Star Jasmine Winter Ruby

A compact, twining evergreen climber, Star Jasmine Winter Ruby provides excellent year-round interest. It is highly valued for its striking seasonal colour transition, maintaining rich green foliage throughout Spring and Summer before the leaves and stems shift to a deep ruby-red and maroon as winter temperatures drop. The plant produces dense clusters of star-shaped, pure white flowers earlier in the season than standard varieties, blooming from May through to mid-summer. These blossoms release a powerful, sweet fragrance that is particularly noticeable on warm evenings. The glossy, oval leaves form a tight mat of foliage, and the plant stays notably more compact and bushy than the wild species, making it easier to manage on garden supports. This variety was bred for improved cold resilience, demonstrating better frost resistance than older cultivars. It relies on its twining stems to climb, meaning it requires a framework of trellis or wires to establish itself against a wall or fence, ideally south or west facing.

Site: Shelter from harsh drying winds
Soil: Prefers moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Dislikes heavy, waterlogged winter ground.
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Season of Interest: Scented white flowers from May to July; glossy green summer foliage transforming to ruby-red throughout the winter.
Hardiness : Hardy from -15C
Height: 6-10’ (2-3m) Spread: 5-6’ (1.5-2m)

Image by Leonora (Ellie) Enking cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0