Growing Star Jasmine in a Pot with a Trellis

Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a beautiful woody vine that produces sweetly fragrant white star-shaped flowers. With their intoxicating scent and twining growth habit, star jasmine vines are perfectly suited for training up trellises, arbors, and other structures. By growing star jasmine in a pot, you can position it wherever you want the delightful fragrance and showy blooms.

Selecting a Pot for Star Jasmine

Star jasmine thrives when grown in a pot that provides enough room for root growth but isn’t overly large Choose a 14-inch wide container for each star jasmine vine you want to cultivate Terra cotta, plastic, and other standard container materials all work well. Make sure the pot has drainage holes to prevent waterlogged soil.

You can plant star jasmine vines alone in individual pots or incorporate them into mixed plantings. For example surround a star jasmine in a large planter with smaller pots of impatiens coleus, or other annuals. The jasmine will quickly grow up and around the other plants.

Providing a Trellis for Support

Star jasmine vines can reach up to 20 feet tall when supported. Provide a trellis, obelisk, or other rigid structure for the vine to climb. Position the trellis in the pot when first planting or place the pot next to the support structure. Train the flexible stems onto the trellis using plant ties or clips.

Good options for supporting container-grown star jasmine include:

• Bamboo or hardwood obelisks and pyramid frames
• Wrought iron, metal, or wooden trellises
• Arbors, pergolas, or other garden structures
• Sturdy poles or post

Choose a support structure that is somewhat proportional to the pot size A small trellis placed in a 14-inch pot looks more balanced than an overly large structure.

Caring for Star Jasmine in Pots

Star jasmine potted in containers requires frequent watering and fertilizing to support its rapid growth. Check soil moisture daily during warm weather and water thoroughly whenever the top inch of soil is dry. Star jasmine prefers moist, but not saturated soil.

Feed container-grown star jasmine monthly during the growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Dilute the fertilizer to half strength before applying. In fall, resume fertilizing every 6-8 weeks until late winter.

As the vine grows taller on its support each year, prune back overly long stems in early spring to control size and maintain fullness. Remove any dead or damaged growth at the same time.

Providing Winter Care

In USDA plant hardiness zones 9-10, star jasmine usually stays evergreen through winter and requires minimal seasonal care when grown in pots. Keep watering and fertilizing on the same schedule as the rest of the year.

In zones 8 and below, star jasmine will lose its leaves and go dormant as cold weather arrives. Place potted plants in a protected area like an unheated garage once nighttime temperatures start falling below 45°F. Water sparingly, just every 3-4 weeks. Resume normal care when spring temperatures rise again.

Propagating Star Jasmine Vines

Established star jasmine vines are easy to propagate from cuttings. Take 6-inch cuttings from the tips of non-flowering shoots in early summer. Remove the bottom leaves and dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Place the cuttings in pots filled with perlite or vermiculite and keep them in filtered light. Roots usually emerge in 4-6 weeks.

Once rooted, pot up the new star jasmine vines in regular potting mix. Grow them on in a bright location until the following spring before moving outside.

Enjoying Star Jasmine Flowers and Fragrance

The heavenly scent from star jasmine blooms is one of the vine’s greatest assets. Flowering occurs in late spring and may continue sporadically throughout summer. The blooms emerge along the stems, providing fragrance wherever the vine grows.

In mild winter regions, star jasmine may rebloom lightly during winter. Potted plants moved into a protected location often keep flowering through winter as well. The fragrant blossoms are a beautiful treat during cool weather.

Choosing a Variety of Star Jasmine

There are several varieties of star jasmine to choose from:

• ‘Ina’ – An early blooming hybrid with clusters of pink buds that open to white flowers. ‘Ina’ is hardy to zone 7.

• ‘Madison’ – Vigorous cultivar that blooms heavily in spring and then sporadically through summer. Grows 10-15 feet tall.

• ‘Linda’ – More compact at 6 feet tall. Produces abundant white blooms in late spring.

• ‘Jasminodes’ – Dwarf variety that only reaches 3 feet tall. Ideal for smaller spaces.

• ‘Pleioblastus’ – Evergreen type with variegated leaves edged in white. Flowers lightly.

Select the star jasmine variety that best fits your needs in terms of cold hardiness, growth habit, mature size, and flowering. All grow well when cultivated in containers.

Problems and Pests

Star jasmine is relatively pest and disease resistant, especially when provided with good growing conditions. Aphids, spider mites, and leaf spot may occur but are rarely serious. Prune out any diseased or damaged stems to keep the vines looking their best.

Potted star jasmine vines require more frequent watering and feeding than in-ground plants but reward your care by growing lushly and flowering abundantly. The sweet fragrance and elegant habit of star jasmine vines make them a superb choice for adorning outdoor living areas or entryways in containers. With the right pot, trellis, and care, you can enjoy their charms for many years.