Snow-N-Summer Asiatic jasmine plants are prolific bloomers in the summer, and as the name suggests, the white flowers are abundant and as pristine as a fresh snowfall. The name is a bit misconstruing. These plants may be called Snow-N-Summer by itself or Asiatic jasmine on its own.
Snow-N-Summer Asiatic jasmine is a drought-tolerant, vine-like evergreen. Despite its name, it is not related to the common jasmine plant. This plant does come from Asia as the name suggests, and its origins are of Korea and Japan.
Why are we telling you about this plant? This fast-growing vine can cover an area of land with a thick covering consisting of vines with small, dark green leaves and gorgeous, fragrant white flowers that perfume the air. This plant can be grown in a multitude of ways and is not limited to groundcover, though that is an attractive use for it.
In some areas, Snow-N-Summer will thrive and maintain its beauty all year. It is salt-tolerant, mostly adaptable to different sun/shade combos and adaptable to any moist, well-drained soil. This plant can also tolerate dry conditions.
The most interesting part of this plant is that it is both easy to grow and extremely fickle about growing. It all depends on the environment in which it resides. In places where the conditions agree with it, Snow-N-Summer can grow to the point of becoming invasive. In places that have extremely hot and humid summers, this plant can struggle.
Uses for Snow-N-Summer
The Snow-N-Summer Asiatic jasmine plants are incredibly versatile. They can be used as borders, mass plantings and as ground cover on spots where it is difficult to get things to grow. When they are grown as ground cover, these plants form a beautiful carpet of flowers. This vine plant can grow up a trellis, up a tree, in a container, in a rock garden and even in your home as a houseplant.
Another positive attribute to this stunning plant is that once it is established, it does not require much maintenance. This makes it a great plant for people who want an impressive garden without the hard work and sweat. While tolerating many growing conditions, this plant suppresses weed growth and is deer and rabbit resistant. It also has very few weed, disease or pest problems. One important fact to note is that although this plant is a fantastic groundcover, it can’t handle much foot traffic or stomping.
Getting Started
Asiatic jasmine will not grow from seeds, so you will either need cuttings, seedlings or transplants. As a groundcover, you will likely want a lot of it. If you live in a very hot area, it is best to plant in the fall. In other areas, spring is a good time to plant.
You can often find flats of Asiatic jasmine plugs. Dig a hole a bit larger than the container, drop your plug into the hole, backfill and water. If you want a carpet of this plant, buy a lot and space them eight to ten inches apart. If you have more patience and/or less of a budget, you can purchase fewer plants and spaced further apart.
If planted further apart, these plants will take two growing seasons to fill in space.
If you or someone you know already have an area of Asiatic jasmine growing, you can take and transplant sections in other areas. If you decide to do this, make sure you use a sharp shovel and remove at least three inches of roots. Also, if you are cutting multiple sections, space out where you remove them from, so the Snow-N-Summer can quickly fill in those barren areas with new growth.
This plant tolerates lots of soil types, even rocky, clay soil if the soil types are well-draining. In soils with high organic content, it can grow aggressively and assertively.
If you wish to grow this vine from cuttings, you will need to grow it in a pot with good drainage indoors where it gets indirect light or outdoors in a shaded area. Roots take about a month to develop, and the plant can then be transplanted to small containers of potting soil.
In another three to four weeks, you will be ready to plant it in the ground. You can plant Snow-N-Summer in an area of full sun, part sun or full shade, just don’t plant it where people will trample it. This lovely plant will attract songbirds.
Maintenance
The only maintenance needed is pruning as this plant can expand beyond the desired borders in the right environment. Regular pruners can call for a big job if you have a large area of Snow-N-Summer growing, so you may need a string trimmer or even a lawnmower with sharp blades as a dull blade will result in jagged cuts.
New growth is pink that turns white, so if you trim it after it dumps its flowers and removes faded flowers and some foliage, this encourages that lovely new growth.
If you see leaves wilting, and there hasn’t been much rain, watering often perks them back up. if wilting with periods of rain, they may require more irrigation.
Problems
The only real problem that these plants encounter is leaf spot caused by a fungus called Cercospora. The good news is that unless you have a severe case of it, which is rare, Asiatic jasmine can typically overcome it without intervention. If the infection is overwhelming, a simple treatment with a fungicide is all this plant needs to bounce back.
The only other potential problem is root rot, so make sure the soil is well-draining. However, too much water, sun or fertilizer can turn it into an uncontrollable monster.
This is just an introduction to a plant we thought might be of interest to plant enthusiasts. We always like to share ideas about flowers, plants and the many ways they can be a part of our lives. If you would like to consider adding plants to your life, our florists at Miss Daisy's Flowers & Gifts serving The Villages, FL, would love to help you find the right plant or flower arrangement to fit your lifestyle.