may struggle to re-establish when cut back severely.
Star Jasmine make amazing hedges but they do need to be trained onto a support structure such as a trellis as it does not climb like most other climbing plants. It grows with a spreading habit rather than wrapping itself around or clinging. Therefore, it must be trained to grow up and through the structure. This is achieved by simply poking the stems through the trellis (or wrapping them around wires), and then tying them to keep them in place. After three months the string will need to be removed and the stem should remain in place. It can be retied if necessary. Once the stems reach the top of the trellis minimal training should be required thereafter.
The hedge is generally trimmed in winter with about 10-15% of the exterior vegetation removed. The amount removed depends on how much you need to contain the hedge. The best Star Jasmine hedges are trimmed again during summer which will see another flush of growth in autumn. The notion behind trimming is to keep the plants dense and lush. That said, they still look good with once-a-year trimming. The hedge width can be anywhere from 40 cm to 90 cm but this will also depend on the trellis.
Star Jasmine does not climb like most other climbing plants. It grows with a spreading habit rather than wrapping itself around or clinging. Therefore, it must be trained to grow up and along wires. This is achieved by simply twisting the stems around the wire and tying it with sting so it doesn’t unravel. After three months the string will need to be removed and the stem should remain in place. It can be retied if necessary.
The wire spacing depends on whether you want clear areas between the Star Jasmine stems. The Plant Company recommends wires are spaced at least 60 cm apart to achieve clear patches. Any closer and it will likely fill in completely unless it is contained with regular trimmed.
It can take two years to fully train a Star Jasmine on wires but this also depends on how many are planted and the distance they need to cover. The Plant Company recommends spacing plants no further than three metres apart, and ideally spacing them one metre apart. It is worth persevering with the training as it can turn a bland wall into something quite spectacular.
Star Jasmine are trimmed each winter to contain growth and encourage fresh, new growth. The Plant Company recommends they are lightly trimmed each year to the size you are after and allowing for 50 cm of extension growth. You can be as aggressive as you want as the plants will sprout new buds from healthy stumps. Any dead stems should also be removed at this time, along with stems that show disease.
A mistake often made is to not prune the plants hard enough. This error generally results in a woodier plant and a much larger plant that can be difficult to contain. Star Jasmine are very forgiving plants and even if you get the trimming wrong, they will recover!
Please note, Star Jasmine can be trimmed and retained as a shrub, left to sprawl across the ground, or trained onto a trellis. The trimming will ultimately depend on what you want to use it for.
Star Jasmine can be trimmed at any time of the year, though winter is the time recommended by The Plant Company. It is the new growth along with the flowers that makes the plants look amazing, so cutting out the older growth to make way for the new growth in spring is the goal. All you need is a good pair of secateurs and you can be as aggressive as you want. The plants will sprout new buds from stumps as long as they are healthy.
When Star Jasmine are grown in pots they are often clipped every 2-3 months. This keeps them dense and helps make them shapelier.
Star Jasmine are lush plants and the foliage requires good soil moisture during dry periods to stay fresh and keep growing actively. The Plant Company recommends a generous watering every second day during summer, or every third day if the soil is a bit heavier. If the young stems start to droop, you need to water immediately. The Plant Company advises watering in the morning or in the evening for water conservation purposes. Please be sure to read about Star Jasmine Diseases, as over-watering can have unintended consequences!
Even though Star Jasmine are tolerant of short periods of dry they will still benefit from being watered. During those dry periods the plants will stop growing to preserve themselves and may even start to defoliate. In severe cases, the leaves will turn brown and crispy which means the plant is close to death, if not already dead. This is clearly not desirable if you are still wanting them to grow! They will start growing again once rain or water is provided on the proviso the plant is still alive. If they have become very dry and the leaves have turned brown but still have a little bit of colour, you may still be able to revive the plant. The Plant Company recommends that plants are cut back to 10 cm above the ground and kept watered in the hope they sprout again.
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