Winter-flowered Jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum

Winter jasmine is a sprawling, deciduous, perennial shrub in the olive family (Oleaceae). It is native to Tibet and central China. The specific epithet, nudiflorum, means “naked flowering” and highlights the fact that the flowers appear before the leaves. 

Winter jasmine prefers full sun to partial shade. It will grow in heavy shade, but the floral display will be reduced. It prefers well-drained soils, but it is adaptable to a variety of soil types and does well in poor soils. The cane-like, rapid growth creates colonies that look messy if unpruned. It can be rejuvenated by severe pruning after flowering. When pruning, keep in mind that flowers will appear on old (last year’s) growth.

Winter jasmine grows up to 4 feet tall. If it is grown as a vine, it will reach 10 to 15 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. It has long arching branches and willowy stems. In January or February, bright yellow tubular or funnel-shaped blooms appear before the leaves have emerged. The shrub makes a dense green mound during the summer. This plant roots easily where arching branches touch the soil. The leaves are opposite and have trifoliolate leaves. The stems are square and green. If fruits occur, they are shiny, black, lobed berries.

Winter jasmine is closely related to another yellow-flowered jasmine, primrose jasmine (J. mesnyi). The difference between the two is that the leaves are deciduous and appear after flowering in winter jasmine, whereas the leaves of primrose jasmine are evergreen.

Consider the winter jasmine for mass plantings as a ground cover for slopes or banks. It may be used on a terrace or stone walls as a trailing vine. Training the vine to grow on a trellis, pergolas, or support structure will add interest to the late winter landscape.

Quick ID Hints:

• sprawling, arching shrub or trailing, cascading vine
• bark is green initially then after the first year turns gray to reddish-brown, thin, scaly
• stems are green, quadrangular
• buds are pointed, 1/8 inch long, and red and green 
• shiny dark green leaves opposite, trifoliolate, leaflets ovate to oblong
• blooms are bright yellow, non-fragrant, funnel-shaped with 6 petals, 1-inch in diameter, bloom January to February
• rarely produces fruit in cultivation; however, if seen presents as a two-lobed, black berry.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Winter jasmine has few serious insect or disease problems. Monitor for Japanese beetles, mealy bugs, and aphids.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

More information on Jasminum.