STAR JASMINE

These old favorites are among the most versatile and useful of plants, serving as ground covers, trailers, or climbers. They bear delightfully fragrant, pinwheel-shaped blossoms in spring and early summer. Plant in well-drained soil; for lush growth, fertilize once before spring growth begins, again after flowering. Prune back as needed to shape. Cut stems exude a milky sap.

• From Japan, Korea.
• Excellent, tough, fast-growing ground cover.
• Hardier than Trachelospermum jasminoides, with smaller, darker, duller green leaves; flowers are also smaller, in creamy yellow or yellowish white.
• Several selections are grown for their attractive foliage.
• 'Ogon-nishiki' is dramatic, with orange and red new growth that ages to deep green splashed with gold.
• Snow N Summer and 'Tricolor' have leaves that emerge pink, then age to white, then to deep green with white splashes.
• Summer Sunset has new leaves of orange and red that slowly turn creamy white with a wide irregular edge of green.

• From China.
• Given support, a twining vine to 2030 feet.; without support and with some tip-pinching, a spreading shrub or ground cover to 1122 feet tall, 45 feet wide.
• Oval leaves to 3 inches long are glossy, light green when new, mature to lustrous dark green.
• Profusion of white, inch-wide flowers in small clusters on short side branches.
• Attractive to bees.
• If grown as a shrubby plant, it is good in raised beds or entry gardens, for edging a walk or drive, as extension of lawn, spilling over walls, as ground cover under trees and shrubs.
• Set plants 5 feet apart for ground cover.
• As a vine, good for training on a wall, pergola, trellis, or over a doorway.
• Madison is a bit more compact, with a longer bloom period, sweeter scent, and improved cold hardiness.
• Leaves of 'Variegatum' are bordered and blotched in white.