Angel Wing Jasmine

Angel Wing Jasmine (Jasminum nitidum) is a twining climber that reaches about 3m tall and 2m wide on a support, and covers itself in pinwheel white flowers that open from purple tinged buds. The scent is sweet without being heavy, and it carries best on warm evenings near a doorway or an outdoor table. It grows quickly, so a bare fence or trellis fills within a season or two.

Why you'll love it

• Fragrance where you sit. The flowers perfume a courtyard or a balcony rather than needing a whole garden to register.
• A long flowering season. In warm gardens it flowers through much of the year, with the heaviest flush over spring and summer.
• Fast cover on a fence. Trained onto wires or a trellis it fills a 2m panel quickly, which makes it a practical privacy solution.
• Glossy foliage that stays presentable. The deep green leaves hold well through heat, humidity and salt air, so beachside fences and balconies suit it.

Where it works best

Screening a fence or trellis. Plant 1m apart along the run and tie the young stems onto wires as they extend. That spacing gives complete cover without the tangle that comes from crowding.

Pots and balconies. A 40cm pot with a small trellis will hold one plant for years, and the container naturally limits its size.

Feature planting. Trained over an arch, a pergola post or a doorway frame, it becomes a scented entry rather than just green cover.

Growing Angel Wing Jasmine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the heaviest flowering in sun. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and frosty southern gardens need a pot that can be moved under cover, or a hardier climber.

Soil. Any reasonable, free draining garden soil suits it. Work compost through the planting area, and mulch 75mm deep while keeping the mulch off the stems.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist through the first summer, then water deeply in dry spells rather than lightly and often. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer supports both growth and flowering.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build a branched framework instead of a few long runners. Cut back after the main flush to control size, and thin out old tangled growth from the base every couple of years.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock and as a 200mm pack of six. Tubes are young plants with a short stem or two and are the sensible choice for a long fence line, since they climb quickly once the roots take. The 200mm pack of six gives larger plants already twining, enough for a 6m run at 1m spacing.

Plants travel with their stems supported and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Tie the new growth onto its support straight away, and expect useful cover within the first warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse climbing plants for fences and pergolas
• Fragrant plants for courtyards and entries
• A guide to scent in the garden
• Plants suited to balconies

Common questions

Does it need a support?

Yes. It twines rather than clinging, so it needs wires, a trellis or a frame to climb. On a bare masonry wall it will sprawl instead of rising.

Is it invasive?

It is not a self seeding problem in Australian gardens, but it is vigorous and will climb into a neighbouring shrub or gutter if left alone. An annual prune after flowering keeps it where you want it.

Will it grow in a cold garden?

Only with protection. It is frost tender, so in cool districts grow it in a pot against a warm wall and move it under cover for winter.