Gardening Plants & Flowers Shrubs

14 Best Types of Jasmine for Your Landscape

By
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers has a BS in horticulture and over 10 years of training and experience as a professional horticulturist and gardener.
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Updated on 04/12/24
Reviewed by
Debra LaGattuta
Debra LaGattuta
Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a Master Gardener with 30+ years of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Garden Review Board.

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Fact checked by
Elizabeth Maclennan
Elizabeth MacLennan
Fact checked by Elizabeth Maclennan

Elizabeth MacLennan is a fact checker and editor with a background in earth sciences and sustainability. Elizabeth holds an M.S. from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Winter jasmine vines with yellow flowers in sunlight

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Many types of jasmine are planted for their glossy green leaves and fragrant white or yellow flowers. The roughly 200 species from the Jasminum genus include both deciduous and evergreen flowering shrubs and vines. Note that the name jasmine is sometimes used in common names for other plants that are not true jasmine, such as the star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), which is a relative of oleander or night-blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum). 

Here are 14 true jasmine shrubs and vines to try in your landscape.

Warning

The plant commonly known as false jasmine, yellow jasmine, or evening trumpet flower (Gelsemium sempervirens) is toxic. True jasmines (Jasminus spp.) are non-toxic plants

  • 01 of 14

    Angel Wing Jasmine

    Angel wing jasmine

     

    jaboticaba / Getty Images

    Angel wing jasmine (Jasminum nitidum), also called shining jasmine, is an attractive, spreading, vine-like ground cover with a shrubby habit. It produces abundant large, fragrant, white flowers with purple undersides. It is best used as a flowering evergreen spilling out of containers or as a filler that spreads and fills space between shrubs.

    • Name: Angel wing jasmine (Jasminum nitidum)
    • Native area: Papua New Guinea's Admiralty Islands; has naturalized in Florida
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11; sometimes successful in zone 9
    • Height: As a vine, 10 ft. or more; as a shrub, 2 to 4 ft. with pruning
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: White
  • 02 of 14

    Common Jasmine

    Jasminum officinale, Common Jasmine, fragrant
    Neil Holmes / Getty Images

    Common jasmine (Jasminum officinale), also called poet's jasmine or true jasmine, is a large deciduous or semi-evergreen vining shrub with a graceful look and a very appealing sweet scent. Beginning in late spring or early summer and lasting through fall, it produces large clusters of three to five white flowers. In northern climates, common jasmine is sometimes grown in pots and brought indoors for the winter.

    • Name: Common jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
    • Native Area: Asia Minor, Himalayas, China
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10; zone 6 with protection
    • Height: 20 to 30 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: White
  • 03 of 14

    Italian Jasmine

    Spring, yellow jasmine closeup photo
    lingqi xie / Getty Images

    Italian jasmine (Chrysojasminum humile), also called yellow jasmine, is a favorite shrub of gardeners in warmer climates because it is easy to care for and requires little attention. Italian jasmine has glossy green leaves, fragrant buttercup-yellow flowers, and shiny black berries.

    • Name: Italian jasmine (Chrysojasminum humile)
    • Native Area: Asia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 9
    • Height: Up to 7 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: Yellow
  • 04 of 14

    Pink Jasmine

    Pink Jasmine Springtime Blossoming
    Susan Gary / Getty Images

    Pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) is a fast-growing evergreen vine grown for its prolific display of very fragrant pinkish-white flowers, which are about 1 inch in diameter. It is best used as a climber over trellises or arbors, as a ground cover, or in containers. Pink jasmine is not a clinging vine; it should be manually secured to a trellis or other structure.

    • Name: Pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)
    • Native Area: China
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 to 11
    • Height: Up to 20 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: Pinkish-white
    Continue to 5 of 14 below
  • 05 of 14

    Primrose Jasmine

    Jasminum mesnyi

     

    seven75 / Getty Images 

    Although somewhat unusual in the United States, primrose jasmine (Jasminum mesnyi) should be planted more often. The shrub produces 1- to 2-inch yellow flowers, larger than those on most jasmine varieties—the flowers bloom in early spring and last for a few weeks. This large shrub has an open, sprawling growth habit and is quite tolerant of drought. It is sometimes known as Japanese jasmine or Chinese jasmine. This plant can get overly brushy if not pruned back frequently.

    • Name: Primrose jasmine (Jasminum mesnyi)
    • Native area: Southern China, Vietnam; has naturalized in Central America and the southern U.S.
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10
    • Height: 8 to 10 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: Yellow
  • 06 of 14

    Royal Jasmine

    Royal jasmine

     

    Radu Bighian / Getty Images

    Royal jasmine (Jasminum nobile or Jasminum rex) is a smaller variety of climbing jasmine for warm climates that produces sweet-smelling pure-white flowers nearly all year long. It is excellent for covering fences and trellises or training around topiary forms. This is a fast-growing evergreen form that can quickly cover a small structure.

    • Name: Royal jasmine (Jasminum nobile or Jasminum rex)
    • Native Area: Thailand
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
    • Height: Up to 9 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: White
  • 07 of 14

    Arabian Jasmine

    Jasminum sambac


    Warayoo / Getty Images 

    Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac), sometimes known as sacred jasmine or Asian jasmine, is an evergreen shrub often trained to climb a trellis. It is usually planted in containers and brought indoors in cool weather. It has a vine-like, climbing nature but is still fairly thick and shrubby. The typical sweet jasmine scent is produced by pure white, star-shaped flowers that are only 1 inch wide and bloom periodically throughout the year in native climates. This is the national flower of the Philippines.

    • Name: Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac)
    • Native Area: India and Southeast Asia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11
    • Height: 10 to 25 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: White
  • 08 of 14

    Stiff Jasmine

    Stiff jasmine

    Mark Marathon / Wikimedia Commons/ CC By 3.0

    Stiff jasmine (Jasminum volubile), sometimes known as Australian wax jasmine, is a twining or sprawling vine with glossy evergreen leaves. It can be trained onto a trellis or other support or pruned into a hedge. This plant is sometimes categorized as Jasminum simplicifolium subsp. australiense.

    • Name: Stiff jasmine (Jasminum volubile)
    • Native Area: Australia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 to 11
    • Height: 2 to 5 ft. as a shrub
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: White
    Continue to 9 of 14 below
  • 09 of 14

    Winter Jasmine

    Winter jasmine with yellow flowers closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) is a medium-sized deciduous shrub with long arching branches. Bright yellow 1-inch flowers appear in early spring. It works well as a ground cover on slopes or to cover retaining walls. 

    • Name: Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
    • Native Area: China
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
    • Height: 10 to 15 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Flower Color: Yellow
  • 10 of 14

    Wild Jasmine

    Jasminum fruticans

    Javier Martin / Wikimedia Commons / CC By 3.0

    The wild jasmine (Chrysojasminum fruticans) is sometimes categorized as Jasminum odoratissimum. Another common name for wild jasmine is common yellow jasmine. This small evergreen shrub (or semi-evergreen in cooler climates) produces clusters of deep yellow blooms from spring to early fall. It makes a great low evergreen ground cover or hedge or is used to cascade over a fence or wall. It grows relatively slowly and is resistant to drought and pests.

    • Name: Wild jasmine (Chrysojasminum fruticans)
    • Native Area: Southern Europe
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 11
    • Height: 3 to 6 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to shade
    • Flower Color: Yellow
  • 11 of 14

    Dwarf Jasmine

    Fragrant and showy, dwarf jasmine (Chrysojasmnum parkeri) blooms yellow trumpet-shaped flowers from spring through early summer. It operates a range of soil types but will do best if planted in well-draining soil. This jasmine is limited in where it can successfully grow since it is not a cold hardy plant.

    • Name: Dwarf jasmine (Chrysojasmnum parkeri)
    • Native Area: Western Himalayas
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 10 but may thrive in zones 6 to 8 if weather is temperate
    • Height: 1 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full, partial
    • Flower Color: Yellow
  • 12 of 14

    Forest Jasmine

    Forest jasmine (Jasminum abyssinicum) may be the least commonly found jasmine plant because it has thicker vines than most and it's likely grown mostly in the high forests of its native area in Africa. If you do come across forest jasmine, you'll enjoy its fast growth, easy care, sweet scent, and white flowers tinged with pink.

    • Name: Forest jasmine (Jasminum abyssinicum)
    • Native Area: Africa
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a-11b
    • Height: 18 ft. vining
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Flower Color: White
    Continue to 13 of 14 below
  • 13 of 14

    Lemon-Scented Jasmine

    Lemon-scented jasmine (Jasminum azoricum) has a distinct fragrance of lemon when in bloom from spring through fall. This tender jasmine thrives only if it grows outdoors in a very mild, coastal region but it can also grow in pots.

    • Name: Lemon-scented jasmine (Jasminum azoricum)
    • Native Area: Portuguese island of Madeira
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10a to 12
    • Height: 6 to 12 in. tall, 6 to 8 ft. trails/climbs
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Flower Color: White
  • 14 of 14

    Downey Jasmine

    Downey jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum) grows as a wide, lush, and fluffy bush with cascading foliage and star-shaped florals. However, it's not the most fragrant of all jasmine plants though it has a mild, classic jasmine scent. It's a beautiful filler plant and is often confused with star jasmine. Downey jasmine florals have eight petals and star has five.

    • Name: Downey jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum)
    • Native Area: Tropical Asia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a to 11b
    • Height: 16 ft.
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
    • Flower Color: White

Tip

All jasmines will do best when grown in warm, sheltered locations. While they all have a good tolerance for shady locations, you can expect flowering to be slightly less profuse when they are growing in shade.

FAQ
  • Which type of jasmine has the strongest smell?

    Spanish jasmine, primrose jasmine, and common jasmine will have the strongest fragrances.

  • Is common jasmine and star jasmine the same?

    No, common jasmine and star jasmine are not the same plant and belong to different families. Common jasmine is a true jasmine from the Oleaceae family and star jasmine is from the Apocynaceae family.

  • Which jasmine blooms all year?

    Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) is known to bloom all summer long and throughout the year.

  • If my climate is cold, what can I plant instead of jasmine?

    Jasmine is an ideal choice in warmer climates (zones 6 and warmer). But if you live in a colder climate (north of zone 6), consider goldflame honeysuckle or other types (Lonicera spp.) as a good substitute climbing plant with attractive flowers and a beautiful fragrance.

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  1. Jasminum (Jasmine). North Carolina State Extension.

  2. Jasmine. ASPCA.

  3. Chrysojasminum parkeri. North Carolina State Extension.

  4. Azores Jasmine (Jasminum azoricum). The National Gardening Association.