Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
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best jasmine plant

Searching for the best jasmine plant for your New Zealand garden? Jasmine is one of the most beloved groups of plants, famous for its intoxicating fragrance, showy white or yellow flowers, and versatile growth habits. Whether you're after a dense flowering shrub, a vigorous climber, or an easy-care groundcover, there’s a jasmine variety that will suit your needs and perform beautifully in your local conditions. Below you'll discover some of the most popular jasmine varieties, their ideal uses in the garden, and tips on choosing the best jasmine plant for your home.

Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine)

Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a versatile, evergreen climber renowned for its glossy green leaves and masses of highly fragrant white flowers in summer. In New Zealand, it thrives in full sun or partial shade and prefers well-drained soil.

Buy Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine)

From $11.50

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Climbers

Height: 50 cm

Spread: 2.00 m

Flowering time: Spring, Summer

Tolerances: Hardy

Garden uses: Arches, Borders, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Tropical, White

Jasminum officinale

Jasminum officinale is a much loved climbing plant prized for its masses of small white star shaped flowers and beautiful sweet fragrance through summer. This vigorous jasmine performs very well in New Zealand gardens and is ideal for adding scent and charm to outdoor spaces.

Buy Jasminum officinale

From $24.77

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Climbers

Height: 6.00 m

Spread: 6.00 m

Flowering time: Spring, Summer

Tolerances: Hardy

Garden uses: Arches, Living areas, Pool areas, Screening

Garden styles: Backyard, Frontyard, Japanese

Why Grow Jasmine Plants?

Jasmines are valued for their lush foliage, generous flowering periods, and of course, their unmistakable floral scent. Many varieties are evergreen, providing year-round interest, while others offer semi-evergreen habits in colder regions. Jasmines can be trained over fences, trellises, and pergolas, making them wonderful choices for screening, softening structures, or creating scented pathways. Their flowers are highly attractive to pollinators too, supporting your garden’s ecological health.

Top Jasmine Varieties for New Zealand Gardens

Jasminum sambac (Arabian Jasmine)

If you’re looking for the best jasmine plant for intoxicating scent and beautiful, pure white flowers, Jasminum sambac (Arabian Jasmine) is an outstanding choice. This compact shrub is highly prized for its lush, glossy leaves and continuous flushes of blooms throughout the warmer months. It grows well in pots or garden beds and can even be shaped as a low, informal hedge.

Jasminum mesnyi (Primrose Jasmine)

For something a little different, Jasminum mesnyi (Primrose Jasmine) offers cheerful, bright yellow blooms from late winter through spring. Its sprawling habit makes it perfect for covering banks, spilling over retaining walls, or supporting on trellises. It’s a vigorous grower and thrives in both sun and light shade.

Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine)

When it comes to versatility, Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine) is often considered the best jasmine plant for Kiwi gardens. Star Jasmine is a vigorous climber with glossy evergreen leaves and clusters of highly fragrant white flowers. It excels on fences, trellises, or even as a clipped groundcover. With its tolerance for sun and part shade and above-average cold-hardiness, it’s a true garden classic.

Trachelospermum jasminoides variegatum (Variegated Star Jasmine)

For added visual interest, seek out Trachelospermum jasminoides variegatum (Variegated Star Jasmine), which sports creamy-white and green variegated leaves and the same star-shaped, scented flowers. It brings all the benefits of regular Star Jasmine, with a striking extra splash of colour.

Trachelospermum asiaticum (Asiatic Jasmine)

If you want a dense, trailing groundcover or a low-maintenance climber, Trachelospermum asiaticum (Asiatic Jasmine) is a fantastic option. This species is loved for its smaller, glossy leaves and adaptability in challenging spots, from full sun to part shade.

Choosing the Best Jasmine Plant for Your Space

The best jasmine plant for you will depend on your garden’s conditions and what you want to achieve, whether it’s fragrance, screening, bold foliage, or groundcover. All of the varieties above are proven performers in New Zealand gardens, but consider your available space, sunlight, and desired growth habit when making your choice.

Explore our collection of jasmine plants to find the perfect match for your home. With the right variety, you’ll enjoy years of sweet fragrance, lush greenery, and stunning seasonal blooms.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

best jasmine plant

Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine)

Jasminum officinale

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Why Grow Jasmine Plants?