Confederate jasmine, also known as star jasmine, is a fast-growing vine with delicate, fragrant white flowers. Preferring warmer climates, they flourish in the southern areas of the United States through hardiness zones 7B to 10. This article will educate you about confederate jasmine and how to propagate it so you can enjoy it in your garden.
About Confederate Jasamine
Confederate jasmine isn’t true jasmine at all, but instead is an evergreen shrub belonging to Trachelospermum.
Confederate jasmine grows slowly when it’s first planted but will soon start to grow faster after its first year. These shrubs can quickly cover ground or be used to cover fences or archways. They are low maintenance and are great for even beginner gardeners.
These jasmine plants flower mainly in the spring. You’ll be able to enjoy their sweet-smelling white flowers from April until June.
Outside those months, confederate jasmine has glossy green leaves that remain vibrant all year.
How To Propagate Confederate Jasmine
There are many reasons why you might want to propagate confederate jasmine. It could be that you want more for your garden, or you may want some to display as potted plants. You may even want to give some away to a friend. Whatever your reason, we will outline below how you can most effectively propagate jasmine.
Cuttings
One effective way you can propagate confederate jasmine is through cuttings.
When taking cutting your jasmine, start with a sterilized blade or shears. To clean your tool of choice, you can wipe them down with rubbing alcohol. It is essential to start with sterile instruments so you don’t spread bacteria to your cuttings, which can lead to sick plants. In a worst-case scenario, you could spread fungus or bacterial diseases to the rest of your plants.
When taking a cutting, look for a vine that already appears to be spouting small roots at the leaf nodes. After you take your cutting, remove all the leaves except for those on the top two or three nodes. New roots will grow out of where the leaves were, so eliminating the leaves gives the jasmine plenty of opportunities to root.
Dip the cutting in water to encourage the rooting process. You can then plant your cutting in a pot of moist soil. Ensure that your potting setup has plenty of drainages to ensure your cutting does not become waterlogged.
If your soil is not draining well, you can add a little perlite (volcanic glass supplement) to help improve drainage.
The most crucial part of propagating a cutting is keeping the soil moist. You may need to water your cutting daily to achieve the proper moisture level.
The best time of the year to take a cutting is in the spring.
Dividing
If you have a large clump of jasmine that you want to propagate, the easiest way to do this is by dividing.
Confederate jasmine does quite well with propagation by division. The best time to attempt division is late spring or summer, well into the growing season. Trying division during winter or early spring is not recommended.
Waiting until the growing season to divide your plant will give the jasmine plenty of time to establish itself before the next dormant seasons.
To divide jasmine planted in the ground, simply use a shovel to cleanly slice through the root ball and take that part of the plant out of the earth to grow elsewhere.
If you prefer, remove the entire root ball from the ground and pull it apart. This option may be easier if you are trying to divide potted plants rather than those planted in the ground.
When dividing jasmine, the most crucial part to remember is to give each portion of the plant enough roots to get established once you replant it.
Once you have divided your jasmine, you can replant it as usual. Always give your jasmine a good watering when first planted to help the roots begin growing again.
Conclusion
Confederate jasmine is a beautiful addition to any garden, adding a little southern charm to fences or trellises. Because of its relative ease of maintenance, confederate jasmine is easy to propagate through division or cuttings. Now that you’ve learned how to propagate confederate jasmine, you can work with the plant confidently.