Jasminum officinale
A fragrant climber valued for its heady summer scent.
Jasminum officinale, also called common jasmine, summer jasmine, poet's jasmine, white jasmine, true jasmine, or jessamine, belongs to the olive family, Oleaceae. Its native range covers the Caucasus and parts of Asia, and it has become widely naturalized elsewhere. Gardeners in temperate regions prize it for the powerful fragrance its flowers release in summer, and it serves as the national flower of Pakistan.
This plant is a vigorous, twining deciduous climber. Its leaves are sharply pointed and pinnate, each consisting of five to nine leaflets. In summer, it produces clusters of star-shaped, pure white blossoms that give off its characteristic heady scent. The Latin species name *officinale* means "useful."
Its natural distribution includes the Caucasus, northern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Himalayas, Tajikistan, India, Nepal, and western China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang/Tibet, Yunnan). It is widely cultivated and has become naturalized in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Algeria, Florida, and the West Indies.
Chemically, *J. officinale* contains alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, glycosides, emodine, leucoanthocyanins, steroids, anthocyanins, phlobatinins, essential oil, and saponins.
The plant has been cultivated for so long that its exact origin—somewhere in Central Asia—remains uncertain. According to H.L. Li's *The Garden Flowers of China*, jasmines identifiable as *J. officinale* and *J. sambac* were listed among "foreign" plants in Chinese texts from the third century CE, and by the ninth century, Chinese records stated that *J. officinale* came from Byzantium. Its Chinese name, Yeh-hsi-ming, derives from Persian and Arabic. It likely entered European gardens through the Arab-Norman culture of Sicily, though garden historian John Harvey noted that little is known historically or archaeologically about pre-Norman Sicilian cultural life. In the mid-14th century, Boccaccio's *Decameron* describes a walled garden bordered with roses and jasmine, and jasmine water appears in another tale. The plant became so thoroughly naturalized that Linnaeus believed it was native to Switzerland. It appears as a London garden plant in William Turner's *Names of Herbes* (1548). Double-flowered forms were treasured in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Numerous cultivars exist, many wit
- species
- Jasminum officinale
- family
- Oleaceae
- native_range
- Caucasus, northern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Himalayas, Tajikistan, India, Nepal, western China
- common_names
- common jasmine, summer jasmine, poet's jasmine, white jasmine, true jasmine, jessamine
- national_flower
- Pakistan
- notable_cultivar
- 'Argenteovariegatum' (Award of Garden Merit)
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Jasminum
- Species
- officinale
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Jasminum officinale is a vigorous, twining deciduous climber with sharply pointed pinnate leaves and clusters of starry, pure white flowers in summer, which are the source of its heady scent. The leaf has 5 to 9 leaflets. The Latin specific epithet officinale means 'useful'. The species is found in the Caucasus, northern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Himalayas, Tajikistan, India, Nepal and western China, and is also widely cultivated and naturalized in parts of Europe, Algeria, Florida and the West Indies.
Reader's Guide
Jasminum officinale is so ancient in cultivation that its country of origin, though somewhere in Central Asia, is not certain. In the third century CE, jasmines identifiable as J. officinale and J. sambac were recorded among 'foreign' plants in Chinese texts, and in ninth-century Chinese texts J. officinale was said to come from Byzantium. Its entry into European gardens was most likely through the Arab-Norman culture of Sicily. By the mid-14th century, Boccaccio's Decameron described a garden with jasmine. The species was so thoroughly naturalized that Linnaeus thought it was native to Switzerland. As a garden plant in London it features in William Turner's Names of Herbes, 1548. Double forms were treasured in the 16th and 17th centuries. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy and perfumery, with flowers picked at night for solvent extraction. Jasmine is generally recognized as safe as a food ingredient by the U.S. FDA, though allergic reactions may occur.
Did You Know?
- Jasminum officinale is the national flower of Pakistan.
- The Latin specific epithet officinale means 'useful'.
- The flowers release their perfume at dusk, so they are picked at night for oil extraction.
- The species is so ancient in cultivation that its exact country of origin is uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jasminum officinale?
Jasminum officinale is a vigorous, twining deciduous climber in the olive family (Oleaceae), known by a string of affectionate nicknames including common jasmine, poet's jasmine, white jasmine, and jessamine. It is the species most people picture when they think of classic, heady-scented jasmine.
What are Jasminum officinale's signature powers?
Its standout ability is releasing an intensely sweet, almost intoxicating fragrance from clusters of star-shaped blooms during summer. It also has a bold structural presence: sharply pointed, pinnate leaves made up of five to nine leaflets that give the vine a lush, layered look as it scrambles over trellises and walls.
Where does Jasminum officinale call home?
The species is native to a broad swath of the region stretching from the Caucasus through northern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Himalayas, Tajikistan, India, Nepal, and into western China. It has since naturalized in many temperate gardens far outside that original range.
Why is Jasminum officinale important to the wider world?
It holds the distinction of being Pakistan's national flower, a recognition of its deep cultural and horticultural roots in the region. Beyond that, gardeners across temperate climates prize it as one of the most reliably fragrant summer climbers available, making it a cornerstone of perfumed garden design.
What makes Jasminum officinale stand out among other jasmine cultivars?
Its 'true jasmine' status sets it apart from the many look-alike species, and a standout selection called 'Argenteovariegatum' has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for its variegated foliage and dependable performance. Combined with its pinnate leaf structure and star-shaped flower clusters, it offers a visual and aromatic package few other climbers match.
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