PlantFiles: Madagascar Jasmine, Bridal Wreath, Bridal Bouquet, Hawaiian Wedding Flower, Stephanotis, Wax Flower
Stephanotis floribunda

I bought 2 of these plants at the beginning of the summer from our local plant store. I took them home and put them in the ground on the east side of my house where it gets morning sun till about noon. I put a wire trellis behind them. Within days I noticed the plant starting to take off. I had buds within 2 weeks. The other day I noticed a seed pod behind the trellis. It looks kind of like a small avocado. The vines are wrapping itself around the trellis very nicely. I'm hoping it will survive the winter months out here in Santee where it gets down into the low 30's.

My gran used to grow this indoors in Yorkshire when I was young and I always said I would have it as part of my wedding bouquet. I ordered my bouquet 20 or so years later but the florist had never heard of it!! (I live in Scotland now) I found one in a supermarket in flower and bought it three weeks before the wedding. All the flowers fell off!!! So I bought another, the flowers lasted all summer except the ones I pulled off for my bouquet. Both plants are still going strong one year later and one of them is in flower. I don't do much with them, except dust the leaves occasionally and give them a little water, they are either side of my fireplace (the fire is never on) and they get the evening sun through the window. I love them, they remind my of my gran and my wedding. What more can you want?

I've started Stephanotis floribunda from seed late October 2007, and I've been keeping the seedlings outside at all times ever since they sprouted. We've had a few very cold nights for Miami (low 50s), and I've forgot to bring them in. They didn't mind, and they continued to grow. I don't have them flower yet, but the leaves themselves are quite beautiful. I'm hoping for blooms soon.

I ordered this baby from a magazine and the day it came in my husband and I both missed the mail notice and this was on a friday so we didn't get to pick it up until the monday, there it was dried and looking very dead, it lost all but one of it's leaves and that was 3 years ago and the plant has traveled all around the country with me,(my husband was in cunstruction and we traveled 6 months out of the year) I took this plant in a small pot with a make-shift trellis every where and now it is at least 9 feet tall loaded with flowers and it is beautiful, I just picked my first seed pod and I have all the seeds and I will try and grow one from them, I also started another one last year from a cutting that I broke off and it is 3 feet tall and it has already bloomed, I keep them both outside where they get the morning sun and I have to water the older plant twice daily because it is root bound but I cant stand the thought of cutting it back. I wintered the older one in my husbands tool shed and bringing it out on warm and sunny days and the other one in my flower shed with an ott light and only watering them about every other week, I must be doing something right cause they are doing great.

About two years ago, I was given this plant by a neighbor who was moving. I took it out of a bed and planted it in a large pot with a metal trellis, it has bloomed each late summer since. It does well inside during the winter here and has been getting water about once every week or so. She was an experiment that I'm very happy with! I had new growth here about Nov/Dec (inside) and I just wind the vines back onto the trellis and she just keeps going and going. I am in love with the scent and can't wait for flowers!

I'm a new member here in NW IN and started my steph from T&M seed several years ago. Knowing it's not hardy, have always brought it indoors late fall. I had read somewhere early on that this plant likes to be pot-bound. The multiple branches are around 8 ft, circling a home-made round copper ring. Checking out all of the comments (thank you very much) because mine has never bloomed, I've discovered that it needs a bigger pot and more sun than my shady back yard in summer. I tried overwintering this year in my new little lean-to greenhouse, heated with a non-vented propane heater and sometimes electric heat if the weather is warmer. This plant does not like the propane heater. 80% of the leaves turned yellow during a period of frigid temps and continual propane heat. I maintain a cool greenhouse so mid-50's is as low as it gets in there. Now planning to repot, cut back and hope for flowers.

I just bought a Madagascar Jasmine for my USDA zone 8; Western Gardener zone 14. I live in Sacramento, CA. I'm trying it on the policy of my nursery - - lifetime guarantees. I'm going to try it on the north side of my house under eves in the ground. The only frost protection will be the warmth of the house. Has anyone in this zone been successful with this plant?

I absolutely LOVE this plant! I bought it in a small pot and transplanted it into a large patio pot with Miracle Grow Potting soil. I've placed it on our west facing patio in a full sun location and it's doing great. I water it every night because we've had a lot of 90 degree weather recently and have noticed some yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant that have fallen off. This usually indicates too much water, so I'm going to back off to every other day and see what happens. It's blooming and having a great time on the patio. I might move it into a shadier location later but for now it seems to be doing great. It is sending tenderals everywhere and I'm thinking I might want to provide it with a much bigger support to climb on. The flowers smell absolutely fantastic! I've taken several pictures of it and have posted one on this site. The picture was taken in the dark with a digital camera and flash.

does anyone have photos of what an unpollinated madagascar jasmine looks like? does it not have flowers at all or is there a flower spur but now white flower?

I bought this plant in Jan. '02 and it's been nothing, but an absolute pain. I haven't had a single bloom on it since May '02. It's a very tempermental, overly-sensitive plant and I don't like high maintenance in my life.

This plant first went into shock in July '02. I had moved it from the front to the back of the apt. and quickly back to the front because it was pure sun out there. For about 8 months, it was a brown sad little mess. Then it turned green. Yay! In May '03 it went into shock again, and I have no idea why. I feed and water that thing with no real payoff. Then all of a sudden in Nov. '04 it just started growing. Not filling out, no matter how much I pinched or pruned. It would easy grow 4 inches in a day. Up, up, up went the one lonely tendril with it's random leaf pairs.

Everything was going fine until the record freezing recently in SoCal. Now it's a brown, sad plant. I water it, and will be fertilizing it soon, but I'm ready to just toss it out.

I love this plant so much! I have about three in 6in pots and I have cut back two to about 5.5 inches ( is this o.k?) because of yellowing leaves. The other on that I have had for approx 1 year has thrived! I am in the U.K so this plant is not hardy enough for outside. Is there any way to force it to flower/make new growth as mine is rather slow growing. One problem is that once the buds swell and open they only open halfway! and only one or two actually fully open, plz help!!!

I have just identified my plant here on your site. I have bought it (and 2 other jasmines) and planted them in a large planter on our apartment terrace wall in Los Cristianos, Tenerife. I am hoping my neighbour will look after it until I return. I did not know what the large pod was but have learnt much from your site. I am hoping I can train it up and over the wall filling the warm night air with fragrance. I will watch the watering as suggested by you all. Wish me luck - this would never grow here in Yorkshire - in or out of doors!!

I've had my stephanotis since May and just recently noticed a seed pod that is growing pretty quickly. Can I plant the seeds from this after it is dried ? Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I am new to this plant. Thanks!

Laura
St.Louis, MO

All this plants asks is to give it root room,part sun,moderate temps,and NEVER over water. Mine was waaay underpotted in a gallon container.This year i put it in a five gallon pot and let it twine around a antique bird cage stand.It's makeing a very attractive wreath shape.

I'm a florist by trade but a gardener at heart and as such end up with all the unwanted plants from our holiday sales. This plant came to my orphanage 3 years ago as a small 6" circle trellis. It goes outside somewhere around May and is usually back in the house by the begining of October. Every year it has become more vigorus (and naughty). It actually tried to take the crown molding down in my living room this spring when it woke-up! Great plant. Amazing scent. Two big thumbs-up from me.

Hi guys. I planted three of these stephanotis vines last summer in the LA area, and have also observed three others that were planted at my work. I planted mine to climb up a trellis, but the plant really doesn't like to cling to a trellis or other support. Instead it uses the support as a launching point to stick its feelers straight out in the air. The vines at my work are planted against pillars, and the gardeners obviously planned for the vines to wrap around the pillars. However, they really aren't that kind of vine. Instead they ended up with bushy vines that they had to fasten to the pillars, and the vines are all sticking straight out from the pillars. So beware, this vine does not like to cling to the shape of your trellis or support.

I'm a newcomer to this sensual vine. I purchased it in late March, at Valkaria Botanical Gardens just south of Palm Bay, Florida I just repotted it in to a 5 gallon pot, with a trellis, as it has already outgrown the 2 gal pot it came in. The plant is starting it's second blooming cycle since I got it and it's wonderful scent fills the yard. I will most likely keep it potted, as we are subject to get a freeze every few years. If I am fortunate enough to get seeds I will see just how much cold this plant can take.

When I purchased this home a few months ago I inherited this 20 year old Stephanotis plant which has overgrown approximately 60 feet of a chain link fence which surrounds my half-acre property in Hilo, Hawaii. The blooms are gorgeous and fragrant. There are numerous seed pods. However, in this tropical climate and allowed uncontrolled growth there are miles of woody vine with no green on the backside of the fence.......the side I view from the house. I hate looking at it, but I can't stand the thought of cutting it down..........so beware you Hawaii (tropical) planters.......keep it under contol.

Update: We methodically began pruning dead wood, and have successfuly sculpted a portion of the vine into a beautiful hedge. Before and after pictures will follow.

I really really like this plant, although ive never smelled the blooms.. Wanna know why? Well its been doing so so here. I have it inside, in a sunny window, because outside it is a little too cold for it... It was kinda bushy when i first bought it, and expensive too, now its seemed to lose some leaves that turned yellow and fell off... I am guessing it likes a Hawaii type place.. Well other than that i really love it, and am trying everything i can to make it grow and bloom... If you live in Los Angeles it will do fine there, i live close to LA and seen it there outside on fences and peoples front porches, and its doing well!!! Wish i lived in LA sometimes! :O(

(Update)

Man this vine died on me! I guess it didnt like to be re-planted, but the soil it was in held tooo much water.. well anyways, i guess this plant is ok if you live in Los Angeles, or in Hawii... Other than that, i am unsure?!!?

In Zone 6 the Stephanotis is a summer patio plant. It does tend to attract ants and scale during the winter months in the house. However, a white vinegar circle around the pot between rainstorms takes care of the ants and alcohol and Q-tips take care of the scale.

I have had the steph for over 5 years. In previous home in Santa Clara, CA it wintered over in the greenhouse. All I ever did was trim it back in the spring and transfer it to an ever larger pot. It is now in a 20" pot about 2 feet high. It climbs on a trellis that is 4 feet wide and 5 feet high. When it is time to change the trellis, I cut the plant back a bit and unwind the branches, insert new trellis and wind the plant around the wood.

Last spring I had to cut the plant back to fit in a U-Haul trailer and I was afraid that I was going to stunt it's growth and lose the flowers. WRONG! Steph did her thing and threw out more new growth than she ever had and was a mass of white blooms for the majority of the summer.

I talked to a florist friend who had a huge stephanotis in their shop that always seemed to be in bloom and I asked her how she did it. In late winter (February) she cut it back and fed it with 1/2 strength VF-11 weekly. By the middle of March the plant was totally covered with new growth and flowers. Apparently her secret was to cut it back and feed it.

Hope this helps anyone that wants to over-winter a plant in the house. Mine will be getting a cut-back this week.

I would also like to add that the flowers are very long-lived. It also looks very attractive to have a maroon colored clematis climbing throughout. ahh!

I started two plants from seed this spring, under flourescent lights, in ProMix. In mid-May I hardened them off, then transplanted them to my west-facing (sun) garden, zone 7a. They grew a bit in the summer, next to my soaker hose and sheltered by a very dense canopy of lablab purpurea. In Sept. I potted them and brought them inside. They are still small, but perking up and greener now that I've started parking them about 3" from a flourescent kitchen light at night. There is a bit of stippling and curling on some leaves. No apparent pests, though.

Zone 11, hawaii. have always loved this vine. grew it on the other side of island when i was a teen. Quite a bit around here, neighbors grow it on chain link fences and that's where I got my seeds several years ago. One of the pods had just ripened (split open...seeds go airborn on silky "feathers"). As my son was early grade-school we would often plant seeds we'd find into pots to see what would happen. I had not expected these to germinate but all we planted grew. Kept them it pots several years then finally planted along fence (about 6' apart). Lots of flowers right now... blooms many times throughout the year. 1st pod on the vine. If you have pod, let it ripen...must be hundreds of seeds laying flat and ready for the wind to take them... coolest thing.

Like in the case of robin3's plant, the one I grow produced some kind of fruit that's hanging right now on a stem. It's dark green, a bit avocado-like looking, but with a rut like in a plum. The plant is planted indoors in full sun (south-east located window), and produces 20-30 flowers at one time, even in winter.

I purchased the stephanotis back in February on clearance at my local flower shop. They put it on clearance because it had no more flowers. It is very cold here through winter and I kept it indoors until recently. It got new leaves while in the house. And now that I put it on our sun porch, the plant just took off and started growing more leaves. I love it!! I fertilize it about once a month. It is very easy to grow and amazingly accepts the colder climate????

I have had good luck growing mine in a large pot, and giving it a climbing structure.It is in a cool pot with bright indirect light. I get more blooms off the part of the plant that receives some direct sun for part of the day.I have seen this plant do very well planted in the ground, and is spectacular growing on patio covers. It definitely needs a place to wrap its tendrils around and will grow, grow, grow. As a florist we use this in wedding bouquets, and is a favorite of brides.Also in winter I cut back on watering it and it seems to bloom even better. Cut worms sometimes start getting in flower clusters and starting eating away at them, other than that I have had very little pest problems.

My "Bridal Bouquet Vine" is producing minimal flowers yet three seed-producing pods this year. I cut one pod and have kept it in my kitchen not knowing what to do with it, and one remains on the vine. (The first one I noticed I cut off thinking it was some cucumber or something, ha ha!) I've now read that you are let the pods "dry" on the vine prior to harvest, but not sure I know when to harvest.

Grows boldly spreads nicely and flowers generously (in late summer) on trellis against an east-facing wall in our coastal climate. Occasional trouble from scale, which appears to invite ants and spiders, but otherwise hardy and lovely. Tried first in a pot, but much more successful in the ground. Blossoms are deliciously fragrant.

North-facing plant grows like a weed in a wonderful eight foot arch above my entryway. People are floored by its fragrance in the summer. Does not like the winter but with a little pruning in the spring puts out tons of new growth and never really looks bad, just some leaf dieback during the coldest months.

Interestingly, the same plant planted on the south facing side of this entryway has died back twice in the winter. I guess "location, location, location" applies to this as well. Fertilized when I remember (approximately every two months) with a slow-release fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as gardenia and azalea.

I have hundreds and hundreds of flowers on this plant. At some points this summer it was hard to see the green leaves for the flowers! A very worthwhile plant, and one that is easy to care for. No pests noted. Kept constantly moist in summer, watered sparingly in winter.

We found this species at our specialty flower farm and loved the fragrance and blooms. We live in western Washington state and therefore must keep this plant indoors. However it has grown to approximately 8-1/2 feet tall in a large ceramic planter and has thrived for the past four months. It has recently stopped blooming and some of the leaves have turned yellow. I believe we may have an infestation of some sort and will be consulting with a local plant specialist to see if there is a fix for this problem. This is our new favorite plant and hope to save it.

I can't believe I'm the first to comment on this WONDERFUL plant! If you're lucky enough to live in USDA Zone 10, where it doesn't get near freezing, this plant grows like a weed outdoors. It especially likes a north- or east- facing wall against the house, or in areas where it gets part sun or morning sun only.

If planted in full sun, the leaves get a bit crisp, but it will bloom like a pro. And its the blooms which are fantastic. Light to medium strength jasmine fragrance and for me, they start in summer and last through early winter, providing the thick heavy white waxy flowers are commonly found in wedding bouquets.

If I lived elsewhere, and had a good east or even west or part southern window exposure, I would DEFINITELY try and grow this as a houseplant. It thrives with no care outside my house, where it isn't even watered or ever fertilized on the north side period. (And we get very little natural rain, on an annual basis.) This is an amazingly tough plant, with beautiful foliage and if it gets enough light, lovely flowers.

The only challenge might be the long rambling vines. So let it wander all around the windows! Or over a fence or house wall. I have gotten seed pods off of the flowers, about two a year, that I think a sphinx moth might have pollinated. hope everyone enjoys this plant as much as I have!