Vine
Star jasmine
Trachelospermum jasminoides · Apocynaceae
Also called: Confederate jasmine
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a moderate-water vine well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in morning sun to part shade, with a moderate growth rate.
Star jasmine at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Morning sun to part shade; benefits from afternoon shade in Tucson. Full reflected sun bleaches and scorches the foliage, so a filtered or east/north exposure is best.
- Mature size
- Vine to 15-20 ft on support; 1-2 ft tall as a sprawling groundcover spreading several feet
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- White, pinwheel-shaped, very fragrant, Spring into early summer
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 10-15°F (USDA 8); reliably winter-hardy in Tucson with only minor frost tip damage in hard freezes.
- Soil
- Adaptable but prefers well-drained soil amended with organic matter; tolerates a range of pH better than gardenia but appreciates improved soil.
- Native range
- Eastern and southeastern Asia (China, Japan); not native to Arizona
- Best used as
- Fragrant vine for trellises, fences, arbors, patio posts, Evergreen groundcover, Screening on supports, Shaded courtyard color
- Wildlife
- Fragrant flowers attract bees and butterflies.
- Toxicity
- Considered low-toxicity / generally non-toxic; the milky sap can irritate skin. Not a true Jasminum.
How to grow Star jasmine in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Water regularly to keep soil moderately moist, especially in summer—deep soak 1-2 times per week in heat. More drought-tolerant once well established but looks best with steady moisture.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Feed with a balanced fertilizer in spring and again in summer. Watch for iron chlorosis in alkaline soil and treat with chelated iron if leaves yellow.
Pruning & care
Prune to control size and shape after the spring bloom; it twines and can be trained on supports or kept as a groundcover. Shear lightly to keep dense.
Notes
One of the more practical fragrant 'jasmine' choices for Tucson—evergreen, cold-hardy here, and adaptable. Provide afternoon shade and supplemental water to avoid leaf scorch and chlorosis. Versatile as either a climbing vine or a clipped groundcover.
Sources: AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension / Pima County Master Gardeners; Arizona Daily Star (tucson.com) garden columns