Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton

Shrubs, or woody vines to 2 m high, much branched; twigs terete or slightly compressed, sometimes hollow, often with a prominent groove, puberulent with weak, ascending hairs. Leaves opposite, verticillate, or subopposite, to 6 cm long, 5 cm wide, simple, entire, rotund, elliptical or obovate, rounded or obtuse at each end, chartaceous, the midvein impressed above, elevated beneath, the 4-6 pin-nate veins on each side prominent, arcuate, attenuate, glabrate above except on the major veins, puberulent beneath with minute, erect hairs; petiole 2-5 mm long, pubescent, curved and thicker upwards. Inflorescences small, with mostly only a few flowers opening at a time; peduncles compressed, tomentose or gla-brate, the pedicels 3-20 mm long, with small, narrow bracts and bractlets. Flowers fragrant; calyx of 5-12 porrect, linear lobes with a narrow membranous apiculus, to 7 mm long, green; corolla white, salviform-cyathiform, the tube 7-12 mm long, stout, the lobes somewhat exceeding the tube, mostly in double or triple whorls (single in some wild Indian populations); stamens 2, but androecium and gynoe-cium often reduced to minute, petaloid processes. Fruits not seen.

It is a tropical plant. It is widely cultivated in China. It is moderately salt tolerant. It needs regular moisture and an average, well-drained soil. It needs full sun. It needs a temperature above 13-15°C. In XTBG Yunnan. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

The dried flowers are used to flavour tea. (Jasmine tea) The flowers soaked in water are used in cooking especially in desserts. The flowers yield an essential oil used in flavouring.

Plants are grown from semi-ripe cuttings. They can also be grown by air-layering.