How to Grow a Jasmine Plant Indoors

Jasmine has enchanted people for thousands of years with its aromatic blooms. The romantic fragrance is widely used in perfumes, including the famous Chanel No. 5, and can be added to bathwater for a relaxing, stress-relieving soak. Jasmine flowers have been used to scent tea since the 5th century and make a unique addition to sweets and desserts. You can even bring the sweetly floral scent of jasmine into your own home by keeping it as a houseplant. Below, learn everything you need to know on how to grow and care for a jasmine plant indoors.

Know Your Jasmine Plants

There are several species of jasmine and a variety of unrelated plants that include the word jasmine in their name—such as star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)—some of which are toxic. If you're interested in growing a jasmine plant indoors, start by selecting the proper jasmine species to meet your needs. To scent teas and perfumes, one of two species are used: common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) or Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac). These can both be grown indoors. A third species, pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) is also commonly grown as a houseplant for its heady perfume and pink-tinged flower buds. All Jasminum species are non-toxic to dogs or cats.

The growth habit of jasmine varies by species. Common jasmine and pink jasmine grow as vines and are commonly sold at florist shops trained to a small trellis. They also work well in hanging baskets, which allow the vines to cascade down. Arabian jasmine grows as a sprawling shrub but can also be trained to a trellis. 

Jasmine Plant Care

Jasmine plants aren't difficult to care for, but they do require certain conditions for optimal blooms. They also grow quickly, which means they need to be pruned occasionally. The best time to prune jasmine is right after they finish blooming, which prevents you from removing developing flower buds. The following guidelines will help you grow healthy, vigorous jasmine plants.

Water

Jasmine plants are sensitive to dry soil, but also do not tolerate soggy soils. Maintain even moisture by allowing the top half-inch of soil to dry between waterings. Reduce water during the fall and winter months when plants are less active.

Soil

Give jasmine plants a porous, well-draining growing medium to keep roots healthy while providing adequate moisture. A soil mix containing bark, peat, or perlite will provide a good balance of moisture retention and drainage. When plants need repotting, do so in the spring, pruning roots as necessary.

Light

Jasmine needs six or more hours of strong light per day to thrive indoors. Bright, indirect light is ideal, such as near a north or east facing window. You can move plants outdoors for summer, gradually increasing the amount of sunlight they receive.

Temperature & Humidity

Jasmine plants like air temperatures on the cooler side, thriving between 60° to 75° Fahrenheit. Cool temperatures are particularly important in early fall for flower bud development (as discussed more thoroughly below). Jasmine is also sensitive to dry air, so avoid setting plants near radiators or air vents. To provide additional humidity, consider using a humidifier or setting plant pots on trays filled with gravel or pebbles and water. Just be sure to keep the water level below the top of the stones on the tray to prevent the soil from sitting in water.

Fertilizer

Feed plants every two to four weeks during the growing season, from spring through mid-summer, using a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength. Do not fertilize plants in fall or winter when plants are less actively growing.

How to Get Jasmine to Bloom Indoors

Common jasmine and pink jasmine need a dormant period to bloom. To accomplish this, mimic the conditions of autumn during the fall and early winter months. Provide plants with bright sunny days and cool, dark nights. Jasmine plants need adequate, indirect light during the day to develop flower buds, but also require the absence of artificial light at night. Jasmine also benefits from cool temperatures, between 50° and 60°F, and reduced watering during this rest period. Place plants in a cool, well-lit room where you don’t tend to turn on lights at night.

Since jasmine plants grow vigorously, they need to be pruned to control their size, especially indoors. But it's important to avoid pruning them at the wrong time and accidentally removing the flower buds. For the best results, prune plants back immediately after flowering to reduce plant size, removing as much as one-third of plant material. When plants resume active growth in spring, tip stems to promote lateral branching. After this trim, you can thin out 10 to 20 percent of new growth to keep plant size in check while allowing remaining stems to produce blooms.

Jasminum sambac has different blooming requirements. It is an everblooming species that does not need a dormant period to bloom. Prune this species in late spring and mid-summer to encourage more branching and flower bud development.

How to Harvest Jasmine

One of the main benefits of growing and harvesting jasmine at home is that you know it has not been treated with pesticides. Before harvesting jasmine flowers for consumption, make sure you are growing one of the species mentioned above, either common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) or Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac). Both species, as well as pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum), can also be harvested for aromatic uses.

Jasmine blossoms are delicate and best harvested early in the day when the buds are still closed. You can harvest individual blossoms or clip stems for easier harvesting. You will need to remove individual flowers from the stem before using them. Fresh flowers can be added to teas, rice, or sweets, or they can be dried in a cool, well-ventilated room for later use. For the best fragrance, use harvested flowers in the evening after they unfurl, releasing their aroma.

Common Problems with Indoor Jasmine Plants

Jasmine is relatively pest free, but all plants can show signs of stress when their basic needs are not being met. And when growing plants indoors, there's always a possibility of introducing insect pests. Here are a few common issues to avoid and tips on fixing problems when they arise. 

• Low Light: Jasmine plants might drop leaves when they're not receiving enough sun, though leaf drop can also be a sign of watering problems, as described below. Try moving the plant to a brighter location but avoid direct sun.
• Overwatering: When plants are overwatered, not enough oxygen is available to the roots, which causes them to rot and die. If your plant is dropping leaves or experiencing dieback, check the roots and take note of how much you are watering. Healthy roots are fleshy and white, while diseased roots are dark and may be mushy. If the roots look damaged, trim them back and repot the plant in a lighter, better-draining soil. Then, pay close attention to your watering frequency. An inexpensive soil moisture meter can be helpful in determining when to water.
• Plants Not Blooming: Failure to bloom can be due to inadequate light or lack of a dormant period. Remember to give your jasmine plant a winter rest, storing it in a cool location away from artificial light.
• Yellow Leaves: While water-stress can cause discolored foliage, another common cause is poor nutrition. Apply a well-balanced fertilizer to see if the condition improves. Note that too much nitrogen can lead to excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowers. If this happens, switch to a house plant fertilizer labeled for promoting blooms. These contain less nitrogen per unit volume.  
• Insect Pests: Many insect pests, such as whiteflies and spider mites, that affect houseplants prefer warmer temperatures, so keeping your plants in a cooler area of the house not only helps promote flowering but also helps manage pests. If you do find an infestation, apply a horticultural oil or soap labeled for the problem pest. Most insect pests are introduced to the house on new plants, so isolate and treat new introductions carefully.

The tips on how to grow and care for a jasmine plant outlined in this article will help you avoid most common problems, freeing you to relax and enjoy the captivating aroma of this beloved plant.