Great Design Plant: Chilean Jasmine
Heavenly scented white blooms are the draw with this alluring vine, a treat for gardens through summer and into fall
Chilean Jasmine (Mandevilla laxa) is a summer-flowering vine that will enliven your backyard lounging with its cheerful white flowers and sweet, gardenia-like scent. Train the vine up a wall or trellis to enjoy and cultivate every square foot of your garden.
Distinguishing traits. Heavenly white blooms make Chilean Jasmine a garden knockout throughout the summer and fall. Clustered 2-inch flowers appear amongst shiny, green tapered leaves. The real kicker is that these blooms are sweetly scented — unusual for Mandevilla. Landscape architect Christopher Yates notes that the fragrance — considered unbeatable in the botanical world — always reminds him of Hawaii.
How to use it. As with most vines and climbers, Chilean Jasmine's foliage is great for masking unsightly walls or other surfaces. If trellised, Chilean Jasmine can spread up to 15 feet, and the reflective heat will be beneficial to flowering. In colder climates, some gardeners prefer to plant it in containers so it can be moved inside for winter.
As a twining vine, Chilean Jasmine requires additional support in order to grow. Unlike wisteria, another twining vine, Chilean Jasmine will not spread as forcefully or do damage to structures.
Read more on garden climbers
As a twining vine, Chilean Jasmine requires additional support in order to grow. Unlike wisteria, another twining vine, Chilean Jasmine will not spread as forcefully or do damage to structures.
Read more on garden climbers
Planting notes. Plant the vine in a warm and sunny spot — consider west- or south-facing walls for additional reflected light and heat to promote flowering. Provide rich soil and water and fertilize regularly when it's flowering — no need when dormant. If the plant becomes too tangled or messy, thin it or cut it back in late winter. It will resprout in spring.
Chilean Jasmine's tolerance of and ability to flower under cooler conditions make it a wise choice for temperate garden climates. Hardy to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, Chilean Jasmine can survive outdoors all year in mild weather. In colder regions, treat the plant as an annual or bring it inside over the winter.
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Chilean Jasmine's tolerance of and ability to flower under cooler conditions make it a wise choice for temperate garden climates. Hardy to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, Chilean Jasmine can survive outdoors all year in mild weather. In colder regions, treat the plant as an annual or bring it inside over the winter.
More:
See more great design flowers and plants, grasses and trees
Common name: Chilean Jasmine
USDA zones: 8 to 11
Water requirement: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 15 feet, spreading
Benefits and tolerances: Attracts bees, butterflies and birds
Seasonal interest: Blooms summer through fall
When to plant: Spring
Caution: Parts of the plant are toxic if ingested