An Intoxicating Evening with Night Blooming Jasmine
While the night blooming jasmine plant is certainly not awe-inducing to the eye, it has several features that make it a favorite of gardeners and homeowners alike. It is easy to care for and quite resilient, but its primary draw is its lovely perfume. The aroma of this jasmine plant is so pleasant and permeating that it will fill your home or yard with its wonderful scent. Some gardeners will raise another, shorter plant alongside the night blooming jasmine to add the aesthetic appeal that it lacks.
As implied by its name, the night blooming jasmine opens its flowers and spreads its fragrance in the evening and overnight. Often times, resort hotels will use this plant to accentuate their pathways and gardens. The scent of its flowers is so strong and unique that it becomes a part of the experience that hotel guests will recall for years to come. Its aroma is reminiscent of the tropical climate, and adds a whole new dimension to romantic memories.
The plants flowers are pale, yellow, and small, with their long petals blooming at the very end in a star pattern. Unfortunately, flower shops are not open at night, so purchasing night blooming jasmine can be difficult. Because of its nondescript nature during the day, you may have to ask your local shop to point it out to you. It will be a plain, green stalk with not much appeal and no scent, but once you bring it home it will open up and fill your home or garden with its heavenly aroma. Its scent will bring about musings of love and romance the moment it blooms, which is why so many gardeners and plant enthusiasts have developed a veritable infatuation with the plant!
The night blooming jasmine Latin name is Cestrum Nocturnum. Oddly enough, it is in the same family as potatoes, tomatoes, petunias, and even tobacco, all of which are categorized as Solanaceae. Potting or planting this jasmine is best in soil that has been drained, as excessive watering can damage the plant. It is best to pot it near a window indoors, or plant it near a deck or patio outside. These steps will ensure that your jasmine gets lots of sunlight, but will be protected from heavy rains.
If planting night blooming jasmine in the northern United States, you must support the plant with mulch during the cold months. When the season turns warm again, it can regrow from the roots if necessary, and its roots can survive temperatures down to below 20 degrees if properly cared for. If the temperature in your area gets colder than this, you will have to take extra measures to protect your jasmine roots. Planting night blooming jasmine in an area where you will spend a lot of time is a good idea. It is a lovely experience to take a full breath of night air and inhale this flowers beautiful scent.
Steve Habib operates a landscape maintenance company in Florida and publishes useful, practical tips, advice and articles on several different kinds of plants free to anyone who visitslearn more about jasmine plants
I have a Lady of the Night plant, it’s the most gorgeous flower when it opens, but doesn’t last long. That’s not what I’m going to ask. Am I doing something wrong? The leaves are turning pink & light green instead of the dark leatherly look as in past seasons? Could it be getting too much sunlight, but it’s been in the same spot for the past 4 yrs.???? Is it lacking a fertilizer???? Don’t know if you can answer from this email, maybe you can put “care instructions” on the site with description of plants. Thank you so much….Sandi Z