Originating in Asia (the clue’s in the species name ‘asia-tica’), this woody stemmed climber will twine its way around wires or wood, covering a fence to make a natural green screen or covering a sunny trellised wall to provide a natural backdrop. Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Pink Air’ has dark green glossy leaves and clusters of strongly fragranced, pink, star-shaped flowers that give this plant its nickname, star jasmine. Its fragrance makes it a great addition to a courtyard garden, where the scent will be released as the sun warms the space.
Until your plant is established you can give it a helping hand by tying the new stems to its support. This will give it a good start and help it grow in the direction you want. If you’re growing your climber in a pot, be sure to water it well and regularly, and to feed it at least once a month from April through to October. It’s a vigorous grower and all of that growing is hungry and thirsty work.
To keep its growth in check, prune back its stems after flowering and shave off some of the roots when it’s potbound, repotting it into fresh compost in the same size pot. It can tolerate winter cold to about -5 degrees but in particularly cold areas it’s best to plant it in a pot that can be brought in under cover. More than the temperature it won’t enjoy cold winter winds, so it’s best planted somewhere sheltered or against a wall.
Did you know?
You can propagate this climber by pinning down one of its stems onto the earth, where it will send out roots. Once it’s rooted you can then cut the stem away from the main plant and voila, you have a new climber!
Top tip
If you’re finding Grace is taking up too much space for your liking, then prune her back a bit to keep her growth in check. Do this after she’s flowered, cutting back to just above a node (where leaves emerge from).
Most light conditions
Flowering
Support
Regular watering
