1 / 8

Jasminum stephanense

pink jasmine

Oleaceae

Garden hybrid (parent species from China; Caucasus to western China)

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (moderate)

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–10

Overview

Jasminum x stephanense is a vigorous, twining, semi-evergreen woody climber reaching 15–25 feet (4.5–7.5 m) tall with support and spreading 6–10 feet (1.8–3 m) wide. The interspecific hybrid between J. beesianum (red-purple flowered, Yunnan and Sichuan) and J. officinale (white flowered, Caucasus to western China) was first raised at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris in the early 20th century. Flowers are pale pink fading to near-white, tubular with 5 spreading lobes, 0.75–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) across, borne in terminal cymes of 3–5 from June through July over a 4–6 week bloom window. Fragrance is sweet but lighter than J. officinale, at about 50–60% the olfactory intensity and carrying 5–10 feet (1.5–3 m) from the plant. Leaves are variable on a single plant — some simple (inherited from J. beesianum) and some pinnate with 3–5 leaflets (from J. officinale) — 1.5–3 inches (4–8 cm) long, medium to dark green, with bronze or coppery flush on new growth that persists for 2–3 weeks. Semi-evergreen in mild climates; deciduous in zone 7. Twining stems require support. Growth rate is rapid, reaching mature size in 3 years. Hardy to USDA zone 7. Not known to be toxic to pets or humans.

Native Range

Jasminum x stephanense is a garden hybrid first raised at the Jardin des Plantes, Paris, France, in the early 20th century. The parent species are J. beesianum (native to Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China) and J. officinale (native from the Caucasus through the Himalayas to western China).

Suggested Uses

Used on trellises, arbors, pergolas, and wall wires at 6–10 foot (1.8–3 m) spacing where pink-flowered climbing jasmine fills a color role that white and yellow hardy jasmines do not. The bronze-flushed new growth carries spring interest before bloom. The 4–6 week bloom window is 6–10 weeks shorter than J. officinale, and fragrance is lighter than the white common jasmine; the plant does not climb without support and does not tolerate deep shade or waterlogged soils.

How to Identify

Flowers are pale pink tubular 0.75–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) across with 5 lobes, fading to near-white with age, in terminal cymes of 3–5. Leaves are variable on a single plant — some simple, some pinnate with 3–5 leaflets — 1.5–3 inches (4–8 cm) long, with bronze-flushed new growth. Stems climb 15–25 feet (4.5–7.5 m). Compared with J. officinale, flowers are pink rather than white and the leaf morphology is mixed rather than uniformly pinnate; compared with J. beesianum, flowers are pale pink rather than deep rose-pink and foliage is partly pinnate rather than uniformly simple; compared with J. humile, flowers are pink rather than yellow.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height15' - 25'

Width/Spread6' - 10'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~5 weeks

Summer

Terminal cymes of 3–5 pale pink, moderately fragrant flowers 0.75–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) across appear from June through July over a 4–6 week bloom window. Flowers fade to near-white as they age, giving mixed pink-and-white effect on each cyme as older and newer flowers coexist. The bloom window is 6–10 weeks shorter than J. officinale.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Pale pink fading to near-white; tubular 0.75-1 inch with 5 lobes; moderately fragrant; in terminal cymes of 3-5

Foliage Description

Medium to dark green; variable on a single plant (some simple, some pinnate with 3-5 leaflets); 1.5-3 inches; bronze-flushed new growth

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to partial shade with 5–10 hours of direct light in average, well-drained loam, clay, or sandy soil at pH 6.0–7.5. A support structure rated for 20–50 pounds (9–23 kg) is required — trellis, arbor, pergola, or horizontal wall wires. Water deeply once per week during the first two growing seasons, then reduce to supplemental irrigation during extended drought. Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring at 1 tablespoon per square foot (30 g/m²) of root zone. Hardy to USDA zone 7; exposed cold winter wind in zone 7 causes top dieback with regrowth from the base.

Pruning

Prune after flowering in late July–August to manage size and thin congested growth. Flowers form primarily on previous-season wood, so hard spring pruning removes the next year's bloom. Remove up to one-third of oldest stems at the base annually. Renovation pruning to 2 feet (60 cm) in late winter regrows within a season but forfeits the next summer's bloom.

Pruning Schedule

summer