Orange Jasmine: Best Grow & Care Guide

Orange Jasmine is popular for its exotic white flowers and intoxicating fragrance with minimal upkeep needs.

Consider reading further if you are up for making your Orange Jasmine the emperor of houseplants.

Overview of Orange Jasmine

Also known as Chalcas and Satinwood, Orange Jasmine is a tropical plant native to Southeast Asia.

A Complete Guide to Orange Jasmine Care

Let us delve deep into learning about your beloved Orange Jasmine and how to best care for them, shall we?

1. Sunlight & Temperature

Orange Jasmine fancies daily 4-6 hours of indirect, filtered sunlight with a warm temperature of 65-90°F.

In USDA 10 to 12, you can plant your Orange Jasmine outdoors under a semi-shade of Hydrangeas, Azaleas.

Otherwise, place your Jasmine a few feet away from the east window. Remember, they are not frost-tolerant.

Thus, they need overwintering indoors. But, high temperatures result in fruitless wilting flowers.

You can opt for heat pads, frost blankets, or incandescent grow lamps to keep Jasmine nice and warm.

2. Watering & Humidity

A citrus plant, Orange Jasmine, is a drought-resistant plant yet demands moist soil during the core blooming season.

Pale-brown spots on Jasmine’s flat, wilting leaves are often caused by low humidity (<40%) and lack of water.

Conversely, the overwatered Murraya paniculata plant has yellowing, drooping foliage with stunted growth.

They cause root rot alongside other fungal infections if not treated on time. So, cut back on watering your Jasmine tree in winter about once in two weeks.

Other than that, aim for a self-watering device or bottom watering and add pebbles on the saucer to keep your plant hydrated.

3. Soil & Fertilizer

Orange Jasmine thrives in organic, well-draining, nutrient-rich, nematode-free soil of pH 6.6 to 7.5.

To prepare loose, airy soil, combine organic mix with compost, bark, and leaf mulch in equal parts.

Or you can mix 1 part of peat moss, loamy soil, perlite or pumice and ground limestone. Otherwise, rely on a commercial potting mix.

On the other hand, fed them balanced fertilizers to encourage dark green, glossy leaves with more vibrant blooms.

Meanwhile, before the active flowering season, you can use phosphoric bloom boosters to encourage vigorous bloom.

As the plant stays dormant in winter, it is better to let them be without any fertilizers.

4. Potting & Repotting

Orange Jasmine requires a 5-6″ well-draining clay or terracotta pot to help retain moisture and allow air circulation.

Remember, potbound Jasmine does not grow much, even during active growth season.

Choose a pot 2″ bigger than the previous pot with multiple drain holes for efficient growth. If they do not facilitate drain holes, drill one yourself.

Moreover, thoroughly soak the plant before repotting in early spring to lower repot stress. 

While at it, remove any damaged or dead roots or stems and keep healthy stems to propagate them later.

5. Annual Pruning

Prune your Orange Jasmine throughout the growing season to remove old, damaged, dead leaves and branches.

They make great hedges and respond very well to pruning. Thus, prune them 3 to 4 times a year, with the last trimming in late fall or winter.

Additionally, hard pruning at the wrong time can set back blossoms. Therefore, prune only 1/3rd of the plant at a time.

Moreover, pruning is absolute when they start hosting pests like whiteflies, leaf scales, and sooty mold.

They must be pruned using a sterilized shear if they are also infected with blight, rust fungus, and fusarium wilt.

Thus, apply neem oil and fungicides to control and prevent further infestation.

Orange Jasmine: All About Growth

Orange Jasmine is a tropical plant with a moderate growth rate and grows up to 8-12 feet tall within 3-4 years.

Murraya paniculata grows vigorously in spring and summer but remains dormant in winter.

The dark, glossy green leaves are divided into 3 to 8 oval leaflets in an individual leaf pinnate.

They are known for their signature white flowers that emit aromatic smells reaching as far as 10 feet.

Flowering occurs infrequently throughout the year, often reacting to rain. But flowering is most prevalent from late winter to late spring.

The blooms proliferate the whole season with a phosphoric fertilizer boost and proper deadheading.

Moreover, they bloom in a cluster with almost 5-8 blossoms at the terminals of each branch.

After pollination, the blossoms soon produce bright, reddish-orange berries in late summer.

The fruits are egg-shaped to oval berries measuring 12 mm in length and 5 to 14mm in diameter.

They contain two dull, yellowish-grey or greenish, teardrop-shaped seeds.

However, the lack of proper growing conditions may push back blossoms altogether, preventing fruit bearings.

Propagation Methods of Orange Jasmine

In spring or early summer, propagate your Orange Jasmine plant while repotting to encourage rapid new growth.

You can propagate Orange Jasmine via seeds and stem cuttings.

But stem cutting is preferred over seeds due to simple steps with quicker results.

Now, before hopping on the propagation train, ensure you have rooting hormone, fresh potting mix, pruners and germination tray.

1. Stem Cutting

• Start with selecting a cutting that does not have flowers.
• Cut the stems directly below the leaf about 6 inches long.
• Apply rooting hormone to the cutting ends.
• Gently press the cutting about 2-3 inches into the soil.
• Keep the pot in bright indirect sunlight and maintain a 75°F temperature.
• Water daily to keep the soil moist but not soggy.

Within 12-14 days, you can notice new root sprouts at the cutting edges.

Once the roots grow over an inch, consider transplanting them to a large pot(4-5″). Then, proceed with regular Murraya paniculata care.

2. Seed Propagation

The ripened Jasmine berries bear viable seeds you can harvest during the fall. 

Using lukewarm water, you must presoak the Orange Jasmine seeds in a bowl for about 48 hours.

Once soaked, remove the skin, gently crack the seed flesh, and again soak them for about 12 hours.

• Remove them from the bowl and set them on a paper towel.
• Moisten the starter mix and place it in a germination tray.
• Place one seed per compartment at about 1/4th inch depth.
• Sprinkle the starter mix on top of the seed to cover them lightly.
• Wrap the tray with clear plastic and poke some holes for air circulation.
• Keep the tray a few feet under the grow light for about 8 hours.
• Mist the soil with water to keep it evenly moist.

After 12 to 14 days of planting seeds, you can notice new root sprouts on the seeds.

Once they unfurl a couple of leaves, you can transplant individual seedlings to a 2-3″ pot. Then proceed with regular care for your young seedling.

Toxicity of Orange Jasmine

Unlike Monstera houseplant, Orange Jasmine is non-toxic to humans and cats.

Moreover, fresh blossoms and red berries are visually appetizing and may commonly attract small children and pets.

However, 90% of the fruit body comprises a large seed, and the pulp is tasteless.

Thus, even if you can eat those red berries, they will only leave a foul taste in your mouth.

Instead, they provide probiotic benefits when consumed as green tea of Orange Jasmine.

But remember, kids and pets may choke while eating them. So, it won’t hurt if you take slight caution despite its nonpoisonous nature.

Where to Buy Orange Jasmine

Did you know Orange Jasmine or jessamine (Murraya paniculata) is invasive? Thus, you shall prevent them from self-seeding.

Here are a few online vendors with the fragrant Orange Jasmine plant for sale. 

FAQs About Orange Jasmine

Is Orange Jasmine fragrant?

Orange Jasmine is popular for their beautiful white blooms that spread an intensely sweet floral fragrance.

Thanks to their fragrance, they are often used in essential oil and green tea to add aromatic flavor.

Can you eat Orange Jasmine?

Orange Jasmine can be eaten as they are completely harmless and nonpoisonous. But they do not have any exquisite taste or flavor to offer.

But they are profusely used to prepare green tea of Orange Jasmine for their fragrance.

Is Orange Jasmine the same as Jasmine?

Orange Jasmine belongs to the citrus family but not the Oleaceae or Jasminaceae plant family.

Thus, they are not true to Jasmine and aren’t the same as Jasmine.