Asiatic Star Jasmine

Asiatic Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) is the groundcover of the star jasmine family: a dense, glossy carpet about 50cm deep that spreads to 2m wide, with small cream flowers carrying the familiar sweet perfume. It smothers weeds, binds slopes and pours neatly over retaining walls, and given a wire or trellis it will climb to around 4m instead.

Why you'll love it

• A real weed blocker. The foliage knits into a mat dense enough to shade out almost everything beneath it.
• Perfumed cream flowers. Smaller and subtler than common star jasmine, but with the same sweetness through the warm months.
• Tougher than it looks. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, salt tolerant and untroubled by poor soil.
• Two plants in one. Left flat it is a groundcover; given a frame it becomes a modest climber to about 4m.
• Nearly zero maintenance. An edge trim a couple of times a year is the entire job list.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 50cm apart, which is four plants per square metre, for full cover within a season or two. Wider spacing saves money and costs time.

Slopes and retaining walls. Its layering stems bind embankments where mowing is dangerous, and it spills over wall edges in a clean green curtain.

Borders and screening. Use it as a wide, low border along paths, or run it up mesh on a fence for an easy screen where beds are too narrow for shrubs.

Growing Asiatic star jasmine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun produces the tightest cover and best flowering; light shade is acceptable with a thinner result. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate climates and, being frost hardy, handles cold winters that kill softer groundcovers.

Soil. Almost anything with drainage, including the poor compacted ground left behind after building work. Compost helps it away faster but is not essential.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer until the mat starts running, then rely on rain except in drought. A single spring application of controlled release fertiliser is plenty.

Pruning. Trim the edges whenever they wander past their line. An old, tired planting can be cut back hard in early spring and will reshoot cleanly. Wear gloves when trimming: the milky sap can irritate skin.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell it as single tubes, a 140mm pack of 10 and a 200mm pack of 6. Tubes are the budget option for covering real area, and at 50cm spacing a pack of 10 covers about 2.5 square metres. Plants travel well, and new runners usually appear within a few weeks of planting in the warmer months.

Orders are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare it with the classic Star Jasmine, which climbs higher and flowers more heavily.
• Browse the full groundcover collection.
• See more tough options in plants for coastal areas.

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

Four, at 50cm spacing. For a bed of ten square metres, order 40 tubes and expect full cover within a season or two depending on climate and water.

What is the difference between this and star jasmine?

Asiatic star jasmine has smaller, darker leaves, a lower flatter habit and fewer flowers, and it stays more compact on a frame. Choose it for groundcover, and common star jasmine for fences and heavy flowering.

Will it take over the garden?

It runs along the ground and roots as it goes, so give it a defined edge such as a path, kerb or lawn line. An edge trim two or three times a year keeps it exactly where you want it.

Is it safe to handle?

Cut stems bleed a milky sap that can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves when pruning. It is otherwise an easy plant to live with.

Does it handle frost?

Yes, it is frost hardy and reliable through cool temperate winters. Foliage can bronze in cold weather, then greens up in spring.