Asiatic Jasmine

Asiatic Jasmine, botanically known as Trachelospermum asiaticum, is a durable evergreen groundcover valued for its dense growth, glossy dark-green leaves, and ability to cover difficult landscape areas. Its trailing woody stems spread across the soil to form a thick, attractive carpet that can help suppress weeds.

Asiatic Jasmine performs exceptionally well in Orlando, Windermere, MetroWest, and surrounding Central Florida communities. It is an excellent choice for shaded areas, mass plantings, slopes, tree islands, foundation beds, landscape borders, and locations where turfgrass struggles to grow.

Despite its common name, Asiatic Jasmine is not a true jasmine. It belongs to the dogbane family and is primarily grown for its evergreen foliage rather than its flowers.

Plant History

Asiatic Jasmine is native to Japan and Korea, with its broader natural range extending into other parts of eastern and southern Asia. It grows naturally as a woody, trailing vine or groundcover.

European botanists Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini first described the plant in 1846 under an earlier botanical name. Japanese botanist Takenoshin Nakai later classified it as Trachelospermum asiaticum in 1922.

The plant was introduced to the United States through the ornamental nursery trade. There is no reliable record identifying the exact year it first arrived in Orlando. It became widely used in Central Florida because it tolerates heat, shade, cold, drought, and a variety of soil conditions.

Today, Asiatic Jasmine is one of Florida’s most familiar evergreen groundcovers and is frequently used as a low-maintenance alternative to turfgrass.

Why Choose Asiatic Jasmine?

• Forms a dense evergreen groundcover
• Performs in full sun, partial shade, or dense shade
• Provides coverage where turfgrass may not grow well
• Helps suppress weeds after becoming established
• Tolerates heat and cold throughout Florida
• Becomes drought tolerant after establishment
• Requires little routine mowing
• Tolerates salt exposure
• Controls erosion on slopes and large planting areas
• Suitable for homes, HOAs, and commercial properties

Common Landscape Uses

• Turfgrass replacement in low-traffic areas
• Groundcover beneath trees
• Mass plantings
• Shaded landscape beds
• Slopes and erosion-prone areas
• Roadside and entrance plantings
• Foundation beds
• Tree islands
• Commercial property landscaping
• Cascading over retaining walls
• Containers and hanging baskets

Asiatic Jasmine Care

• Botanical name: Trachelospermum asiaticum
• Plant type: Evergreen woody groundcover
• Sunlight: Full sun to dense shade
• Water: Water consistently while establishing; drought tolerant afterward
• Soil: Adaptable but prefers moist, well-drained soil during establishment
• Growth habit: Trailing, spreading, and vine-like
• Growth rate: Moderate
• Typical height: Approximately 6–18 inches
• Typical spread: At least 3 feet and potentially much farther over time
• Spacing: Approximately 18 inches apart for typical groundcover installation
• Foliage: Small, glossy, dark-green leaves
• Flowers: Small fragrant yellow or cream flowers that rarely appear in Florida landscapes
• Maintenance: Edge as needed and mow or prune approximately once per year
• Cold tolerance: Suitable for all regions of Florida

We recommend planting Asiatic Jasmine approximately 12 inches apart. Under suitable conditions, the plants normally require about two growing seasons to create complete coverage.

Orlando Planting and Maintenance Guidance

Install Asiatic Jasmine in cleared, weed-free soil. Existing weeds should be removed before planting because controlling them becomes more difficult after the vines form a dense mat.

Water new plants consistently until their roots become established. Once established, Asiatic Jasmine usually requires little supplemental irrigation when Orlando receives normal rainfall.

More water, fertilizer, and sunlight can produce faster, more aggressive growth. Periodic edging prevents the vines from spreading into lawns, sidewalks, drains, and nearby landscape beds.

Dense plantings can be mowed or cut back once during spring to remove excessive growth and produce a more uniform appearance. Use a mower set high enough to avoid damaging the plant crowns.

Asiatic Jasmine does not tolerate regular foot traffic and should not be installed as a replacement for recreational turf or in frequently used walking areas.

Pest and Disease Guidance

Asiatic Jasmine generally experiences few serious pest or disease problems. Scale insects or whiteflies may occasionally appear, sometimes followed by black sooty mold on the foliage.

Annual pruning, proper irrigation, and avoiding excessive fertilizer can help reduce overly dense growth and discourage pest problems.

Safety Information

Cut Asiatic Jasmine stems release a milky sap that may irritate sensitive skin. Wear gloves when trimming large areas or handling freshly cut vines.

The plant is intended for ornamental landscaping and should not be eaten. Keep freshly cut material away from children and pets that may chew plants.

Plants That Grow Well With Asiatic Jasmine

Pair Asiatic Jasmine with taller plants that rise above its dense evergreen carpet:

• Ilex Schilling – provides compact evergreen structure
• Podocarpus ‘Pringles Dwarf’ – adds dark-green vertical structure
• Viburnum Suspensum – creates a tall evergreen background
• Trinette – adds creamy-white and green variegated foliage
• Foxtail Fern – provides upright, feathery texture
• Coontie – creates a durable, tropical-looking accent
• Agapanthus – produces blue or white seasonal flowers
• Hawaiian Ti – adds burgundy, pink, or red foliage
• Croton – provides bold tropical color
• Philodendron Xanadu – adds broad, deeply divided foliage

For a professionally layered landscape, use Asiatic Jasmine as the lowest groundcover layer. Install taller shrubs, cycads, ornamental grasses, or tropical accent plants above it to create height and contrast.

Local Delivery and Professional Installation

All Asiatic Jasmine plants from Free Landscape Quote’s Online Nursery are selected for health, quality, and dependable groundcover performance.

Local delivery and professional groundcover installation are available throughout Orlando, Windermere, MetroWest, Dr. Phillips, Winter Garden, and surrounding Central Florida areas.

Need help calculating quantities? Our landscape team can measure the planting area and assist with plant quantities, spacing, site preparation, delivery, and complete professional installation.