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the jasmine plant
Jasmine belongs to the Oleaceae family which includes several species such as olive and ash. Originally from Asia, there are now up to 200 varieties. The term jasmine commonly refers to Jasminum officinale. Other species are Jasminum fruticans, which grows wild in the Mediterranean region, Jasminum grandiflorum (Spanish jasmine), Jasminum nudiflorum, Jasminum odoratissimum, etc. Trachelospermum jasminoides, known as false jasmine or star jasmine, is deceptive because of its fragrant white flowers. The many varieties of jasmine can also have very different characteristics. Some types develop bushy bushes up to a meter in height, others, on the contrary, have a climbing character and grow up to 15 meters in height. Even the foliage can take various forms from species to species and range from deciduous to evergreen. Beyond the differences, all varieties of jasmine are similar in the delicate star-shaped flower, distinguished at the base by a thin tubule. Colors range from white to pink to yellow.
The properties of jasmine
Jasmine is widely used in cosmetics for its incomparable fragrance. Already in French Polynesia it was known for its cosmetic properties. The natives soaked the flowers in water and then used this pleasantly scented lotion to wash their faces. They added the variety of jasminum grandiflorum, also known as Spanish jasmine, to the oil with which they traditionally moisturized the body and hair, taking advantage of its intense scent notes. It is no coincidence that in the East jasmine is traditionally considered the symbol of love and feminine sensuality. However, the therapeutic properties attributed to jasmine in the medicinal field are less well known. Indeed, this plant has calming, healing, antispasmodic and antiseptic effects. Oil,
the story of jasmine
Known for its white, highly fragrant flowers, jasmine is widespread in 200 different species which also include varieties with yellow and pink flowers. Most jasmines are native to Central Asia, others come from Africa and Australia. The only European variety is Jasminum fruticans, which grows like a bush up to two meters high and between April and June has beautiful yellow flowers. Jasmine officinalis was known to the Egyptians and then to the Greeks and Romans, but it disappeared in Europe until the 15th century when it was reintroduced. A separate note deserves jasminum sambac Granduca di Toscana, named after Francesco I of Tuscany. At the end of the 16th century, the Grand Duke received a small plant from the distant lands of Goa as a gift. He cultivated it so jealously in his secret gardens, where he collected other exotic plants, which eventually gave rise to a kind of legend around this species with a fleshy flower similar to a camellia. At the beginning of the 19th century, the sambac of the Grand Duke of Tuscany was so sought after that the aristocrats of Catania wore it in their buttonholes.
In agriculture, we refer to the part of a plant that can develop roots and can therefore be used to reproduce a new specimen. The term cuttings has come to refer to the very technique of vegetative reproduction that allows plants to multiply. A branch with at least one bud is usually used. However, there are variations. We speak of root cuttings when the reproduction is obtained from the roots and of foliar cuttings when the leaves are used. Jasmine can also be propagated by cuttings. After flowering, a branch 15 cm long should be cut. Remove the lower leaves and keep the upper ones. A layer of gravel should be placed in a pot to facilitate drainage, then sand mixed with peat should be added. The cutting should be placed in the pot after making a 10 cm hole. It is necessary to water and place the pot in a shaded and well protected place. The soil should be kept moist, without overdoing it with water. It is recommended to wait until spring before removing the new jasmine to move it to another pot or to the ground.