Jasminum officinale
| Jasminum officinale | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 33' |
| Width: | 33' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Jasminum officinale (common name: jessamine)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy.
Cuttings of mature wood in November.
Layering.
Cultivation: Succeeds in a good well-drained loam[1], preferring a sunny position[2]. Very shade tolerant, it succeeds on a north facing wall[1].
Plants are hardy to about -15°c[3]. They require the protection of a wall in northern Britain but are fully hardy in the south[4]. Another report says that they are hardy to about -10°c, and that the stem tips are often killed back in the winter though the plant soon recovers[5].
Climbs by means of twining[2]. It is self-supporting[1] and fast-growing[5]. Any pruning is best carried out in late winter and early spring[5].
A very ornamental plant[6], there are some named varieties[1]. The flowers are very fragrant[5] and the plant is sometimes cultivated for the essential oil in its flowers, the sub-species J. officinale grandiflorum (L.)Kobuski. is used[7]. Flowers are produced on the current year's growth and also on older wood[5].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].
Range: W. Asia to E. Asia.
Habitat: Shrubberies and forests, usually on humus-rich soils, 1200 - 3000 metres in the Himalayas[8][9]. Valleys, ravines, thickets, woods, along rivers, meadows; 1800 - 4000 metres in W. China[10].
Edibility: Flowers - fragrant. Eaten or used to flavour or scent tea[11]. The dried flowers are a tea substitute[12].
An essential oil from the flowers is used as a condiment in various foods, especially Maraschino cherries but also baked goods, ice cream, sweets, chewing gum etc[11][13]. It imparts a bitter-sweet floral tone[11].
Medicinal: The leaf juice is applied to corns and ear discharges[14][15]. The leaves contain salicylic acid (found also in the bark of Salix species and used as an analgesic, febrifuge etc)[14][15].
The root is used in the treatment of ringworm[15].
The flowers are aphrodisiac, antiseptic, antispasmodic, galactogogue and tonic[16][14][13]. They are mainly used in aromatherapy (see below).
The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Aphrodisiac'[17]. It is used in the treatment of depression, nervous tension, impotence, frigidity, menstrual disorders and weak digestion[13].
Usage: An essential oil from the flowers is used in perfumery[18][7][1]. The flowers are picked soon after opening each morning and used fresh for oil extraction[13].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Davis, Brian. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking, 1990.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Hill, Albert. Economic Botany. The Maple Press, 1952.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ Westwood, Christine. Aromatherapy - A Guide for Home Use. Amberwood Publishing, 1993.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.