Jasminum polyanthum, the "Winter Flowering Jasmine," is a vine so dear to my heart that I have three pots of it in the Music Room window garden. From late-December through March, these fill the air with the most delicious scent in the world, as clusters of snow-white, star-shaped flowers open just as the days begin to lengthen.
Polyanthum is a vine of tremendous vigor; outdoors in warm climates it can rocket to 20 feet and beyond in a matter of weeks. To confine such a plant to a window, give it a pot of at least 4 inches in diameter and some support. In the photo above, two of my plants are in 6 inch clay pots set at each end of a glass shelf. There, they climb wire along three sides of the window, and produce a green, lacy-leaved frame. My third plant, this one in a 4-inch clay pot set between its larger kin, is trained around wire arches plunged into the pot. The vine can also be trained around bamboo sticks, arranged tee-pee fashion.
To get a show-stopping, powerfully-perfumed blizzard in winter, give your jasmine full sun, moderate humidity, moisture when the top soil feels dry, and certain coolness. From September through November, it is absolutely essential to provide nighttime temperatures below 60 degrees, or buds will not form. I removed the storm sashes from the Music Room window to insure flowers.
Like most houseplants, polyanthum enjoys a summer holiday outdoors. My three plants vacation on the shady, sheltered porch. I cut the vines back to three inches at this time, and then repot into fresh soil, still using the same-sized pots. Water daily, and feed weekly with a high-phosphorous plant food. In the fresh, humid air, new shoots grow with lightning speed, and the vines gain the strength they need for yet another spectacular performance in the winter window garden.
Heady perfume, gorgeous flowers, and easy culture -- what more can we ask from a houseplant?
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Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Intoxicating Jasminum Polyanthum
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Kevin, I can just imagine the scent of jasmine, and how welcome this is in winter. Does Logees sell polyanthum?
Samantha - yes, Logees sells polyanthum.
Laura - With your new-found knowledge, your polyanthum will bloom for you next year, and for years to come!
James, I have tried the shrubby white 'Maid of Orleans' and also the stiff-stemmed, yellow 'Revolutum.' Both were stingy with their blooms, at least under my care.