Common Name: Arabian Jasmine

General Information

Jasminum sambac is a straggling, erect or climbing, evergreen shrub with stems up to 3 metres long that root at the nodes[, ].
The plant is widely cultivated in the tropics, especially in India and adjacent regions to China and southeast Asia. It is valued for the very fragrant, white flowers which are used for decoration; for the essential oil obtained from the flowers; for use as a condiment; and also for medicinal use[, ]. It is commonly planted as an ornamental in tropical and subtropical gardens[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Bhutan, India.

Habitat

Found at elevations up to 600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in lowland areas of the tropics and subtropics. Plants can only tolerate occasional light frosts[].
Succeeds in full sun and in partial shade[, ]. Requires a moist but well-drained soil[, ]. Prefers a light soil that is rich in organic matter[].
The average annual flower yield is 1 - 7 tonnes per hectare and the essential oil yield is 0.1 - 0.2%[].
Jasmine flowers are picked manually between dawn and 10 a.m., during the hot season in India even between 3 - 8 a.m. Preferably only half-opened and fresh fully opened flowers must be picked, not buds or old (yellowish) flowers, as these will depress the quality of the essential oil. Although rain makes the flowers almost useless, picking flowers in the rain should continue, to promote further flowering[].
An experienced picker can harvest 0.5 kg flowers per hour, but the pickers are usually young women and children, who achieve 2 kg in 5 hours[].
Jasmine flowers must be quickly processed, since delay substantially reduces essential oil content. Flowers should be kept shaded and cool between picking and processing and the processing facility should be close to the plantation. Freshly picked flowers can be stored in polythene bags at 15°c without loss of yield, quality or odour[].
Jasmine oil can be obtained from flowers by steam distillation but the yield is very low. Jasmine concrete is obtained from flowers, formerly by enfleurage, currently by solvent extraction. In solvent extraction, flowers are washed up to 3 times with petroleum ether or, preferably, with hydrocarbon-free food-grade hexane; the extract is then distilled to remove the solvent, resulting in the concrete. Concrete is usually produced at the plantation, but absolute is produced where convenient, often in another country[].
Plants can flower all year round[].
The flowers are exceptionally fragrant[].
This species is the national flower of the Philippine Islands[].

Edible Uses

The dried flowers are commonly used to scent tea, especially in China[, ]. They can be used in conjunction with the flowers of Jasminum lanceolaria, 30 kilos of the flowers are combined with 10 kilos of Jasminium lanceolaria flowers to scent 100 kilos of tea[].

An aromatic water prepared from the flowers is popular in Thai cookery, especially for making desserts[].

Medicinal

Roots and leaves are an important Ayurvedic medicine[].

Both the leaves and flowers are used medicinally, although the leaves have a stronger action than the flowers[]. They are antiamoebic, astringent, febrifuge and galactofuge[].
A decoction is used internally as a treatment for fever[]. An infusion is employed in the treatment of pulmonary catarrh, bronchitis, and also asthma[].
A poultice of the leaves is applied externally to treat skin complaints and wounds[]. The bruised leaves or flowers are applied as a poultice to the breasts of lactating women to discourage the production of breast milk[, ]. An infusion of the flowers is applied to the eyelids as a decongestant[].

The stems are employed as an antipyretic and in the treatment of abscesses[].

A tincture made from the root is said to have very strong sedative, anaesthetic and vulnerary properties[].
The root is given fresh to treat fevers and venereal diseases[]. A decoction is employed in the treatment of pulmonary catarrh, bronchitis, and also asthma[].
The roots are used externally as poultices for sprains and fractures[].

Other Uses

An essential oil in the flowers is used in perfumery[].

Propagation

Seed - it does not require pre-treatment and is best sown in a partially shaded position as soon as it is ripe[].
Cuttings 12 - 20cm long should be taken from terminal shoots; treatment with a root stimulator increases the strike rate[].
Semi-ripe cuttings, 8cm long, places in a sandy medium, usually root within 4 weeks[].
Cuttings taken from shoot tips have given better results than semi-ripe cuttings. They are usually treated with a fungicide, placed in prepared planting holes and watered[].
Layering in the field is done with one-year-old shoots; a slanting cut is made approximately half-way through the shoot some 50cm from the end; the cut is buried about 10 - 15cm deep with the top remaining above ground. After about 4 - 6 months the rooted layers can be separated from the parent plant and transplanted[].

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