Plant Library

annual

Night Blooming Jessamine

Cestrum nocturnum

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Night Blooming Jessamine (Cestrum nocturnum) at Pesche's Garden Center

Night Blooming Jessamine flowers

Night Blooming Jessamine flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  8 feet

Spread:  6 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  (annual)

Other Names:  Night Blooming Jasmine, Queen of the Night

Description:

This delightful evergreen shrub produces white tubular flowers that are highly fragrant at night, followed by glossy white berries that turn deep purple; plant in sheltered area of the garden or along borders; may resprout from roots after a hard freeze

Ornamental Features

Night Blooming Jessamine features dainty clusters of fragrant white tubular flowers at the ends of the branches from early spring to late winter. Its attractive glossy pointy leaves emerge light green in spring, turning bluish-green in color the rest of the year. It produces deep purple berries from mid summer to late winter.

Landscape Attributes

Night Blooming Jessamine is a dense multi-stemmed annual with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Night Blooming Jessamine is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Night Blooming Jessamine will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Garden 
Applications
Flowers  Fruit  Foliage Color  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features