How to Start a Star Jasmine Hedge
Tip
Star jasmine will naturally grow as a ground cover type of hedge, but can also grow in any fashion with the help of supports such as trellises, arbors or chain link fences.
Asiatic jasmine is a similar species that blooms less often but grows well as a ground cover.
Take cuttings in summertime to propagate star jasmine.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), also called Confederate jasmine, offers sweet-scented, star-shaped blossoms and a versatile growth habit. Growing it as a hedge is easy with enough pruning, but you can also grow it as a trailing or climbing vine. To accomplish a hedge shape, allow the vine to grow and begin pruning as necessary to constrain it to a tight hedge shape. Persistent pruning is required to control the fast-growing vines. Without support, star jasmine will grow to about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall, and 4 to 5 feet wide, but you can provide a trellis or fence to create a taller screen.
Prepare a planting location in sun or partial shade with well-drained and moist soil. Incorporate leaf mold to improve and enrich the soil. If you're growing the plant indoors, choose a spot with bright or partly-filtered light. Star jasmine grows best in temperatures in the 68 to 72 F range during the day, or 50 to 55 F at night.
Dig holes about twice the size of the root balls of your plants, spaced about 20 feet apart. Vines can grow quite extensively, up to 20 feet or more, so they truly need plenty of space.
Provide water to keep the soil evenly moist, especially after transplanting. You can water less often once plants are established, as they're relatively drought-tolerant.
Apply a balanced fertilizer in spring. Yellowing leaves indicate that the plant needs nutrients. An addition of fertilizer will encourage fast growth into a hedge, although star jasmine will grow quickly without any help.
Prune the plant to control and shape its growth by cutting vines back with pruning shears. You can encourage a round, mounding shape with persistent pruning. Cut off any trailing vines that stick out wildly from the intended shape. Pinch the tips of the vines to encourage fuller growth. The ideal time to prune is after the blooms have appeared, which usually occurs in summer, to avoid cutting off potential blossoms.
Provide support to encourage a taller or climbing hedge, if desired. Star jasmine will not climb up a brick wall, but requires some kind of trellis for twining. Providing this structure will result in taller growth and a screening habit.
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Carly Fiske has been writing professionally since 2009. She writes for websites including greenanswers.com, openoffer.com and thirdage.com. Fiske holds a Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology from the University of Redlands.
