Jasminum polyanthum
Common names
jasmine
Family
Oleaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Lianes & Related Trailing Plants - Dicotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Detailed description
Perennial, evergreen, climbing, almost hairless, non-woody vine. Stems round, tough, very long, rooting at nodes. Leaves opposite, pinnate with usually 7 leaflets, terminal leaflet up to 7 x 2.5 cm, others smaller, all entire. Flowers clustered in panicles, tube-like, up to 25 mm diameter, very fragrant, white, pink in bud, Jan-Dec. Berries glossy black, 5-8 mm diameter, rarely formed.
Similar taxa
Easily identified climber with opposite palmately compound leaves and fragrant pink and white flowers.
Flowering
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Life cycle
Evergreen perennial. Can spread from cuttings and grows from any small section of stem material. The viability of the seed in the seed bank is unknown (Wotherspoon 1996). In NZ, seeds were rare, but are now found on plants in some areas; produces few seeds. Sets viable seed (Fromont and King, 1992). The seed is dispersed by birds.
Year naturalised
1980
Origin
W China
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Tolerances
The plant is intolerant of more than a few degrees of frost and only grows vigorously in warmer areas (Webb et. al. 1988). Tolerant of frost, shade and moisture. Can flower under a full canopy (Fromont and King, 1992).
Etymology
jasminum: Believed to be derived from ‘ysmyn’, the Arabic name for Jasmine.
References and further reading
Johnson, A. T. and Smith, H. A (1986). Plant Names Simplified: Their pronunciation, derivation and meaning. Landsman Bookshop Ltd: Buckenhill, UK.
Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. (1988). Flora of New Zealand, volume IV. Naturalise Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. DSIR Botany Division. 1365pp.