Jasminum Sambac Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Arabian Jasmine” (2024)

Jasminum Sambac, usually known as Arabian Jasmine or Sambac Jasmine, is an exotic and alluring species of jasmine plant that produces highly fragrant flowers. They originate from the tropical Asian regions, such as Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.

This plant was first described in 1753 as Nyctanthes Sambac in the first edition of the Systema Naturae book, written by a Swedish botanist, zoologist, and physician Carl Linnaeus. Later, in 1789, the plant was reclassified to the Jasminum genus by William Aiton, who also named it Arabian Jasmine and thus ended the misconception of its Arabian origins.

Arabian Jasmine is considered to be a valuable plant in many daily practices around the world. These abundant plants have numerous traditional uses in medicine, aromatherapy, cosmetics, and culinary uses such as tea, flavoring, syrup, or aromatic water. However, their flowers are the main attraction, so most people prefer them for ornamental purposes only.

About Jasminum Sambac

• Jasminum Sambac plants are very popular due to their many health benefits. A few of these include: reducing body odor, improving blood circulation, reducing the stress levels, promoting hair growth, making your skin soft, and alleviating pain and inflammation.
• Like all tropical plants, Arabian Jasmine thrives in warm temperatures. They love bright and direct light, so you want to make sure your plant has plenty of it for at least 6 to 8 hours per day.
• These plants are happy if you are not a fan of excessive watering, as this can cause fungal roots rot. Also, to prevent leaf spotting, try not to water a Jasminum Sambac plant above the base level.
• Jasminum Sambac prefers well-draining soil, but it also needs to hold water well. Your plants will be very happy if you give them a light, slightly-acidic, and evenly moist soil mix, rich in nutrients.
• Jasminum Sambac needs some time to establish in the place you have planted it, so you should keep away the fertilizers for a while after you buy the plant. To maintain the equilibrium of your Jasminum plant’s health, use both liquid fertilizer and a slow-release granular one.
• Jasmine species are perfectly safe for humans and pet-friendly, so you can place your Arabian Jasmine anywhere you want around cats, dogs, and children.

Last update on 2024-05-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Jasminum Sambac Features: An Overview

• The Jasminum genus contains between 217 and 229 species of shrubs and vines native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia and Oceania. It belongs to the Oleaceae family.
• There are numerous types of Jasminum Sambac differentiated by the shape of their leaves and their corolla’s structure. The cultivars that need mention are Maid of Orleans, Belle of India, Arabian Nights, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Mysore Mallige.
• Jasminum Sambac is the national flower of the Philippines, where it is commonly known as Sampaguita. This plant is also considered one of the three national flowers of Indonesia, where people named it Melati Putih.
• Arabian Jasmine is a scattered, climbing, evergreen vine that can reach up to 1.6 to 9.8 feet (0.5-3 m) in height. This plant can grow in almost any soil type.
• Their leaves are oval, smooth, and composed of two or more leaflets. However, some species have simple leaves. Their size may vary depending on the plant, being 1.6 to 4.9 inches (4-12.5 cm) long and 0.79 to 2.95 inches (2-7.5 cm) wide on a short petiole.
• If you give them proper environmental conditions and care, Arabian Jasmine plants will bloom throughout the year. Usually, their flowers are white and yellow, but they can also be pink.
• A healthy and fertile Jasmine Sambac plant will produce berries that are 0.39 inches (1 cm) in diameter. The initial color of the fruit is green, turning purple-black when it is ripe.

Growing Jasminum Sambac

Jasminum Sambac plants love sunny and warm places, but they can also tolerate households with some shady spots. However, if you expose them to certain conditions for a long period, they may have a hard time getting accustomed to new ones. You should consider changing the environment gradually.

Like all flowering plants, Arabian Jasmine plants need a lot of light to bloom. For indoor growing, this plant has a great time in a bright spot near south-facing windows. During the summer, you can take your Arabian Jasmine plant outdoors to enjoy the warm temperatures and the fresh air. In seasons with low temperatures, it is better to keep these plants inside your home.

Throughout the growing season, a place where your Jasminum Sambac plant can receive full sunlight combined with occasional moments of shade would be preferred. The ideal temperature required for it to grow healthy and exhibit new flowers are anything between 80°F and 90°F (26-32 °C). Although this plant can be grown in lower temperatures, it does not tolerate frosty conditions very well.

These plants can grow in almost any soil type as long as it is sandy, clay, or rich in compost. If you want your Jasmine plant to be healthy and bloom beautifully, you should feed them a high-quality fertilizer four times a year. The first feeding must be made after the winter pruning and the other three in the remaining seasons.

Since Arabian Jasmine cannot withstand too much moisture, it is suggested that you provide them with a well-fitted pot both before and after repotting. These plants do not appreciate an oversized container, so you should look for one that is between 2 and 3 inches bigger than its prior one. When repotting, root your Jasminum plant at the same depth as usual and make sure you do not harm the stem adding extra soil. Offer the plant enough water and place it in filtered light for 2 to 3 days.

Once your Jasminum Sambac plant has reached the end of its growing season, it is time for you to bring out your pruning shears. Cut all the dead vines and flowers above their nodes, as this will ensure healthy growth and bloom to your plant in the future. In case you are growing a Jasminum plant outdoors, the best period for it to be pruned would be the beginning of the winter.

The most common pests that can affect these plants’ health are spider mites, black scale insects, and aphids. To keep these away from your Arabian Jasmine plant, you can use diatomaceous earth powder, organic pesticides such as neem oil, and tanglefoot tangle-traps.

Watering Jasminum Sambac

Arabian Jasmine is a plant that demands average watering, but you should be very careful not to overdo it if the soil is already damp. Too much water can damage these plants, causing their stems or roots to rot. During the growing season, in the summer, it’s best to provide your Jasminum plant with plenty of water. When the winter has settled in, you need to reduce watering.

The easiest way to check if the plant is ready to be watered again is by checking the soil with your finger. If it feels dry and warm, it is probably time to water your Jasminum plant. As long as the soil is moist and cool, you should postpone the watering until the plant absorbs all the moisture from the soil.

Furthermore, Jasminum Sambac species are tropical plants that love a nice and humid environment. One way of keeping the humidity levels at ideal values (50%-80%) is to keep the soil damp. Also, when you grow your Jasminum plant indoors, keep it away from your heater, as it can dry out the soil too fast.

Propagating Jasminum Sambac

Jasmine plants are usually propagated by semi-ripe cuttings. To get the best results, carefully cut below a leaf node that has grown during the prior season. Use a sharp knife to take a semi-hardwood stem cutting from your plant and remove all the foliage, except for the top three leaves. After this step, dip the cutting into a rooting hormone powder, then place it in your potting soil. Be careful not to push the stem too much, as this could damage the cutting.

To ensure that your baby Jasmine plant gets the ideal levels of humidity, cover the pot with a clear bag and place it in a spot with bright and indirect sunlight. Allow the plant to breathe some fresh air by removing the bag every 10 days. Slight watering is also necessary, but since it has no root system, you should not overdo it.

The root growth process should take between 5 and 6 weeks. When you start to notice new growth on your Jasmine plant, move it outside your house and keep it in indirect light until some sets of leaves make an appearance.

In Conclusion

Jasminum Sambac plants are pretty easy to grow for beginner gardeners and they can be exciting and fun experiments for children since they are not toxic and have many uses. They will not cause much trouble if you provide them with a tropical-like environment with bright light, a proper organic soil rich in nutrients, average watering, and overall good care.

These plants make for a great ornamental houseplant due to their exquisite and fragrant bloomings. So, if you are always down for a tea party, you don’t have to think twice about it, as their flowers make a healthy alternative to store-bought teabags.

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