Madison Jasmine Plant – A Comprehensive Guide to Growing and Caring
Madison Jasmine plant (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a beautiful and versatile plant famous for its gorgeous fragrance and heavenly-looking white flowers. The plant belongs to the Apocynaceae family and is native to China, Korea and Japan. However, with its distinctive fragrance and climbing nature, it has become widely naturalised as an ornamental plant in other temperate areas of the world. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just a beginner to the plant kingdom, the Madison Jasmine plant, also called Confederate jasmine or star jasmine, is an excellent choice, and here’s the ultimate growing guide to growing, maintaining and enjoying the Madison Jasmine plant.
Understanding the Madison Jasmine Plant
Many people call it Madson Jasmine, but, whatever you call it, it is a twining vine that belongs to the Apocynaceae family. It is certainly not a real jasmine (genus Jasminum), although many people call it a jasmine, and it shares many of the same qualities as the Jasminum family, specifically the star shaped flowers and beautiful aroma of pure white flowers. This plant can get up to 20 ft in length; it is often use as a climbing vine, but it is often used as a ground cover too and can easily be grown in a pot.
Key Features of Madison Jasmine
Fragrant flowers: One of the main qualities of the Madison Jasmine vine is the sweet-smelling star-shaped white flowers. The flowers usually bloom in late spring to early summer and has a noticeable fragrance.
Evergreen Foliage: Bright and glossy deep green leaves provide a fabulous foliage display year-round, making it a perfect focal point.
Hardiness: Undoubtedly its best-known attribute, Madison Jasmine thrives in USDA zones 8-10, making it suitable for growing in southern states and in other climates that are temperate and relatively mild. It’s hardy against cold temperatures; more so than several other varieties of jasmine and other climbing vines, Madison Jasmine can endure freezing temperatures.
Ease of care: Amino’s foliage has few compromises. It is tolerant of drought and easy to train onto trellises, arbors, fences or grown as a ground cover. Since the vine isn’t picky about soil, it is suitable for growing within containers and indoors as well as outdoors.
Choosing the Right Location for Madison Jasmine
First of all I should choose a good location that provide adequate conditions for it growth and flowering. To ensure that Madison Jasmine grows everything that it needs, I have to lead some digging work.
Sunlight Requirements
When it does bloom, the five-petalled flowers are heavy and yellow. Madison Jasmine prefers full sun to partial shade and thrives in locations with at least 4-6 hours of full sunlight each day, ideally oriented toward the south or east. In warmer climates, afternoon shade can help the plant avoid scorching.
Soil Preferences
It is quite versatile and does well in poor soils but prefers slightly acidic to neutral well-drained fertile organic-rich soil. Add organic matter to the soil in the form of compost or dried peat moss to increase fertility and drainage. If planting in a container, fill it with a commercial high-quality potting mix.
Planting Considerations
If planting in the ground, dig a hole two times as wide as the root ball and as deep. Place the plant in the hole so that the top of the root ball is even with the surrounding grade. Backfill with soil and water in well. Space multiple plants 3 to 4 ft apart.
If planting in a container, select a pot with drainage holes and a diameter of at least 12-18 inches to allow the plant to grow to its full size. The container diameter should be large enough to avoid root overcrowding, which can restrict flowering of your plant.
Caring for Madison Jasmine
It’s quite easy to look after – it’ll grow if you water it and provide some light – but you’ll get more flowers if you take proper care.
Watering
Madison Jasmine prefers a good, but not soggy, moisture level in the soil, and is fairly drought-tolerant once established. Water the plant regularly, especially when there are dry spells, but be careful not to waterlog it – they like their feet dry. How can you tell if your plant needs water? Stick your finger in the soil up to your first knuckle, and if the top inch is dry, then go ahead and water.
For plants in containers, water until the excess drains from the bottom, then wait until the surface of the soil is slightly dry before watering again. Cut back on the water in the winter when the plant’s growth slows.
Fertilizing
For good, healthy growth, as well as for flowering, fertilise the Madison Jasmine when it is in active growth or during the spring and summer months. Use a balanced, slow-release fertiliser or a liquid fertiliser diluted to half strength. Fertilise according to manufacturer’s instructions, making sure never to over-fertilise or else the Madison Jasmine will produce lush foliage at the expense of flowers.
Pruning
Like any jasmine, Madison Jasmine must be pruned not only to maintain its shape and size, but also to ensure better blooming. After the flowers stop blooming, prune back any dead, damaged or overgrown vine tips. You can also prune back the plant’s growth and shape it by cutting off approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) of the tips of the vines. Regular pruning prevents it from becoming overgrown and woody or leggy.
If you are using Madison Jasmine as a ground cover, remove it in early spring by edging or mowing down to retain a neat look throughout the season and encourage new growth.
Pests and Diseases
Relatively resistant to pests and disease, Madison Jasmine is nonetheless not immune. Physiological disorders that affect the sword fern include mealybug and stickiness, mite infestation, rust, and smudge.
Pests
Aphids: These small insects feed on the sap of the plant, which causes growth deformations and yellow foliage. Use insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Spider Mites: These are smaller than the rest of the insects mentioned here (visibly so) and are literally everywhere in the summer in hot, dry conditions. They like those conditions, and will feed on and mate on the lower leaf surface, laying their eggs and giving your hydroponic plants stippling and webbing. This is a function of humidity (increasing it above the canopy will help) and manageable with insecticidal soap and miticides.
Scale Insects: Small brown bumps on stems and leaves are tiny versions of a scale insect. Use a hand trowel or fingers to scrape them off or treat them with horticultural oil.
Diseases
Overwatering or poorly drained soil can give your pothos root rot, which causes yellowing and wilting-aged leaves: prevent this by ensuring there is enough drainage and letting the soil completely dry out between waterings.
Mildew: This fungal disease is a white powdery coating on the leaves and is especially common on lightly shaded, moist leaves. Help air circulate and, if needed, treat with a fungicide.
Leaf spot: Caused by spores from fungi and bacteria, these diseases are identified by brown or black spots on leaves. Prune affected leaves and treat with a fungicide to stop the spread of disease.
Propagating Madison Jasmine
If you’re looking to put new pots of Madison Jasmine into the garden, or share this plant with friends and family, propagation is great fun – and easy.
Propagation by Cuttings
If you’d like to propagate Madison Jasmine, stem cuttings are the easiest way. Here’s what you do:
Pick a Good Stem: Make sure to choose 4-6 inches of the strongest non-flowering stem, with at least two nodes (places where leaves join the stem).
Make the Cut: Snip off the stem about half an inch below a node (that bulge) with an exceptionally sharp and clean pair of scissors or pruning shears. Strip off all the bottom leaves (and, ideally, nearly all the others), leaving just one or two at the tip.
Rooting Hormone (optional): The cut end of the stem can be dipped in rooting hormone but this is completely optional.
Plant the Cutting: Put the cutting in a small pot with a potting mix that drains well. Water it lightly and then put a plastic bag over the pot to make it humid.